Evening star., 1948-11-25
South Africans Trek
Nohhward 10 Escape
Anti-British Regime
BY Bob Deindorfer

North American Newsp0psr Alliance
JOHANNESBURG South Africa,
Nov. 25.-A second great South Afri-
can trek, similar to the romantic
march north from Capetown into
the gold and diamond country 100
years ago, steadily is growing TO-
day as the Unions race-baiting
anti-British dictatorship increases
its strength.
The movement across the borders,
always present to minor degree
because of the unlimited opportu-
nifty offered by cheap lands to the
north, seriously began in June. That
was when DR.. Daniel Malan and his
Nationalist government came into
power, replacing Gen. Jan Christian
SHUTS United Party by the slight
margin of five parliamentary seats.
Stock prices fell and outside inveS-
tors hastily withdrew capital
plunged into South African industry.
1000 Have Left.
Since the election five months ago
nearly 1000 South Africans have
left their country. Southern Rho
desia became the biggest goal of the
migration, with Northern Rhodesia,
Nyasaland, Tanganyika, Kenya,
Australia, America and the United
Kingdom also collecting some of it.
South African businessmen, alarmed
by an exodus they feel is only be-
ginning. are quick to point out that
only 5000 left permanently for the
same destinations last year. The
white population of the country IS
less than 2,500,OO0.
Many of those who left were fear
full that a disastrous dictatorship
was beginning to function. The
Malan government, cautious at the
start because of its narrow margin
of victory, has spent lot of time
planning how best to feather its
nest. And at the next session OF
Parliament, in January, threatened
legislation affecting Indian, native,
colored and Southwest African votes
may give the party a sufficiently
large working majority. Critics OF
Malan insist that the party then
may work on its traditional aims,
including the everlasting platform
plank promising to withdraw from
the British Commonwealth.
Called Naziism.
In Salisbury, a major city in
Southern Rhodesia where dozens OF
South Africans permanently have
settled, I talked with several young
couples who have moved up since
the election.
why did we leave?" one young
wife said. I'VE have a son IL years
old, and frankly we'd travel a lot
farther than a thousand miles to
see that he doesn't grow up in a
dictatorship. That's what we have
in South Africa today. Nothing but
German fascism."
Across the room her husband
nodded vigorously.
Marshal Smuts, who now leads the
opposition in Parliament, said v1r-
tually the same thing in a speech
In Johannesburg earlier this month.
They are not consulting the
people," the ex-Premier said, refer
ring to the new government. They
are simply going ahead with their
plans. This is fascism, this is Nazl-
ism, pure and simple"
The one immediate effect this
migration has on the Malan govern
ment is undoubtedly happy one.
Most of the people who leave ap-
parently are doing so for political
reasons, and as result there are
Just that many fewer votes for OPP
position parties in future elections.
With such a small margin of gov
ernment control each vote is vital.
immigration laws aimed at ex-
cluding Britons and the relative in
crease of the Afrikander over the
Enghsh-speaking birth rate also
show more votes in the future for
the Nationalist Party.
Plan Universal Registration.
Fitted in with the shifting popula-
ton groups in another recent sug-
gestion, made by Donges and DR.. E.
G. Jansen, minister of labor. The
two cabinet members have proposed
that every person in the country,
white, black, male, female, adult and
child, be registered. They insist that
such a complete file is necessary to
administer the government policy
of "apartheid," segregation of the
races. It is obvious that this device
might possibly be deadly.
When Mr.. Malan's party first
swept into power in the greatest
political upset in the country's his
tory, most opponents shrugged and
muttered, "A fuke victory, and he
won't be in for long"
They're not so sure now.