It subsequently appeared that the preliminary steps taken by the South African Government were timely enough. _The Daily Telegraph's_ Johannesburg correspondent, telegraphing on September 1st, said that the authorities had been perturbed by a number of serious reports to the effect that Germans were interfering with the natives, and inciting them to seditious gatherings. This action assumed such a character as to demand instant action. Alleged German missionaries were even sowing the seeds of discontent in the natives' minds against British rule, magnifying the temporary German success in Europe. It was suggested that the Government might turn the searchlight on all German mission stations in British South Africa. Intelligent natives had been informed that the Germans were "coming soon," when the natives would be given big pay, plenty of drink, and no passes would be necessary. They were also advised to go home, the evident purpose being to paralyse the mining industry. On August 31st the English newspapers contained an important interview given by Mr. Winston Churchill to Mr. Willian G. Shepherd, the representative of the United Press Associations of America. The text of the interview, in Mr. Shepherd's own words, is as follows: On my asking Mr. Churchill about the cause of the war, he handed me the celebrated White Paper of Sir Edward Grey's negotiations, saying: "There is our case, and all we ask of the American people is that they should study it with severe and impartial attention." I then asked what was the underlying cause apart from the actual steps which had led to the rupture. He replied in effect that the war was started and was being maintained by the Prussian military aristocracy, which set no limits to its ambition of world-wide predominance. In a word, it is the old struggle of 100 years ago against Napoleon. The grouping of forces is different; the circumstances are different; the occasion is different; the man, above all, is different--happily. But the issue is the same. We are at grips with Prussian militarism. England stands right in the path of this evergrowing power. Our military force is perhaps small, but it is good and it will grow; our naval and financial resources are considerable; and with these we stand between this mighty army and a dominion which would certainly not be content with European limits. I asked whether the end of the war would see some abatement of the struggle of armaments. Mr. Churchill replied: