IN SOUTH AFRICA HATRED OF THE BRITISH

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 83, 9 April 1931, Page 12

IN SOUTH AFRICA

HATRED OF THE BRITISH

CAPITAL LEAVING COUNTRY

THE HOSTILE DUTCH

An interesting commentary on the condition of affairs iv South Africa and the1 .strong antipathy to the British on the part of the Dutch-speaking portion of the population is contained in a letter to a Wellington resident from a friend in Johannesburg. The correspondent says: — "A great deal of our depression is caused by the searing away of capital from overseas by the suicidal racial attitude of our Dutch Government, I suppose it is only human that, being in the saddle, they are using every means to apply the whip to the shoulders of what they consider their former taskmasters. . But- there is something implacable in the Dutch nature. They do not forget and forgive. To give you an example of how far they will carry their hate: A few days ago Cape Town unveiled a magnificent monument to Louis Botha, the man who did understand what Honour meant in 1914 and nipped the rebellion in South Africa, and thereby saved his country's good name. The); Municipality extended invitations for the unveiling to General Hortzog and his Cabinet to be present. Only one of them, Colonel Crcswell (an Englishman you must note) responded. W.hat do you think of that for churlishness? And their excuse was that, the monument shows Botha in a British uniform. Is it any wonder that capital is fighting shy 9 . .- . Our mines —gold, coal, platinum, asbestos, copper—cannot be worked without huge capital. "The farmer again is in a hell of a mess. He is as a rule, unprogressive, unimaginative, and lazy beyond description. (The latter qualification is due to tlio native —Kaflir—doing , all the work). After the war they had a few years' fat time, rolling with fat. But they lost their heads, speculated in land at absurd figures, bought motorcars, and borrowed money for wild plans. The lean year or two came and to-day one reads that the farmers have 'bonded' their farms and stock to the extent of over 100 millions of pounds sterling. And the bondholders will prove harder taskmasters; than the accursed Englishman. They are in all cases 'foreign' Jews —a people with which the Union is pestered. "The Government has rejoiced that so many Englishmen have left the country; they will yet feel the need of the stability and balance of the British settler. But there you are; and as I said, I suppose it'is human nature. It is asking too much to expect our Dutch people to yet forget -1899, and those bitter years when they suffered so much. But all the same it is tragic to sec things going to the dogs becauso they will not forget, because it is the British clement that has made South Africa what it is to-day."