SOUTH AFRICA’S EFFORT

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 October 1939, Page 7

SOUTH AFRICA’S EFFORT

MAKING UP LOST TIME SPEECH BY GENERAL SMUTS [BY CABLE —PEERS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT. I (Recd. October 19, 12.30 p.m.) PRETORIA, October 18. ' A national survey of South Africa’s industrial and mineral resources, with a view to meeting home and Allied needs, was announced by the Prime Minister (General Smuts) in his first speech since he assumed office. Addressing the special convention i of the' Federated Chamber of Indus-! tries, General Smuts said that things < were working out much better than' he thought before the war broke out. The Union’s difficulties would have been increased a hundredfold had Par-j liament not adopted “the dual choice of interest and duty.” It Avas easy to realise what the Union’s position would have been, without the protection of, the British Navy. South Africa had to’ make up for lost time and neglected duty, and organise her man-power to meet emergencies. General Smuts described the “cash-and-carry” clause in the United States Congress amendment to the Neutrality Act as a danger, because United

States assistance might be most important for the supply of machinery necessary to the Union’s industrial development. “If American ships cannot carry American goods to South Africa, let alone to NeAV Zealand, Australia and Canada, Americans will suffer as Avell as the Dominions.” General Smuts continued, and added that he had made representations to the United States Government, expressing the hope that the neutrality bill Avould be so framed as to remove the danger. General Smuts appealed to employers not to discharge men. The Government would form armies making great demands on man-power, for which reason employers should, in the meantime, retain their staffs. lie added: “This war will, shake the world’s foundations. You can see lioav Avarily the Democratic Powers are acting in attacks against Germany. You can sense a feeling of fate behind it all. You can realise that the Powers are afraid, in a way, to come to grips, because they knoAv no one can foresee the result.”

PROPOSED GIFT OF WARSHIP. PORT ELIZABETH, October 17. The Mayor of Pert Elizabeth has sent a letter to eighteen municipalities, requesting their co-operation in raising £700.000 to defray the cost of a destrover, Avhich he has planned to name the “South Africa.” The money would be handed ever to Britain as a gift from the Union.