SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 23729, 9 November 1940, Page 12

SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS

NATIONALIST PARTY SMASHED GENERAL HERTZOG'S POSITION MADE CLEAR LONDON, November 7. General Hertzog’s resignation means a break with the Reunited Nationalist Party throughout South Africa, thereby smashing the party alter 14 months’ existence. The Bloemfontein correspondent of ‘The Times ’ says: “ Constant intrigue against General Hertzog made his position untenable. The new party, as it was developing, was a freak with which General Hertzog was unable to identify himself.”

General Hertzog to : day made it clear that Dr Malan would sooner or later be forced to leave the party. He added that his (General Hertzog’s) followers in the meantime would not form a new party but would await developments, and be advised his followers to vote for the Smuts candidate at the forthcoming parliamentary by-election. Referring to those who thought that Germany would rectify things in South Africa, General Hertzog declared that anybody with the nation’s welfare at heart would not sacrifice it in this way. Germany would not safeguard South Africa’s independence any more than any other nation. “ During the period of uncertainty we must rely on ourselves, not Germany.” He reiterated his respect for the Eng-lish-speaking section and the necessity for co-operation with it. The Johannesburg correspondent of the Associated Press says the split in the Reunited Party gives General Smuts’s war effort a new impetus. General Hertzog admitted that tens of thousands of Afrikanders were following General Smuts.

HERTZOG AND SMUTS LONDON ‘ TIMES ' COMMENT (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, November 8. (Received November 9, at 11.15 a.m.) The split in the “ Reunited ” Nationalist Party in South Africa is the •abject of an editorial in ‘ The Times.’ Of General Hertzog ‘ The Times ’ says: “ He has never disguised his ambition to see South Africa become completely independent, but he and his followers retained enough statesmanship to recognise that there cannot be any future for South Africa not based on co-opera-tion.” Writing of Genera! Smuts. ‘ The Times ’ says: “ His complete confidence in victory is shown by his statement that he is more worried about irhat is going to happen after the war than what is going to happen during the war. In this post-war work of reconstruction it may be hoped that General Smuts will have as large a part to play as that which he is now playing in helping to win.” NO MORE POLITICS HERTZOG'S FAREWELL MESSAGE JOHANNESBURG, November 8. (Received November 9, at 2 p.m.) General Hertzog, addressing his constituents at Smithfield, said; “ Before I disappear finally from politics, which is inevitable in these days, I come to say farewell to my constituents, who fot; 35 years have supported me.” Referring to his resignation from the Reunited Party, he said: “I leave the future to a younger man who is convinced that Afrikandom is not doomed.”