The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-08
TO QUIT EMPIRE?
South African Dominion Wages
Civil War With Votes.
Former BOer General Fights
Secession Program at Polls.

Capetown. Feb. S.-General cleo
tions were held thruout the union OF
South Africa today. the actual ballot
ing being the elimination of three
cornered political contest.
The South African party led by Pre-
mier Jan Christian Smuts; the nation
alists under the leadership of Genera
chief has been Colonel Creswell, have
for the past two months been engaged
in n campaign which has set prece-
dent in South Africa.
SHUTS Fights Secession.
The main issue was between Cen
eral Snluts and General Hertzog over
the latter's policy of secession from
the empire"
district have struck and their action
on the eve of the election came as a
thunderbolt Belief was expressed
that the strike was political move
designed to consolidate the ranks OF
labor. There have been predictions
the laborites would capture twenty
seats in parliament.
Independence Is Issue.
London. Feb. s.-No less vital an is
sue than the secession of an important
state of the British empire by ballot
arises in the election today of new
legislative assembly in the union OF
South Africa.
In England, it is considered that few
more important elections nave taKen
place in a British dominion. Broadly
the question is whether South AFRICA,
comprising the provinces of the Cape
of Good Hope, Natal. Transvaal and
Orange Free State. shall continue its
allegiance to the king of England as
one of the self governing domlnlons
of the empire, or whether the Soutn
&c n ~ O.
pendent republic.
Is War of Ballots.
English sympathies naturally are
with the loyalist set of South Afr-ca-
Both sectio is are. however. admired
for their decision to settle differences
bv the ballot rather than by more
drastic means.
At the head of the loyaiist section
of the South African population OF
approximately six millions, is Gen. j.
G. SHUTS former Boer general. now
prime minister of the union. He is
better known 10 the world as one of
the leading advocates of the league of
nations. Opposed to him is General
Hertzog. also a former Boer military
leader.
SHUTS Heads British.
General SHUTS represents the large
british element of the population
and that portion of the Dutch popula-
ton which believes that the union
formed in 1909. is the solution of the
political program.
General Hertzog leads the 'frreeon-
cilables," the exponents of the lost
cause of the Beers.
In the general elections of March.
1920. the Hertzog party obtained
forty-four seats in the legislative as
sembly. thus becoming numerically
the largest party 1t was supported
in its opposition to the Smuts govern
ment by a labor party of twenty-seven
Support by forty members of his
own party. twenty-five Union'sts IN
tests votes. and the occasional favor
of three doubtful members did not
give sufficient strength to General
SHUTS for successfully carrying out his
administration. An attempt was made
by the prime minister to join with the
but the followers of
Hertzog held tenaciousIy to the prin-
c.ple Of secession from the British
empire. thus making them unac-
ceptable to General Smuts