The Dominion. MONDAY, MARCH 17,1313. POLITICAL UNREST IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1700, 17 March 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, MARCH 17,1313. POLITICAL UNREST IN SOUTH AFRICA.

The very pretty quarrel between Generals Botha and Hertzoq which has split the South African Government's following both in Parlia--ment and in the country is not without interesting possibilities. Botha and Hep.tzog are really rival leaders of the Dutch party, tho former representing the less belligerent and less intolerant element, while the latter is in favour with the backveld section, which still, retains much of its bitterness towards all that is not Dutch. Up to the present General Botha has had rather the best 'of the encounter since General Hertzog's- resignation from the Ministry, but he has not emerged scathle&s. Some four weeks ago he scored heavily with a long and somewhat diffuse open letter, to the mombors of his, tho South African, party. The letter reads well, is moderate in tono, and, as some of tho South African newspapers admit, oven dignified—circumstances which it is suggested point to moro brains than one having been engaged upon _its i production, General Botha indicates his expulsion of General Hertzog from the Union Cabinet, in paragraph. after paragraph, skilfully posturing, as the truthful, magnanimous, and patriotic South African. It is oxcellently done; and, cquld the subject havo been left there, success would have rested with tho Prime Minister. Unfortunately for tho Prime Minister's little thesis on political virtue and other things. General Hertzog, after reading tlie. same, goes to a friendly newspaper with certain bald and i unkind averments. First, one portion of General Botha's statement is "misleading"; another portion is "untruo"; further, he, General Hertzog, hopes later "to deal fully with General Botha's statement, and to leave the public to judge." Then General Hertzog poses as the perfect person in polities, declaring that, not he, but General Botha, is the black sheep in the Union fold. The Prime Ministor, he says, has done him "great injustice with tho public, and reparation must be made." The Johannesburg Star comments disdainfully on General Botha's letter. remarking: "This squabble iB

entirely one of a domestic character., in which the interests of South Africa as a whole have received no consideration from the Nationalist leaders. Nor does General Botha's letter raise the controversy to any u- g L p ' ano t .' lan that which it has hitherto occupied." It seems that General Botha's tardy disapproval of his colleague's utterances was, in a manner, wrung from him by the threatening attitude assumed by the Opposition and by the moderates among his own followers. The Star, in further dealing with General Botha's letter, remarks:—

General Botha's letter mcrelv serves to emphasise that tho main cause of Tupture between the Premier and his late colleague were differences, not of principle, but on points of tactics, and it is tolerably certain that, but for tho somewhat belated action of Colonel Leuchars, General Botha would have been content to continue tho 'happy family' fiction, and to abstain even from addressing any words of remonstrance to the truculent leader of the baekvcld reactionaries. General Hertzog has gone. He may or may not still ba in a position to influence the policy of the Government, and of the caucus, but the South African party in character'Temains very much what it always has been."

And to this may be added tho obvious fact that, in spite of Genera Hertzog's absence, the Botha Ministry remains very much what it always has been. From the outset, the Cabinet has been but an ill- < assorted collection of mediocre politicians. Policy never seemed to weigh much with any of the number. General Shuts, Mr. Burton, and Mr. Hull were probably the only members who had attracted attention by reason of political ability, it may have been political adroitness. Quarrelling seems to have been almost part of their routine business. Me. Hull and Mr. Sauer were soon at enmity, and Mn. Hull—like Colonel Leuchars— withdrew, refusing to meet Mr. Sauer. ' Mr. Burton first, afterwards Mr. Malan, fell foul of General Hertzog in the House of Assembly, each subjecting that gentleman to a severe verbal castigation. But, like a rowdy family, however much they might fight among themselves,_ these Ministers were prompt to unite when the attack came from the outside. Long after' General Hertzog had begun blustering in the baekvcld, and when the question had been raised, how long he.could remain a member of the Ministry, General Botha genially informed interviewers that nothing but harmony existed within the Cabinet. Surely this was approval of General Hertzog's speeches. At the Albany election, first General Smuts, and, after him, Mr. Burton, defended General Hertzog, not casually, but deliberately, and at length. Mr. Malan, in Natal, about the same time, had the temerity to espouse the cause Of the then Minister of Justice, and to approve of his preposterous ' bilingual policy. And these three intended vindications were made within a few weeks of the crisis Mr. Malan's before, and General Smuts' and Mr. Burton'sactually after, the delivery of the notorious Nylstroom speech of General Hertzog which precipitated the crisis. Therefore, to assume that a purified and un-racial Ministry has emerged through the shedding of General Hertzog is somewhat difficult. The immediate future is charged with.great possibilities. General Hertzog's supporters declare that "Botha 'must go"; but Botha, thinking otherwise, is numbering his force*]. The ex-' Minister remains in close communication with the Nationalist caucus. Only one course at present is open to the malcontents—defeating the Government, and forcing a general, election. But that course is fraught with as -much danger to General Hertzog and his men of the backveld, as it is to General Botha himself. Still,' it would probably be a good thing for .South Africa to have these differences fought out in the open.