THE RED FLAG

Evening Star, Issue 17925, 22 March 1922, Page 4

THE RED FLAG

SOUTH AFRICA'S EIPEKSEfIOE. SINISTER INFLUENCES AT WORK. Press Association— By Telegraph—Copyright. 1 GAPE TOWN, March 20. General Smuts wa's loudly cheered on entering tho Assembly. In making a statement, he said that when he last spoke in the House practically the whole Rand, from one end to tho other, except Boksburg and a small portion of the centre of Johannesburg, was in the hands of the revolutionaries. He paid a tribute In the prompt action of tho Minister of Defence in regard to the mobilisation of tho burghers and to the latter's magnificent organisation.' There had been grave danger that the whole Rand might become a scene of bloodshed and murder such as would take ouo back to tho clays of tho French Revolution. Not till the early hours of Sunday was it possible to change tho situation. After that rapid progress was made. When ho left Johannesburg on Friday tho situation was almost as if nothing had happened. WHAT THE COUNTRY ESCAPED. Tho country, continued General Smuts, had escaped a tremendous danger. Tho strike had been submerged by the revolution. The Minoworkcra’ tin ion. dissociated itself from tho revolutionary movement. It was clear that the Trade Unions’ Federation executive was not a free agent. Dark influences were in tho background. Tho executive made a fatal mistake in not repudiating tho movement as soon, as the Council of Action appeared, but it waited till after all this trouble and bloodshed. Tho Government had been blamed for not arresting tho revolutionary loaders. There was a time when most of those who wero in gaol eight to have remained there, but tho magistrates let them out on the flimsiest possible bail. . SOVIET REPUBLIC THE AIM. It might be asked, said General Smuts, what wero the prospects and aims of tho revolutionaries? It was clear from the statements made by the leaders (who were really out for a Red revolution of the French. Republic type). There was no doubt about that. Tho fact that impressed him most was that if those people, even for a few days before tho commandos came up, obtained the mastery of the whole of Johannesburg and the Rand, they might have set up revolutionary tribunals. People might have been executed by hundreds and Johannesburg changed into an ocean of blood. That was their way to create a Soviet Republic. It might bo said that they were mad ; but 'hey had a great measure of success. They, no doubt, expected assistance from the country, and also other commandos to come to their assistance. Luckily, they wero disappointed.

LAW AND ORDER MUST PREVAIL. One of tho most consolatory facts was tho response to the Government's appeal. Ho, hoped that what had happened tad cleared the air. It would now bo realised all over the world that in South Africa, whatever its politics, there was a vast body of quiet, solid, public opinion which would support law and order and public .authority. PRIME MINISTER’S THANKS.

- Genera! Smuts paid a very warm tribute to the police. Ho said that the Government'force was a young one, embodying many people who were not in agreement with the Government. Of all the bodigs engaged, tho police, most deserved thanks. The Government had decided that those who were wounded and the relatives of the fallen will be dealt with on the most generous terms. He also highly praised tho Durban Light Infantry. They were all young men, practically schoolboys, at tho beginning of their training. On tho Sunday evening the centre of Johannesburg would have fallen into the hands of the revolutionaries but for this body of bravo men. lie expressed his deep gratitude to tho natives. He had greatly feared they might be stampeded ; but they kept their heads and proved one of tho most stable elements on tho Rand. The whites owed a deep debt of gratitude to the natives in this grave crisis. Martial law would remain in fore till a formal Act of Indemnity had been passed by Parliament., TRIAL OP REBELS. Dealing with the question of the trials of rebels, after revising the different methods, General Smuts said that the Government had come to tho conclusion that tho best course was not to try the rebels by court martial or a special tribunal, but by the ordinary courts. Many would be tried for murder and serious offences under the Roman and Dutch law. INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION. Referring to the appointment of an Industrial Commission to inquire into tho matter.')#! dispute, tho Government had abandoned the idea of nominee of the Federation and the Chamber of Alines, but intended to appoint an impartial body. Mr Hcrtzog and Mr Boydell asked for a Select Committee, but the Prime Minister replied that it would lead to grave confusion and prejudice if such a body wore taking evidence at the same time as the courts of Justice. It might bo practicable at a later stage.—A. and N.Z. Cab! % BACK TO WORK. CAP]-: TOWN, March 21. All the unions concerned in the strike have now returned to work. Of 20,000 employed in tho mines before tho strike, upwards of 5,000 remained at work. Of the remainder, half arc already back or will bn absorbed in the near future. Competent opinion is that the remaining 8,000 will bo absorbed in tho course of twelve months, now that it is possible to adjust wages on an economic basis.—A. and N.Z. Cable. HEROIC POLICE. CAPE TOWN, March 21. Information which ha-s now been gathered reveals how great was tho danger during the last week. A handful of mounted police was all that stood between tho Rods sweeping into tho town from tho west on Thursday night. The men were so worn out when the Light Horse took charge on Friday evening that the police dropped down* where they stood and went to sleep. At Germiston, the most important railway junction in the Union, Sub-inspec-tor O’Connor, with six railway police, bluffed a commando of 600 Reds and succeeded in keeping them off until Friday evening, when the military took control.— A. and N.Z. Cable.

REBEL LEADERS,

THE END OF FISHER AND SPENDIFF

CAPE TOWN, March 21.

The commando leaders, Erasmus and Vilioen, who escaped wlftn the Reds were “mopped up” in the Newkmis area, have now been captured. Tho fate of Fisher and Spondiff has been finally set at rest by the finding of their last messages in a safe it tho lied iu idquarters at tho Fordsbnrg (Market Hall. The tort reads: “March 14. I died for what I believed tobe right—the cause,— (Signed) H. Spondiff and Percy Fisher.'’ bn° the reverse aide was a message from Snondif? to his wife: “ Good-bye, Amy. We died by our own bullets—-not theirs."— A. and N.Z. Cable.