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Show PRIME MINISTER TAKES THE FIELD L Gen. Louis Botha, premier of the South African Union, has taken the field in supreme command of the operations op-erations against German Southwest Africa, and the revolt of Colonel Maritz and his forces hastened the movements of the former leader of Boer armies. Before the Boer war General Botha was unknown outside the Transvaal, but his dashing work In that conflict soon made his name a household word. He taught the British generals some severe lessons in open field fighting and in artillery work, and earned their respect and even their liking. Kitchener's dealings with Botha during that war were always frank and cordial. At one meeting a hasty conference of two hours' duration when some glimmering of peace appeared ap-peared on the horizon "K. of K.'s" temper might have been tried to snap-ping-back point, but it stood the test. "I must get off now." he said: "I have an armored train to catch seven miles down the line." "Don't hurry away on that account," answered Botha, with a smile; "we caught it first thing this morning." Since then the English trains that General Botha has had to catch have been boat-trains to England. No coronation is complete without him. He is recognized as a great statesman; he has come to be regarded as one of the most remarkable men in the empire. He has been premier of the Union of South Africa since 1910. |