WHY BEYERS RESIGNED

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2298, 4 November 1914, Page 6

WHY BEYERS RESIGNED

ASTOUNDING LETTER GENERAL' SMUTS'S REPLY The following is the text of tho correspondence wliich -recently passed botween General C. F. Boyers and Gen- ■ eral J. C. Smuts (Minister of Defence): - Pretoria, September 15, 1914. To tho Right Hon. Genoral J. C. 6muts> Minister of Defenco, Piotoria. * Hon. Sir,—You are aware that during tho month of August last I told you and Genoral Botha by woid of mouth , - that I disajpiovod of tho sending of commandoes to German South-West 1 Africa'for the purpose of conquering ; * tb'afr toiritory. I was on tho point -'-then-of resigning, hut, hearing that Parliament was to be called togother I - decided to wait, hoping that a nay out of the difficulty would be found. To my utmost surprise, however, Parliament confirmed the resolution adopted by the Government, namely, to conquer ,G.S.W.A. without -any provoca- -' tion towards the Union from Germans. Govornment must bo aware that 'by " far the great majority of the Dutch speaking, people of tho "Onion decidedly object to crossing the frontier, and tho two conferences of commandants recently held at Pretoria boro eloquent »\ testimony to this. I challenge Government" By an appeal to 'tho people, without making' uso of compulsion, to obtain any other result. It is said that , Great Britain' has taken part in this iw'ar for'the sako of right and justice, in 'order it(T protect tho independence of 1 small nations, and to comply with - tieaties. The fact that three Ministors o; 'the British Cabinet resigned shows i 'that even in England there is a strong minority- which could not be convinced of tho righteousness of a war with GerHis'tory teaches us, after all, that whenever it serves her interests Great Britain is always ready to protect ■*t smaller nations, but, unhappily, history " also relates instauces in which sacred rights and the independence of smaller ,_. nations havo been violated, and treaties (i flisregardcd, ,bv the same country. In proof of this I have only to indicate - Jiow tho independence of the South '.[African'Republic and O.F.S. was violated, and of what weight the Sand River Convention was. It was said that s war'is being waged against the barbar- .. ity"of tho Germans. We have for- " grven''but not forgotten all tho barban? ''"■am perpotratod in this, our own coun-t-try i during tho South African war. Wrih'-very few oxc-options all farms, jiof txTmention many towns, wore Louvains.Oof which we now hear so much. Ao<.this"critical moment it is made ''knowif in Parliament that our Government's granted a loan of seven milhon pounds'sterling by tho British GoyThis is very significant 1 (Anyone-can have his own. thoughts aboutsthatV 'In tho absence of legiti- ' mate groiuids'ior the annexation policy of the .Government you endeavour to mtimidate'-tho-public by 'declaring that tho Government assesses information showing has decided— should opportunity, anso—to annex South 'Africa. ; . /. . My humble opinion is that this will bo hastened if, from our sido, wo invade .German .'territory without having been provoked thereto by the Germans. And as to tho alleged German annexation scheme this is nothing more than the result of the usual national suspicion attending such matters. Tho allegations made m Paihament, namely that Germans have already violated our frontier arc unfounded (see the official' report of ' the Information Bureau,; corroborated by . Lieut.-Col. , l - Maritz and his - , officers, who are on or near the frontier). Apparently Gov- ,. mrnment longed for some' transgressions " by tho Germans of Gorman,, S.W.A., , but have been disappointed s in this, for so far'not a single German, soldier has crossed our frontier. As you know very well the report is perfectly correct regarding an involuntary transgression of the Frontier some tune ago and the tendering of .an - apology for so doing. Whatever may happen in South Africa the war will be decided in Europe in any case, 'so, if .Germany triumphs and should decide to attack us, then'even if Great Britain, 'should be unable to help us, ice should' 'flt least have a sacred and clean catiso Sin defending our country to the utmost, provided' wei stay inside our borders Bieanwhilo. , In case wo are attacked our people ,%vill arise as one man in defence of its (?) rights. Besides, lam con-, itdnoed that °o commando of 8000 Ger- ' jnana, as at present stationed in Gorman/ territory, will not be so foolish as to attempt an attack on our country. I have always said, and repeated at Booysens recently, that if the Union ' jfs attacked Boer and Briton will defend ithis country side by side, and_in such 4i case will deem-it a groat honour and Privilege to-tako up my place at the [head of our forces in defence of my [fatherland. I accepted the position or (Commandant-General under our Deffence Act, the first section of which nprovides that our forces can only be [employed iu the defence of the Union.' < ply bumble opinion is that this section joannot thus be changed by, informal Te- ' (solution of Parliament, such being con[trary to Parliamentary procedure. So (tho Defenco Act does not allow us to \go and-fight the enemy over the frontier and to light the fire in that way, hut should tho enemy ponetrate into our country it will bo our duty to drivo • him back and pursue him in his own Jterritory_. * In his* speech General Botha speaks 'about the help wo had from tho Belgians and! French after the South African war. This is Btill appreciated by tme, and by all our people, but we must not forget that the Germans also were : not' behindhand and have always, been well disposed towards us. ' So why should we deliberately make ,'enemies of them? As circumstances inre, I see no way of taking the offensive, and.as I eincerely love my country and people, I most strongly protest lagainst tho sending of the Union Citizen Forces over the.frontier."Who can foretell where' tho fire; the "Government has'-"decided.to light,shall ''end).? ;For. the reasons enumerated above I feel t»nstrained to resign my,post as-Coin-maridant-Genefal as also my commissioned' rank: For,me this is; the .only way of faith, duty, and honoui towards my people, of which mention, was made by Gehoral Botha... I have always tried to 'do my duty according to. my best convictions, -and it '/sorely grieves me that it.must .end in. this;way,'y ' I have the honour to be, -Honourable 'Sir, .your;obedient servant; . ~ CHRISTIAN FREDERICK BEYERS. General Smute's Reply.

