IF BRITAIN WERE AT WAR

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22491, 27 August 1938, Page 17

IF BRITAIN WERE AT WAR

SOUTH AFRICAN POLICY

CAPE TOWN, August 25,

The Minister for Justice (General Smuts), speaking in the Assembly, said that.his personal opinion was that South Africa would assist Britain if Britain were attacked. The Union would be cutting its own throat if it allowed Britain to go under.

The Government's policy was that the Constitution permitted a decision on whether the Union should go to war, as it was not a question of the Union going to war automatically if Britain went to war. The' Prime Minister (General Hertzog) said that the Government refused to be bound beforehand on the question of participation in Britain's wars. He did not feel it incumbent on himself to say whether he agreed with General Smuts's personal views. He agreed that it was for Parliament to decide.

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM

DISPUTE

"GOD SAVE THE KING" NOT TO BE SUPPLANTED

CAPE TOWN, August 25,

After an all-night sitting on the resumption of the debate on the Opposition demand for a single South African anthem, the Assembly endorsed the declaration of. the Prime. Minister (General HertzogJ. that the Union will not possess- an official anthem until the English and Afrikaans communities agree on an appropriate one. Meanwhile God Save the King" and "Die Stem van Suid Afrika" (The Voice of South Africa) will be played on all occasions under Government auspices. The Leader of the Nationalist Party (Opposition), Dr. D. F. Malan, moved a resolution in the Assembly on July 26 demanding a single, purely South African and officially recognised national anthem. He said that in spite of violence and suppression South Africa had obtained the right to decide its own destiny. It had its own flag and would have its own exclusive anthem.