GERMAN COLONIES

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 155, 29 December 1938, Page 12

GERMAN COLONIES

SOUTH AFRICAN VIEW

"COMPENSATION VITAL"

Oswald Pirow, South Africa's Minister of Defence and Railways and the temporary holder oi. the porllolios oi Mines and Social Services since the resignation of Jan Hendrik Holmeyr, is looked upon at. the tuture Prime Minister of the Union oi. buiuli Africa, writes G. H Calpin, editor ol the "Natal Witness," m me "Chrisiian Science Monitor." His visil, to London, arranged months back to discuss the defence plans oi the Dominion, conies at an opportune moment. tie has been variously* described as a man of pronounced National Socialist leanings, a- uegrophobe, and a -Republican He is none of these things in the manner and to the extent his opponents emphasise. ~" As an advocate tie was uuistandnig. He rose to Cabinet-rank in 1929, succeeding Tielman Koos as Minister ol Justice in' a Nationalist Government. Since then he has gone straight ahead, joining the Hertzog-Smuts . coalition, and being responsible for the immense development in railways and more recently in defence which has marked xthe last two or three years. He is by no means universally popular but there is yet to be found the man who will deny his ability. During his period of office the Department of Defence in particular has been reorganised and made efficient, prepara- I tory to an extensive scheme for the defence of the Union comprising the naval, coastal, and land forces, tor the! peculiar needs of the sub-continent. FIRM ON COLONIES. His attitude on the question of colonial readjustment is clear. He has not diverged from it since he issued a considered statement following a speech delivered in 1935 at ah oiricial welcome to the officers of the German cruiser Emden, then in South African waters. In his statement he said: "It is felt that since 1914 so many political and strategic and , economic changes have taken place that the handing back to : Germany of either South-west Africa or Tanganyika is not a feasible proposition, but on the other hand very influential quarters are agreed that there will be no permanent basis of peaceful settlement with Germany unless the Germans are given adequate compensation for the colonies which are withheld from them. "Adequate compensation here means territorial compensation, and territorial compensation not anywhere on the face of the globe but in Africa. "In fact I have found a lot ■. of support 'for the view which I have expressed in my 'Emden speech,' namely that Germany's co-operation in Africa was vital for the maintenance of white civilisation on this continent. "Even' beyond that people were inclined to agree with me that the necessity for Germany's return to Africa had become more urgent since the occupation of Ethiopia by the Italians." This serves to crystallise the general opinion of all parties in the Union though its basis differs from that, say, of Mr. D. C. Burnside, the one Socialist member of the House of Assembly, or of the ultra-British section of the country. The former is opposed to the National Socialist regime and philosophy in toto and the latter refutes the argument that Germany must have colonies or compensation, here or elsewhere. . VIEW OF OPPOSITION. The view of the Nationalist Party, the official Opposition which is predominantly Afrikaans, is expressed in the words of Dr. D. F. Malan, leader of the Nationalist Party, used in the House of Assembly recently. "We say definitely that we will keep South-West Africa and maintain those rights which were granted us by the League of Nations and by the Mandate/ We will keep them at any price, even to the extent of using force of arms." It is seldom that such unanimity exists in the political circles of South Africa. General James B. Hertzog, the Prime Minister, who can never be accused of hasty speech, has said even less than is customary for him. It can be taken for granted that Mr. Pirow, .in whom he has every confidence, represents his view. . Mr. Pirow's visit should dispel many of the doubts among the British section of South Africa, regarding his attitude to the Commonwealth. It can be said with authority that he is concerned first for the welfare of South Africa, and that, he has done more in the past five years to inculcate^ a national spirit than any other man in the Union. He is a "realist first and last, a-clear thinker, an administrator of the highest order, and Mis patriotism and courage cannot be ques*ln accepting democracy and Parliamentary institutions he does so knowing their weakness and is eager to infuse them with discipline and vitality A disciplined society is as important as a disciplined individual •and it is the emphasis he has laid upon this aspect of everything he does that has gained him a reputation of havmg leanings towards National Socialism. On more than one occasion he has referred in Afrikaans speeches to his Republican ideals. He has admitted. ?s Pmany other loyal South Africans have done, that at heart he is a Republican. And in this connection it shouW be noted that his essential fonesty allows for no mentall reserv* tions in the company.he keeps. The Afrikaans and the English-speaking peoples know exactly where he stands But Republicanism, like many other thines is not for this generation. S the meantime he works, drives himself with the single purpose of mcrSSg the efficiency of his Departments/the most important of which is defence. -