SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22262, 9 November 1935, Page 12

SOUTH AFRICAN POLITICS

When at a time of acute economic crisis 2| years ago, the two major political parties in the Union' of South Africa combined to form a coalition Government, it was hoped that the event marked the closing of the old schism between those of British and those of Dutch extraction. The electorate blessed the coalition by returning the Government with an overwhelming majority and last December coalition became fusion. High hopes were entertained at the time that the union marked the Bnd of the barren racial controversy and that South Africa would be able to devote her political talents to the many constructive tasks confronting her. These hopcß | need not yet be abandoned because the United Government h«s behind I it four-fifths of the members in the 'House of Assembly. Nevertheless fusion has been the signal for the widening of the new fission which began with the Coalition. Dr. Malan and his diehards are seeking with some success to arouse the old Boer sentiment anions the farmers and they lay claim to the title of Nationalist. Although the leader of only a handful in the House, Dr. Malan fights vigorously, often on the bitterly personal lines of the South African tradition. The political stage, which had formerly carried the duels between Kruger and Joubert, Hertzog and Botha, and Hertzog and Smuts, is still being used same play with the actors changed to Malan and Hertzog. Some observers believe that Dr. Malan stands for a dying cause, that the younger generation care little for the old hates and are quite satisfied with the measure of autonomy going with Dominion status. To judge by a message published this morning, however, General Hertzog is disposed to regard seriously the new Nationalist movement, accusing it of Republican aims and stigmatising its methods as a menace to political, administrative and social peace. -Whether the charges are fully justified cannot he determined at this distance. Indeed, no reliable estimate of the strength of the renewed Nationalist appeal can be made, short of a general election. It seems unlikely, however, that the racial issue will ever again play a dominant part in South African politics, although it seems certain to survive as a minor factor for some time to come.