these long years of peace?  Is the spirit that swept the legions of France through the Pyrenees and carried the old flag up the heights of Inkerman in the teeth of Russian chivalry—­is it dead, or only sleeping?  If it but slumbers, let me cry, Sleeper, awake, for danger is at the gates!  Not the danger due from foreign foes, but a greater danger—­the danger of unjust government, for where evil is hidden injustice reigns.

Our military friends tell us that censorship of Press work is necessary for the welfare of the Army.  They urge that if we correspondents had a free hand the enemy might gain valuable information regarding the movements of our troops.  To us who for the greater portion of a year have been at the front there is grim irony in that assertion.  Fancy the Boer scouts wanting information from us which might filter through London newspapers!  That flimsy, paltry excuse can be dismissed with a contemptuous laugh.  That is not why the military people want our work censored.  The real reason is that their awful blunders, their farcical mistakes, and their criminal negligence may not reach the British public.  Just try for one brief moment to remember some of the “censored” cables that have been sent home to you during the war, and then compare it with such a cable as this, which would have come if the Press men had a free hand: 

“Kruger’s Valley, Jan. 12.

  “The ——­ Division, under General ——­, arrived at

Kruger’s Valley four days ago.  No latrines have been
dug ... weather terribly hot, with rain threatening. 
This Division moves out in about a week.  Its place will
be taken by troops just arrived at Durban from England. 
Should we have rain in the meantime half the new draft
will be down with enteric fever before they are here a
week, and the death rate will be simply awful.  General ——­
and staff will be responsible for those deaths.”

The military folk would, doubtless, designate such a telegram “a piece of d——­d impudence.”

But the latrines would be dug, the camp would be kept free from foulness, and the new draft would not die untimely deaths, but would live to fight the enemies of their country.

Why the camps in South Africa were not models of cleanliness passes my comprehension.  There was no need to harass “Tommy” by setting him to do the work.  Every Division was accompanied by swarms of niggers, who drew from Government L4 10s. per month and their food.  These niggers had a gentleman’s life.  They waxed fat, lazy, and cheeky.  Four-fifths of them rode all day on transport wagons, and never earned a fourth of the wages they drew from a sweetly paternal Government.  Why could not those men have been used in every camp to make things safe and comparatively comfortable for “Tommy,” who had to march all day, with his fighting kit upon his back march and fight, and not only march and fight, but go on picket and sentry duty as well?  Those niggers