SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume L, Issue 14745, 26 October 1915, Page 4

SOUTH AFRICAN ELECTIONS.

London' cables rtate that there is great g.a titlest ion m England over General Bjtha s triumph at vac geueral election in South Africa, which has been fought with a bitterness, unknown in the uomiuiou.. Racial issues, ever a fertile source cf haired, have clouded the arena.

and with four parties fighting fer supremacy confusion was inevitaufe. To the outrider General Botha appears to dominate South African politics, but, strong lean a= is the ci nqnc’tor of oertnau Southwest Africa, he cannot convert by an appeal to reason the people of his own blood whose minds have been inflamed hy political fanatics and religious bigots, it is strange that General liotha’s most determined opponents should le Boers—the llertzogitcs. The fact that General Hertz.og is a discredited man does not imply that his followers have altered their views or lost,,their stubborness; and the Hertzogites have never forgiven Botha for taking a broad view of the South African situation and accepting British rule. The Hertzogites are the irreconcil.ulis, the Sinn Tinners of South Africa, who can be satisfied with nothing less than separation. To argue with them, to point out the benefits of Tax Britannica Is useless. Nothing will change their feelings towards the Empire but lapse of ime, and only optimists expect some show of mild approval from the next generation of them, or the next but one. Tho Unionists represent the Britishers in South Africa, and during the war they have supported the Botha Government, their great grievance is that whenever British and Boer interests clash the former has to go. British officials have been turned out of the Civil Service in '.urge numbers, and as many of the men dismissed had fought thmigh the war. it must bo admitted that their patriotism has not been rewarded. However, when the war cloud burrt over Europe the Unionists gave tire Administration loyal uppert, and there is considerable evidence to show that they have sacrificed .ne possibility of party gain in order to Ift at the forces of reaction arrayed against the Government. The Independents returned will probably work hand in hand with the Unionists, and as they ncludo men learned in political ways they .lio'ild exercise considerable influence on the course of events. 1 about', especially cn the Band, has iuffered a reverse, and this is due to a. large extent to serious dissensions within the party. Indeed, it can be said that two Labour parties entered the field, the moderate section being led by Mr ( re-v----well, a man of acknowledged ability, and he extremists being led by Mr Andrews. A Miction, generally referred to as the ‘war on war" party, made a great effort to capture tho Labour organisation, but it was defeated and many of its members turned out of the party. Mr Cresswell’s acceptance of a commission in the forces added fuel to the flames, and the party entered tho fight in a sadly divided state. Us d-feat cn the Rand, however, was hardly expected. One of the burning viestions on the Rand was the introduction of German capital to doyelop the German gold financed the ebcllicu, and it was calculated that not less than .£200.000,000 of German, capital was Thvested in various South African •nterprises—mostly mining. But all these ssue'—racial, economic, imperial, and so nn—together with the multiplication of parties, made the Union election of great importance, and the return of General Botha to power will Ire viewed with satisfaction.