THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1929. THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20257, 17 May 1929, Page 10

THE New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1929. THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA.

The Union of South Africa is on the eve of a general election. Nominations have closed with the certainty of contests in 140 of the 148 electorates into which the country is divided. The Union has. conditions and problems which are not duplicated in any of the other self-govern-ing Dominions. It follows that its political life shows features that similarly are not reproduced elsewhere. Leaving out of account the coloured population which, despite its numerical superiority, is still for all practical purposes only an indirect political factor, the dominant characteristic by which South Africa differs from the rest is its racial intermingling. The presence of two elements in the population, those of British and those of Boer stock, with the consequent official recognition of bi-lingualism, is far more universal and pronounced than the similar existence in Canada of the British and French Canadians. Jt is common to assume Boer to mean Dutch. So it does to a considerable extent, and the language, often called Africaans, is primarily Dutch. It must not be forgotten, however, that through the Huguenot migrations there is a generous 'infusion of French blood in the Boer people. The two elements do not separate out as do the British and Boers among the South African people, considered as a whole. It would not be correct to say political divisions are along racial lines, but it would be equally incorrect to suggest race had nothing to do with them. The South African Party, which, roughly speaking, has the support of the British South Africans, is led by General Smuts, of Boer stock. The Nationalist Party, led by General Hertzog, largely supported by the Boers of the veld, is associated with the Labour Party, mainly non-Boer, and led by Colonel Cresswell. The race, streams cross and mingle, but are distinctly there none the less.

The Parliament which has just finished its term was elected in 1924, and has therefore run its full five years. The last general election came early. The South African Party was in power, but the tide seemed to be running against it. As the party had suffered reverses in one or. two rather crucial by-elections, General Smuts decided on a dissolution, putting his fate to the test earlier than he need have done. Though there were three parties in the field, it was not a triangular test. The Nationalists and the Labour Party entered into a pact whereby the two made common cause against General Smuts and his followers. One of the most important features of the agreement between the two groups concerned the Imperial ■ connection. The Nationalist policy demanded establishment of the sovereign independence of South Africa. This clause could be read, and was in fact interpreted by extremists, as a demand for secession from the' Empire. A condition of the pact, conceded to the Labour Party, was that- there should be no advocacy of secession during its term of existence. Labour, with its leader most emphatic on the point, stood firm for the British connection. Apart from this point it appeared that the Labour Party, claiming to be the most radical group in Union politics, and the Nationalists, who represented largely the ultra-Conservative Boer element, were strange bedfellows. The most possible was naturally made of this in the election contest, but in spite of it all the pact party returned numerically stronger than the South African Party. General Smuts suffered defeat in the constituency he contested, but another seat was speedily found for him. General Hertzog became Prime Minister. A composite Cabinet was formed with Labour and Nationalist members holding portfolios side by side. Though the alliance was said to have in it none of the elements of permanence, it has been maintained throughout the life of a Parliament. As always in a hotly-contested election contest, it was asserted that for the Nationalist Party to gain office, either independent of or supported by Labour, would spell ruin, disintegration, and all manner of other disasters. Amid this eh6rus, there were calmer voices suggesting that an experience of responsibility would have a sobering effect. That this has been so is quite evident. It is true the voice of the extremist has not been stilled, but the general effect of office can best be indicated by the course General Hertzog has followed. He was supposed to be the arch-enemy of the Empire, the active advocate of secession. He attended the last Imperial Conference, proved by no means the least useful or conciliatory member there, and returned saying in effect that all South Africa could ever desire in independence had been granted. He has attempted to give effect to some of the mest critical proposals of his pre-election campaign, especially regarding the native people. In doing it, admittedly trying to deal with the most difficult problem in South Africa, he endeavoured to secure the co-operation of all parties rather than to force one view upon Parliament. The bitter flag controversy which raged in 1927 was something which stood all alone, but at least it can be conceded that General Hertzog tried to get»an agreement on it. Though it may not be possible for those in other parts of the Empire to agree with much the Nationalists stand for, or have attempted to do, it can be said that the party, at least as represented by its leader, has not appeared the Empire-wrecker it was accused of being during the election campaign. How far the move toward modcra-

tion in action, compared with the extreme nature of some of its declarations, has appealed to the more bigoted of its supporters will perhaps be shown in the coming campaign. The Nationalist wing of the outgoing Government is still led by the man who in absolute fact created it. The Labour section is split by a serious quarrel. The South African Party, to all appearances, presents a united front. These are the broad lines of the situation in which the campaign proceeds. The most interesting feature to the outside world will be the duel between General Smuts and General Hertzog, the two South Africans of Boer descent in whom is vested leadership of the two chief sections of South African opinion.