South Africa Conciliation Committee facts for kids

The South Africa Conciliation Committee was a British group that worked against war. They were against the Second Boer War, which was a big conflict.

What Was the Committee?

The committee started in 1899. This was right when the war began. Their main goal was to share correct information. They also wanted to find a quick and peaceful way to end the fighting. They hoped for a settlement between Britain and the Boer Republics in South Africa.

Their Main Goal

The Conciliation Committee mostly pushed for talks to stop the war. They wanted to keep South Africa as part of the British Empire. They did not ask Britain to leave completely. This made them a middle-ground group. They tried to appeal to everyone with good reasons, not just one political side.

Who Started It?

Catherine Courtney founded the committee. Its leader was a well-known politician, Leonard Courtney. He asked Emily Hobhouse to be the secretary.

Important Members

Many other important people joined the committee:

• Jane Cobden Unwin: Her father was a famous politician.
• Elizabeth Maria Molteno: Her father was the first Prime Minister of the Cape Colony.
• John Clifford: He led another anti-war group.
• Allan Heywood Bright MP and Sir Wilfrid Lawson MP: Both were members of Parliament.
• Thomas Fisher Unwin: A publisher.
• Henry Brailsford: A journalist who wrote about left-wing ideas.
• Robert Spence Watson: He wrote a book about British rule in South Africa.

Facing Challenges

In 1900, there was a general election in the United Kingdom. People called it a "khaki election". This meant it was heavily influenced by the war. Candidates who were against the war, like Bright and Lawson, lost badly.

Public Opinion

Because of this, the committee faced a lot of public opposition. People were often against their campaigns. This was especially true when they organized a women's protest against the war that same year. However, people were not as angry with them as they were with other anti-war groups.

Key Achievements

The Conciliation Committee was known for sharing real information about the war. The Spectator newspaper even said this was their special role.

Emily Hobhouse's Report

Emily Hobhouse visited South Africa in 1900 and 1901. She wrote a report about the Second Boer War concentration camps. These were camps where many people were held. Her report in 1901 showed how bad conditions were. This led to the Fawcett Commission, which was a formal investigation. The commission confirmed what Emily Hobhouse had found.

South African Branch

A branch of the Conciliation Committee also started in Cape Town, South Africa, in early 1900. John Molteno, a well-known politician there, was its leader. This branch fought against state censorship and martial law. State censorship means the government controls what people can say or read. Martial law means the military takes control of the government. The South African branch had a long fight, but they were quite successful in the end.