South Africa

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 195, 16 February 1914, Page 5

South Africa

lAX EXCUSE TO CKEATK A UKVOLIT I OX. TIJK (iOVEUXMKNT'S ACTIOX VINDICATED. SPEECH BY THE PREMIER. By Cable—Press Association —Copyrigai Capetown, Fcbrmry 14. General liotlia, in i two hours' speech, said the grievances were simply an excuse to create a revolution. The deported* were not the only generals of the revolution. Some were silting in the House now. He caustically attacked the Labor members and General Hertzog. Received 14, 5.5 p.m. Capetown, February 14. General P.otha, who spoke in the Dutch language, was repeatedly | cheered. He described the July sth outbreak as war against society, against innocent women and children, and a murderous assault iiipon the people's liberties. • The condition of Johannesburg on the fifth was that of a volcano. He' bad seen many tragedies in war. but the situation at Johannesburg was more terrible than all. Had the Government not made a compact with the strikers, mortifying though it was, the consequences would have been more terrific than anything in South Africa's history. With a quartcr-of-a-millinn natives breaking out and the fire of anarchy everywhere, thousands of lives would have been lost and millions worth of damage done. Referring to Mr. Merriman's strictures, >ie contended the deportations were the result of the most careful consideration of days and days. The action was.no frivolous resolution of a moment's notice. The Government was wholly responsible for the deportations. LorA Gladstone had nothing to do therewith. The bulk of the men in the mines and on the railways were excellent men. and the Government's duty was to make their lot as satisfactory (is possible. This should be securoli constitutionally, but in the present in-nt-ance terrorists got the upper hand of a majority who did not desire to strike.

General Botha contended that it would have been a bad day for South Africa if tlic deportations had not been carried out. He was firmly convinced the Labor leaders never desired a settlement of their grievances. They were simply sworn enemies of society. He was especially struck with their desire at one stage of the negotiations to eliminate the term "owner," apparently because they desired no ownership. General Botha commended that to South African farmers it was the Government's duty to expel those who were menacing South Africa's wellbeing. He was confident Parliament would approve. The great black and colored population must be Temembered, and unless the whites took ft step to prevent a recurrence of the recent events, the position would he extremely difficult. Mr. .Tagger, Oppositionist, supported the Government in declaring martial law. but strongly condemned the deportations, as the vilest criminals were entitled to trial. General Botha ([noted an article by John Diibe, an educated leader of the natives of Natal, who in June wrote to all the chiefs in South Africa exhorting them not to pay the taxes and not ■to allow the natives to work for whites ! in Johannesburg, arguing that a strike would enable them to extort what they wanted from the Government and employers. General Botha stigmatised as scoundrels those coming to negotiate with the Government with revolvers in their pockets, and then boasting on public platforms of their cowardly actions. General Botha, referring to General Hertzog asked whv he had not come to the Government's assistance in July, when he was ashamed in his own Congress in Orangia to utter a word of condemnation regarding the outrages. True patriots would have volunteered their assistance. General Botha said he was unable to understand Mr. Merriman's reasoning. He used language \v|fiioiit considering its effect, especially abroad. He cited Mr. Ramsav Mac Donald's quoting of Mr. Merriman's allegation that there was remarkably slender evidence of conspiracy. From "this General Botha dissented.

General Botlia proceeded to say lie could have banished the syndicalists to any part of the habitable globe, but the Umgeni was the only ship available. England was the most convenient destination. • He declined to contemplate England sending back the deported*.

After justifying: martial law on the wound that it averted bloodshed and frustrated tho gravest attack ever made on the nation, he concluded by asking whether it wag better to imperil many lives or banish nine men.