SOUTH AFRICA’S STATUS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 January 1940, Page 2

SOUTH AFRICA’S STATUS

FROM ENEMY TO ALLY. South Africa’s attitude toward the war was defined in a recent broadcast speech by Colonel Deneys Reitz, who represented the Union at the conference of Empire Ministers in London. “Our position,” he said, “is somewhat different from that of the other members of the Empire. In Great Britain, in Australia, and in New Zealand, there are homogeneous British communities, speaking the same language and held together by the same historical traditions, whereas, in South Africa the majority of our European popnulation is of Dutch descent, speaking the Dutch or Afrikaans language. I should say the ratio of Dutch to English-descended citizens in South Africa is roughly as 60 per cent, to 40 per cent, and, naturally, our Dutch-speaking population look at their position within the British Empire from a somewhat different angle from that of our English-speaking community. In the past, we fought two bitter wars against the British. I myself served three years under arms against the British Empire, and I went into exile in a strange land rather than live under the British Flag. I mention these things to show the difference between our own past and that of the other Dominions. But Great Britain, after defeating us in war, treated us with a generosity unknown in history and conferred on us an even greater measure of liberty than we had enjoyed under our own former Republics. Today, as a voluntary partner in the British Commonwealth, we are not only free, but far safer than we could hope to be if we were on our own with the 'smash-and-grab’ policy which is now trying to dominate the world.”