South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-02-25
VAST RICHESPUT
SOUTH AFRICA In
HANDS OF BRITISH
Development of Union is With
out Parallel in United
States History.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 24.-The
Union OF South Africa where a re-
cent negative vote on the proposal
TO secede from the British empire
attracted world attention. Is the
sub5ect OF the following bulletin is
sued from the Washington, head
quarters OF the National Geographic
Society:
with re vast areas taken over
from abOrigines: with thousands OF
It's white settlers massacred BY saw
ages, but with others. undaunted.
Pressing on in their Irairie schoon-
ers ever farther into the interior Of
an unknown continent; with a gold
rush winning a new empirei and
Possessed today OF q stubborn race
problem: South Africa, half around
the world and little known 10 Amer
leans. has IN tts history, neverthe-
less, chapters which we know BY
heart. New Workers can find an even
closer II minor tie 90 the residents
OF Cape Town IN the fact that the
sites OF both ports, now almost
priceless. were bought from savage
landlords for a few handouts OF
gaudy trinkets.
International Ganle OF Tag.
SIn one respect, however, the
carving out Of what Is now the
Union OF South Africa e without
ItB parallel In the development OF
the United States. In South Africa
the strife OF two white peoples for
control has been an all important
factor For about a century and a
half the Dutch had possession Of
Cape Town and the small area sur
rounding n which harbored all the
whites IN South Africa The Ma
poleontc wars transferred possession
20 England. and in 1895 the Eng
iish assumed a final control which
many Of the Dutch inhabitants re-
eented. In 1896 many OF the Dutch
farmers or 'bOers' began trekking
into the interior with the intention
OF settling beyond English influence.
When Englishmen followed them
they trekked farther. Finally. be-
yond the Orange river they founded
the Orange Free state. and beyond
the VaaI river, the Transvaal re-
rubhc.
First diamonds and then gold
were discovered IN the new states.
They brought great prosperity 10
the Boer republics. but they brought
many outsiders as well: and the
presence Of these finally led 20 the
BOer war as a result OF which the
republics came into the possession
OF Great Britain.
aside from the war-born repub-
lies and monarchies Of the last few
years the Union OF South Africa IS
one OF the youngest OF the inpor-
tant countries OF the world. It too
was largely war-born. Shortly after
the conclusion Of the Boer war plans
were set on foot to fuse the two old
republics with Cape Colony the old
est South African government. and
Natal, next IN point OF age, TO form
the new union. Ii was finally created
by an act signed in 1910.
Union Has Big Territory.
THE territory OF the Union oc-
c1rpies the whole southern and
southeastern tip OF Africa In a wide
strip extending about $50 miles in
land from the Indian ocean. It's aree
lacks only $4,000 square miles Of
reaching the half million mark. OF
its four provinces. Cape Colony is
slightly larger than Texas. the
Transvaal about the size OF Nevada,
and Orange Free state slightly
smaller than Alabama. while Natal
exceeds South Carolina by q few
thousand square miles.
But extensive as ~ Is, the union
will some day be much bigger. II is
the heir Of all South Africa, and
even now the governor general OF
the union Is also high commissioner
for all other lands IN the southern
part Of the continent under British
control. The addition alone OF
RhOdesia, which lies to the north,
would dos.ble the area Of the union.
From the south and southeast
South Africa is a series OF mighty
terraces, each with a rim OF high
mountains from below and low ones
from above. Most OF the slopes near
the sea are fertile, well wooded and
we'll watered. The ascending steps
vary in moisture and fertility. With
In THIS terraced bulwark lie the great
Plains or veldts where wild game
cnce svvarmed and where great
AsTda OF sheep and cattle have tax
en- their places. These plains con-
tribute yearly millions OF dollars
worth OF wool, ostrich feathers.
hides, and mohair TO the outside
world.
Mountains Moved for Stone.
'~roward the inner edge OF the ter
ritory Of the union are the worlds
greatest diamond mines. where
earth sufficient 10 oil thousands OF
cars IS screened yearly for the sake