COMPLETE SPLIT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 November 1940, Page 5

COMPLETE SPLIT

NATIONALISTS IN SOUTH AFRICA RESIGNATION OF GENERAL HERTZOG. FIRST-CLASS SENSATION CAUSED. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) CAPE TOWN, November 7. General Hertzog has resign-, ed Hie leadership of' the Orange Free State reunited Nationalist Party. It is reported that a complete split developed between the followers of General Hertzog and the members of the old Nationalist Party during the inaugural congress of the reunited party. Opposition was raised against General Hertzog’s allegedly mild programme, envisaging the admittance of non-republicans to the reunited party. General Hertzog’s resignation has created a first-class political sensation. The former Finance Minister, Mr Havenga, and other members of the Hertzog group, also walked out. The reunited Nationalist Parly meeting was actually designed to deal with final union between the two Afrikander groups under General Hertzog and Dr. Malan. If a split with Dr. Malan's group has finally come, General Smuts will be faced with far less formidable opposition.

The 8.8. C. reports that in ,a speech following on his resignation as leader •of the reunited Nationalist Party in South Africa, because of the rejection by the party conference of his programme of equal rights for English and Dutch-speaking citizens, General Hertzog said there had been a campaign within the party to oust him and his life had been made unbearable. Even as long ago as last January he had wished to resign. There had even been a whispering campaign against Dr. Malan. General Hertzog said that the road taken by the party was a road to perdition.