WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1914. TREASON IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 21 October 1914, Page 4

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1914. TREASON IN SOUTH AFRICA.

A grave situation has arisen in South Africa in connection with the treason of Colonel Maritz, who has practically joined the Germans in South-West Africa with his men, he and they having been in the service of the"South African Union Government. ITayitz had a command at Upihgton on ikz Orange River, ninety miles ch;e east.of the south-east corner of Gonv.an SouthWest Africa, against wbiea the South African Government hr.3 undertaken operations in the Empire's interests in the present war with Germany. The great majority of the South African people,'with General Botha -:t their head, are in .sympathy with this, hut a minority of the Boers are not, a?id the Germans have, no doubt been doing their utmost to persuade them iito open rebellion. Probably the r.ersuasion has not had to be very insistent in some cases, for General Herzog ar.d others are implicated as'sympathisers with Maritz, though he alone Las so far committed positive treason ly his refusal to-operate against the Tomans, and his avowal of sympathy their cause- as against that of the British Empire, of which South Africa is a unit. But the decisive promptitude with which General Botha, General Smuts and their colleagues are siting promises to nip the rebellion in the hud,"especially as the bulk of the people are with them in the matter. The Government is bent on suppressing the rebellion by force; Therefore it is uot negotiating with Maritz, and is giving General Herz-og and his friends to understand very clearly that they must choose between early public lepiidiatiori of their sympathy with Maritz and whatever may b e the /egal consequences of a contrary course on their part. This is plain enough, ■ut the circumstances call for plainness and promptitude, especially as, in the vcrds of General Smuts, there j're, moving hither and thither throughout the country, . "German agents and dealers who have been, and still may be, sowing the seeds of revolt—in fact," planting in the heart of South Africa a dagger," which they are eager to press home—all of .course., at the. instance of the KaisJer's Government.