BOTHA RESIGNS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1624, 16 December 1912, Page 7

BOTHA RESIGNS.

o bOUTH AFRICAN CRlblS. I ' . CABINET DISSENTION. By Telegraph—Frees Assoolatlon-Oopyrlght (Rec. December 15, 5.5 p.m.) Cape Town, December 14. General Botha, who has been Prime Minister of South Africa since tho inauguration of tho Union in 1910, has resigned. This step represents tho culmination of a long series of dissensions between tho Moderates and Dutch extremists in tho Cabinet. RACIAL STRUGGLE,REVIVED. GENERAL BOTHA'S FAILURE. Dissension has been known to exist in tlio South African Cabinot for the best part of a year. General Hortzog has had a long-standing, quarrel with Messrs. Burton and Malan, whilo Mr. Sauer for a long. time held consistently aloof from tho other Ministers. Tho correspondent of the "Morning Post," in writing of the situation some months ago, said:— "It is clear that the hopes which centred on General Botha havo been false hopes. Moderate men of both races looked to him to restrain the extremists in his own party. . . . Tho record of tho Prime Minister, since that time, has been.ono of verbal conciliation of his opponents and passive encouragement of those on his own side who desire to exploit to the fullest extent the racial advantages whioh tho power of self-govern-ment has given them. He formed his Ministry on the lines of the old party divisions. That done, he began to make speeches inviting support from the moderates of both races. His political programme reproduced with an almost verbal accuracy that of tho Unionists. Ho attempted to smooth over tho violently racial speeches of the Minister of Justice during the elections; but ho oould uovcr be brought to a clear condemnation of thoso speeches. In Parliament, where tho moderate element on both sides is very strong, he consistently lent the weight of his personality to counsels lof moderation. This much must stand to his credit. Then ho wont away to' England.. In his absence the extremist section of the Cabinet broke out. General Hortzog stumped tho country, delivering speeches inspired by tho most bitter spirit of racial reaction. General Botha returned. It was obvious that he must declare himself. If ho allowed tho Hertzog campaign to pass without any condemnation it was clear that ho dared not rebuke the extremists.' He did allow it to pass without condemnation. Tho inference was irresistible. The Government I machine-is in tho hands'of the extremists. "We aro back, then, in the old weary rut of South African politics. The hope of a real political division, on tho basis of principles other than that.of racial' adhesion, •is gonri. The Dutch-speak-ing people of South Africa hold tho nolitical power, and they will be, false to all their traditions if they do not use it for their own advantage. Indeed, it is more than clear that they intend to do so. . They are without political scruple; their canons of political honesty arc, those, of the Kruger regime in the Transvaal; they see no harm in log-rolling and corruption for the benefit of their own race. These things are bred in the bone of them. , They are already beginning to como put. The future is, therefore, dark : enough. It is clear that the theory that political; power evolws in those who possess''it a pense of. political resp-msibility-os not: true: of the ..'Dutch-speaking, people ,\ of< South-Africa. • I:speak qf:..the, mass-, oi them. There is a minority .which is not tarred with this tiitoli. To this minority General Botha and his personal adherents belong. But it ,is perfectly plain now that they are not strong enough to carry with them any considerable section of their wople. Or, if they are btrong enough, they are not ooura.Fteou's, enough,to put their, strength to the jtest. ~'jlti.vis vjafc.trisomy . prospect and no w> can say what will happen in the nror. future. The one certaintv is that the Butch-sneaking people. of South Africa "one still united for political action on a.racial basis." • I. ' ===== '