BOTHA'S PARTY SPLIT IN TWAIN.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1915, 25 November 1913, Page 7

BOTHA'S PARTY SPLIT IN TWAIN.

DRAMATIC SCENE AT NATIONAL CONGRESS. "ADIEU SECEDERS!" HERTZOG & DE WET FORMING A NEW PARTY. By Telceraph—Prcsa Association—OojsyrigTit Cape Town, November i>3. Tho Committeo of soven failed to suggest a solution of the difficulty between General liotha, tho Union Prime Minister, Niid General Ileriaig, owing to General Hertzog declining to attend tho Committee's sitting. Tho dispute has resulted in the party being split in twain. An acrimonious) discussion at tho Congress followed tho Commission's report announcing its failure to conic to an agreemont. General Do Wet declared that tho Commission had widened the breach, and that the Premier (General Botha) must resign.

A motion that tho Congress drop tho dispute and request tho Government to proceed with the administration of the country was earned by 131 votes to 90. Ornngia voted solid for Hertzog. When tlie result was announced Generals Hortzog and De Wet- and their followers left tho hail. Do Wet turned in tho doorway, and shouted: "Adieu, sccedors, Wo will hold a congress in LSioemfoiitei.il in January, and torm an organisation styled 'The National Party.' " Subsequently tho Congress elected Generals Hertzog and Do Wet members of tho Head Committee. General Botha supported their election, urging that they should always keep the door of the Congress open.

"WILL STAND OR . I'ALL WITH BOTHA." "Times"—-Sydney Si Smi" Special Cables. Cape Town, November 23. At tho National Congress of South Africa, Mr. Burton,. Minister of Railways, in a speech defending General Botha, the Prime Minister, said tho differences between tho Government and General HoHxog consisted in tho Gov-' orument being determined to encourage a friendly spirit between tho South African peoples, not heeding race, wliilo Gcnoral Hortaog's whole outlook wan based on racialism.

Mr. Burton added: "We are not going to play, the part of cowards; wo will stand or wo wil! fall witfi Botha." LONDON PRESS COMMENT. (Reo. November 25, 0.10 a.m.) London, November 24. _ Tho "Daily Chronicle" considers that it is not improbable that General Botha will be compelled to seek some means of arranging a coalition with tho Union* ists. Tho "Daily Telegraph" says that General I-lertzog's withdrawal leaves tho Government dangerously weakened at a moment when, owing to the Indian immigrants' griovanco, tho position in South Africa is reaching a phaSe of acute difficulty.

The tension -was crohted by tho quarrel between General Botha and General H&rtzeg, and dates back over a year ago. General Bertzog, then Minister of Justice and the leader of tho Dutch shl-wai-ts, infused to camy out Gonc-ral Botha's principles in his public utterances. Whilo maintaining a friendlv Mid apparently satisfactory attitude on Imperial and racial issues in the Cabinet. General Hertzog lost no opportunity in the remoter country districts of appealing to racial passions. On October 5, 1912, in a speech at Nylstrom. ho dubbed Sir Thomas Srnnrtt, the Unionist leader, and tho Unionists geticj'nlly, "foreign adventurers," and classed the' British with "bastard _ sheep." General Botha then took an important step towards bringing Goncral Ifertzog into lino with bis own moderate policy, _<md seemed to succeed, though at tho price of strained relations. At- tho Albany by-election Genera! Botha was keenly anxious to show that his Nationalist party, was making good progress. ,Ho personally visited Grahamstown on tho eve of' the election, and made a speech. He scored heavily, but on tho .same day General Ilertzog visited an outlying village' and the.ro delivered A specch in which he declared that Imperialism and tht> Empire were only 'important to him in so far as they werct nseful to South Africa—the interests of South Africa eamo first, Mid those of the Empire next, and when they Conflicted ho would vote for tho interests of South Africa. Imperialism, ho added, was a cry only started by capitalists and interested people, and except that it was Useful to ffouth Africa he would havo Slothing to do with it, Tho Albany election result thou showed a Unionist (Opposition) majority far exceeding the most sanguino hopes. ' General Botha returned to Pretoria furious, and there was an angry scene with General Hertzes. "General Hertzog," complained General Botha, "has gratuitously and unnecessarily put tho question whether tho interests of South Africa, should take preference over thoso of tho British Empire. This question should not havo been put; iber® is no reason for putting it; nor should any reason far doing so ariso in tlio fwhirc. The truo interests of South Africa aro not, and need not be, in conflict with those of tho Empire from which we derive our free constitution. Tho only effect of such speeches will bo to cause doubt as to tho real policy of the Governmont, and to create misunderstanding and estrangement between tho different, sections of South Africa's people, and to undo tho great work which has been built iip in tho last four or fivo years with so much labour ■ and 'devotion." Mfamvhilo, Colonel Leuchars, Minister of Commerce, a Natiilian of Scottish descent, decided ho would no longer remain in the same Cabinet with General Kertzog. Tie approached General Botha, and after throo Cabinet meetings of a stormy character, ho handed in his resignation. This pre*cipitated tho crisis. General Botha determined to faco tho issno boldly and appeal to his Cabinet. ITo found it uuilfd in his support as Against General ITortzog, tho only exception being Mr. Fischer. Minister of Laijds, who wavered, Gcnoral Botha then resigned, and was immediately asked to reform tho Onto net,, which lio did—minus General tTortzog, Tho breach in tho partv, crested by tho differences of tlio leader*, now threaten? to split it.