WAR DEBATE IN SOUTH AFRICA

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 185, 25 April 1918, Page 7

WAR DEBATE IN SOUTH AFRICA

GENERAL HERTZOG AGAIN BOTHA'S WARNING TO * REPUBLICANS Cape Town, April 23. Tho war debate in the Assembly has concluded. A motion to reduce tho defence loan vote, on which, tho debate was based, by ;C2,813,285, including contribu. tions to the Imperial military and naval expenses, was negatived by 75 votes to 21.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Asan; (Hoc. April 2-1, 7.20 p.m.) Cape Town, April 23. During the war debate in tho Assem-, bly General Hoi'tzog denied the statement that tho Nationalists' propaganda was intended to hurt the sensibilities of tho British, or that ho had done anything treacherous or seditious. Ho maintained that the rights of soll'-govemnicnt had been infringed by the Government's war policy and the wool purchase scheme. They were treating the. British Government's requests as commands. If tho door wcro closed on the peaceful reform of the Constitution the result would be violence and force of arms. The Nationalists were not trying to so. duco the pepolo from their allegiance, but were trying to make it clear that they would not stand under tho jule of Britain. Ho was perfectly content to stand under a king so long as ho obtained exactly the same freedom as tho British did under their own Parliament. Ho insisted that he owed no allegiance to the. British Parliament. Ho agreed that only along peaceful lines could they hopo for tho co-operation of both races, lie did not despair of reaching this, but ho realised that they could not set their independence unless tho King gavo it. General Botha Warns the Nationalists. Gonoral Botha (tho Prime Minister), replying, said that General Hertzog now agreed that a republic would bo iinpossiblo without force of arms. Why then play with fire? Ho declared that secret meolings had boon held, and that already eight thousand people had been sworn in. Unless (his were stopped a collision was certain. This talk about a republic to-day was hypocrisy. South Africa was perfectly free. The Imperial Government interfered with no Acts of Parliament, but thev must realise that they were Britisli subjects, and could not own allegiance to the King and not to the Parliament. Ho had information which made him regard these matters most seriously. Ho wnrned them that this kind of talk must stop. What could civil war lead to but ruin and disaster? General Botha concluded with an impassioned appeal to members to help to make peace and order prevail in South Africa. General Hertzog said ho quite agreed with General Botha's appeal for peace.— Aus.-N.Z. Cablo Assn.