14 FEBRUARY 1914, Page 2

General Smuts, be went on, bad struck the Empire two

deadly blows in six months. He had got the Empire into a mess in India, and now bad sent home, when the United Kingdom might be on the verge of civil war, nine missionaries of unrest and disturbance. Even though the deported men had got less than their deserts in one sense, there ought to have been some sort of a trial. Though Mr. hierriman's criticism is undoubtedly damaging, it would have been far more effective but for his record as a lifelong /maser. After• all, he announced that he would vote for the second reading of the Bill, and so also did General Hertzog, though he com- pared General Smuts to Nero.