NAZI ACTIVITY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 123, 10 June 1937, Page 6

NAZI ACTIVITY

— Own Correspondent)"

Check by Government in Africa PR0CLAMATI0N RESULT

(By Air Mail-

JOHANNESBUEG, April 27. Eeeent Nazi aetivities in South-west Africa — formerly a German colony and now a Manda Led Territory admmistered by the Union of South Africa- — have received a check by a proclamation designed to curtail political activity in the territory of persons who are not British subjects. The proclamation also makes it an offence for British subjectg to give allegiance to any sovereign or • head of State other than the King of England. The ' Administrator of South-west Africa, or' whoever is the competent authority, may declare any . body of persons to whom has been entrusted by law the performance of any public function to be al public body. No person who is not a British subject shall without written authority be eligible for membership of any pubTic body; after the declaration date. Oriticism and Reply The proclamation, which evoked an of&cial protest from the German Gov^ernment, was condemned by Dr. D.'F. Malan: leader of the Nationalist Party in the Union. Speaking in the Houseof A.ssembly, he said th'at the Government, instead of taking conciliatory nieasures toward. the German population of the territory, was doing just the opposite. The Government should have done everything to gain the co-opera-; tion and friendship of fGermany. The Prime Minister, General Hert-' zog, said the South-west Africa policy of the Union Government was un- - changed. The mandate* was always regarded as a trust given to the Union involving the duty of government and doveloment to the advantages of tho inhabitants until they were in a position to govern themselves. He had always had the gr.eatest sympathy with the German element and the Government had always shown that sympathy. Confiscated Documents v a The German language, he said, had been promised equality if the local population would take the initiative in that direction. If agreement could now be reached on that point that promise still held good. Unfortunately there entered into the life of the territory •omething that lod to dismay.* Thingg became so bad at one stage that the Government of the countiy could nofc be properly carried on. "I cannot say which of • the two parties was to blamc," added ' the Prime Minister," "but one thing is certain — that the German element took a line which was inconsistont with the oproper government1 of the country. T need only refer to the num'ber of docu- ' ments which were confiscated a year or 18 months ago. Impossible To Do Nothing. ' ' These showed indisputably that efforts had been made by people there to* intimidate that section of the German population that had become Union citizens from co-operating with the South African seetion of the people; and, instead of co-operating with the • Governments of the Union and of South-west Africa, certain people took steps te call npon the German Government with a view to getting the % erman Government to take over the administration of the country. "I cannot say that there has been any faulfc on the part of the German Government. But individuals did that, and it' was impossible for the Union to, sit still any longer and do nothing about it. The result was that a commission' was appointed to investigate conditions in the territory." The Union Government had to ' admmister the territory, and after the experience of the past it was impossible to allow a repetition. Both the commission and the Government felt that steps must be taken to prevent it. That was why the proclamation was iasued.