BOTHA AND HERZOG

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1913, 22 November 1913, Page 5

BOTHA AND HERZOG

NO RECONCILIATION. PASTY IN DANGER. EXCITED DEBATE AT NATIONAL ... CONGRESS. By Telegraph—Press AssaciatioiwGßp.rrißlit (Iteo. November 21, 11.5 p.m.) Cape Town, November 2L At the South African National Congress there was a teil-hours' excited uobate. General Do Wet proposed that Mr. Steyu (ex-President of the Orange Free Stat©) should, be elected lender. General Schalfcburgcr and others appealed to the Congress to cease front personalities, otherwise tho Party would bo rent asunder. A climax was reached when Generals Botha a»d Bertaog engagedin an oratorical duel. General .Botha, jtu a remarkable oration, defended- tho expulsion. of General Hertzog from (lie Cabinet, though (ho said) he had no personal quarrel with hta- Ho condemned General do Wet's proposal on tho ground that, if Ksjcfited, it .would probably mean' the reccssioii of the Free' Staters; if accepted, St would mean the cession, of. the Transvallcrs. In, oitlter case, the wreck- of the Party would ensue. Instead, ho (General Botha) proposed to submit the dispUto to a -strong Commission of- seven members. _ He would iiot_ retires while he commanded a majority} as he owed something to hia followers. General Hertzog immediately re- ; plied. He was Warmly cheered, and said that lie was quite' willing to give General Botha the hand of lellowship on porsoinil grounds. Theft followed a general shout: "Do it- now!" For a moment the Congress expectcH that a spectacular reconciliation would tako place, until General Hertzog continued: "but I am obliged to withdraw tho hand on political grounds. I would rather see tho Opposition, in power than support tho. Government." Tho Congress adjourned without reaching a decision;.