The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1928. LABOUR IN AFRICA.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1928, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JULY 18, 1928. LABOUR IN AFRICA.

Tiie conflict between tho moderate and the extremist sections of the South African Labour Party which lias been in. progress for many months past lias reached itys inevitable climax in a. violent attempt to expel Colonel Greswell and others from the party. Whether the expulsion is strictly in order or not, it is clear that South African Labour as a factor in public life is for the moment hopelessly divided, and thus reduced to political impotence. It has been evident for a long time comments a northern paper that Colonel Creswell’s control of the party rested on a very precarious tenure. A man of exceptional courage and great force of character, he has been the acknowledged champion of white Labour in South Africa ever since, more than twenty years ago, lie offered a vigorous and successful resistance to the influx of Chinese into the Transvaal. But though he was so closely identified with the interests of the wage-earners as to ho classed ns a Socialist, and even a revolutionary, by his political opponents, he has never displayed tho least sympathy with tii extremists of his party. On tho contrary, he has always tried to restrain them, and when the nljortive “revolution” broke out in Johannesburg a few years back Creswell committed the unpardonable sin, in the eyes of the “red” elements in the party, by declaring for the maintenance of law and order at all costs, and for the suppression of violence. From that time omvarcl Creswell lias been marked down by the extremists for destruo.tion, and his opponents have seized the opportunity afforded by the violent dissensions over the national flag to execute vengeance upon the man whom they regard not only as an enemy hut as a traitor .to the sacred cause of Labour. But it is likely that the National Council of the Labour Party may find the dethronement of their lender a more difficult task than they anticipated. Quite apart from the fact that Colonel Creswell commands the confidence and sympathy of the large moderate section of the party, he is Minister of Defence in the Hertzog Cabinet, and the Nationalists will be strongly averse to any change that may threaten to disrupt their coalition with the Labour party, and thus prejudice their prosperity at the next election. Like mast Labour leaders who have experienced the responsibilties of office, ■Creswell has displayed great caution and moderation in discharge of his duties, and though he has thereby earned the hitter hatred of the extremists, he has gained the goodwill and respect of his colleagues. General Hertzog and Dr Mnlan will hardly he prepared to sacrifice him if they can retain his services, and his determination to curb the “Semitic”—which is to say Bolshevik—influences now controlling his party has strengthened their confidence in him. But even i r the extremists succeed in carrying their vendetta against Creswell to its extreme logical conclusion, they will have destroyed Labour as a political force in South Africa, possibly for many years to come.