'Department of Defence, Pretoria, . :'■:: September 19, 1914. ■'.;,-/'■-'.'Bir,—it'- was .with" regret that. I re- • ceived your/ letter'of'thel6th inst., tendering your resignation as Comman- :: ■dant-Geheral- of the : Union Defence Force 3, and'as an officer of_ths Union. The circumstances under which that.resighation took place and the terms in which you endeavour to justify your 'action-tend to leave a very painful impression. It is true that it was known to me that you entertained _ objections against the war operations in German South-West Africa, but I never-receiv- :: c'd the impression, that you would, reni"n.On the contrary, all the infor--1': '.jriation-'iii'possession of the Government was communicated to you, all the plans tfero discussed with you,; and your ad- . ricoivas followed.lo a large extent,. ■'.llie principal officers were.appointed on ' your recommendation and with your concurrence,'and the plan of operations •V which is'now being followed is largely.

the one recommended by yourself at,a conference of officers.

My last instruction to you. before I left. Cape Town to attend tho special session of Parliament' was that in my absence; you should visit certain regiments on'the German South-West border, and it was well understood between; us'that immediately tho war operations were somewhat further advanced and co-operation among the yar- j ious divisions would bo practicable you should yourself- undertake the chief; command,in German South-West Af-1 rica. Tho attitude of tho Government after this remained unchanged, and was approved.by Parliament after full discission. ; One would have expected that this approval would make the matter easier for you;'but now I find that yon anticipated that Parliament would .disapprove/of the| policy- of" the Government and that 'your disappointment in /this ■ the reason, for your 'unexpected action. In ordor to,make your motive clear; the reasons for your-resignation'were explained in along political argument, which was- im-' mediately communicated to the Press and came into the hands' of the Government long-after publication. .-' .| I need not tell you that all these circumstances in' connection with your resignation have made a most unpleasant impression on my colleagues and myself.. ;But this unpleasant impression has even been aggravated by the allegation contained in your letter. Your bitter attack'on Great Britain is not only entirely baseless,; but is the more unjustifiable, coming, as it does, in. the midst of ,a great war, from the Com-mandant-General of one of the British Dominions; Your reference to barbarous' acts during ; the South African War cannot justify the criminal devas-, tation of Belgium, and can only be calculated to, sow hatred. : ,: and.-. division' among the people of South Africa. ' ■ : You forget to mention that.since the South. African war the British: people gave South - Africa her entire freedom iinder a' Constitution-which makes it possible for us; to -realise our national ideals along our own lines, and which; for .instance, allows you to write, with 'impunity it letter : f or which -you would, without doubt, be liable in tne German' Empire .to' the ■. extreme -penalty. \ As :regards .your'other . statements, they have _been' answered and disposed of,in Parliament.-''-From these discus'sions it will.,be. apparent -that neither the British .Empire nor South . Africa was the aggressor in this struggle. War was, in the first .instance, declared. by Austria-Hungary,, and thereafter by Germany .under, circumstances in which the "British Government employed its utmost powers .to-.maintain the peace of Europe and to', safeguard the neutrality of Belgium.'- '::[. . ....',.

So far as we ourselves pre concerned, our coast is threatened, our mail boats are arrested, and our borders are invaded by the enemy.

This latter incident did not occur, as you-say, in a voluntary manner, and with, an apology; which latter, any rate, wa,? never- tendered ,'to the Government.. -.-.- '■', ■-';-:-

Under these circumstances v it_is absurd ;to.',speak .of action, on' the partr of the' Union, seeing that, .together withthe British Empire, we have been ;drawri ■ agaiast' our wish and will, and- entirely in self-defence; into- this war. '■'■-.. '. ..' '-.-■ -~'.' ,-■... "..'' ■•

Asiregards your information concerning, the loan of £7,000,000 which the British'.Government was kind' enough to grant.'us> and- for which .the public of the Unjon, as • evidenced recently. in Parliament,: are 'most grateful,, it is of such a despicable nature that there is no necessity .to • make .-any : comment 1 thereon. It shows to what extent your mind haVbeen•' obscured by political : bias. You speak of duty and honour: My''conviction'iis thati the-.ipeople of South. Africa will 'in : these dark days,' when the Government as well as the people of South Africa are iput to the supreme test,' have a'clearer, conception of 'duty and honour than is to be deduced from your letter/and action; For the Dutch-speaking section in particular I cannot conceive anything more fatal and humiliating than, a .policy, bf lojjalty in ..fair weather and a nolicy.-'of neutrality and pro-German'sentiment in days of- storm- and stress. It-may be that'our'peculiar Jnternal circumstances and.our 1 . backward condition after the great war will;.place a -limit'on what we can do, butj nevertheless, I am convinced that the''people.will support the 'Government, in carrying out date of Parliament, arid in this' mariner, 'which'is'the only # way, legitimately fulfil their duty to:; South Africa; and to the Empire and maintain their dearly : won '.honour uiibleniished for the future.' V ' '/ Your resignation is hereby accepted. ;--I- have the honour to be, sir, your obedient; servant/ ft'::.-.:,J. C.-SMUTS, ; , ■':.\:ii\ ': ; _-,'-. „'; Minister ;of. Defence. .>: To;the Hon. General C. F. Beyers, , - '■-.- K;'- : - Pretoria. , -■■ -'■'-