FUSION IN AFRICA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21859, 23 July 1934, Page 7

FUSION IN AFRICA

PRINCIPLES OF LEADERS IMPORTANT ISSUES NEUTRALITY AND REPUBLICAN [kkom our own correspondent] CAPETOWN, June 19 The principles of the new fusion party —as yet. nn-named —which General. Hertzog and General Smuts hope to build out of the two parties which for the past 12 months have been in close co-operation, have been published and are being closely studied by all sections of the community In the near future they will be submitted to the congresses of the South African Party and the Nationalist Party, and there is no reason to doubt that, if slight revision is agreed to here and there, they will bo enthusiastically adopted. Criticism at the moment tends to faston upon two points. The chapter which deals with the constitutional position affirms "the maintenance of the existing relationship between the Union and tho British Commonwealth of Nations and co-operation with its members." There is added the proviso that this is "subject, however, to there being no derogation from tho status of the Union and no assumption of external obligations in conflict with its interests." Meaning of the Rider The rider is being interpreted in some quarters as implying the declared right of optional neutrality and it is certain that strong pressure will bo exerted to have it deleted, or at least considerably modified. It is of interest, however, to note that the principles of tho South African Party—whose members are expected to oppose the above proviso—have for some years included the following: "No obligations or responsibilities toward other parts of tho British Empire or other countries shall be undertaken which are contrary to the interest of South Africa (or) which derogate from tho existing status of South Africa."

The second point upon which it seems probable that criticism may arise proceeds from the constitutional chapter of the new principles in which it is declared that "while the party stands for the maintenance of the present constitutional position, 110 one will be denied the right to express his individual opinion about, or advocate his honest convictions in connection with, any change of our form of government." In some quarters this section is being denounced as establishing the right to make republican propaganda and no doubt there would be a certain illogicality in a keen advocate of republican principles subscribing to the tenets of a party which "stands for the maintenance of the present constitutional position." ,sg For the rest of its principles the new party takes as its starting point the seven points which formed the basis of the coalition agreement and maTtes provision for the unitary basis of the constitution. Malan Party's Platform Dr. 1). F. Malan's followers have also stated theiP terms for fusion, the main points of which are: —The maintenance and development of a purely South African nationalism; the maintenance of absolute sovereign independence, and the safeguarding of this independence by removing all doubts about it; that necessary steps be taken to ensure a purely South African citizenship; the assurance that loyalty to the Crown is voluntary on our side and may be renounced whenever the South African nation so desires; . that provision be made from temporary sources of wealth for the upbuilding and development of permanent industries; and that in our tariff policy and the extension of preference stress be laid 011 reciprocal trade. It seems to be generally accepted, in view -of these alternative terms, that no place will he found for Dr. Malan and his followers in the now party.