EVENT OF WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23196, 16 November 1938, Page 15

EVENT OF WAR

SOUTH AFRICA'S PART DECISION ON MERITS MINISTER'S STATEMENT COMING VISIT TO GERMANY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received November 15, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 15 South Africa's attitude in the event of Britain being involved in war would be decided by the people through Parliament on the merits of the case, said the South African Minister of Defence, Mr. 0. Pirow, in a speech at the South African Club. "I have been told that if that attitude were adopted by the Empire as a whole it would mean the disintegration of the Empire," said Mr. Pirow, "but I reply that it is better to base the existing cordial British Commonwealth relations on facts than on makebelieve." Mr. Pirow said nothing was more pathetic than the belief that political happiness was impossible except on the basis of democracy, as it was known in Britain and the Dominions. He added that the British system, possibly subject to slight reforms, might be the only one to suit the British temperament, but it was a question of tradition and political temperament: when both were absent our system failed. The Times' Berlin correspondent reports that Mr. Pirow will arrive in Berlin next Thursday and will be received by Herr Hitler. He will also confer with Field-Marshal Goering, Herr von Ribbentrop, Dr. Funk, Minister of Economics, and Colonel-General Keitel, Chief of Staff of the High Command. ' t INVITATION REFUSED Independent Cable Service (Received November 15, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON. Nov. 15 Mr. Pirow has broken a convention established by all previous-visiting Dominions visitors, in refusing an invitation to address the Empire Parliamentary Association.