Evening star., 1950-09-12

Prime Minister David Lloyd
George to become a member of
the Imperial War Cabinet.
In this post. he literally became
the father of the Royal Air
Force by submitting plan for the
reconstruction of the old Royal
Flying Corps.
He signed the Treaty of Yer
sailles for South Africa and then
returned home to become Prime
Minister for the first time. In
the turbulent postwar years, he
championed the interests of the
Empire against the South African
isolationist faction. but in 1924
his government fell from power
because Marshal Smuts had in
CURED the wrath of the South
African Labor Party. He had ad-
vocated a militant anti-labor pol
icy in the gold field strikes of 1922.
Stands With Empire.
When World War II broke,
South Africa again was torn with
diSSension. Marshal Smuts stood
for cooperation with the Empire
as against the proponents of neu-
trality. His party won in a close
battle in the House of Assembly
and Marshal Smuts again became
prime minister as we'll as COM
mander- er-in-chief of the South
African forces.
He reached his full stature in
World War II and on his list
birthday in 1941 was appointed
to the rank of field marshal.
Following the war, South Afri-
can politics again was beset by
difficulties and Marshal Smuts
lost out as prime minister when
he opposed an isolationist and race
segregation party that had grown
to dominating power.
He even lost his own seat in
Parliament, but was able to serve
as leader of the opposition when
another member Of his party re-
tired and gave him his seat.
The Governments attitude to-
ward him was evident when he
was relieved as commander in
chief of South Africa's defense, a
position he held with the rank of
general. But he still remained on
the active list of the British army
as field marshal
Despite his political losses,
Marshal Smuts still commanded
the respect and gratitude of
South Africans. On his 80th
birthday. 10000 persons jammed
the Johannesburg public square
and buildings were decked with
flags in honor of his birthday.
Brilliant Student.
Marshal Smuts was educated at
Victoria College, Stellenbosch,
South Africa, and was a brilliant
student at Cambridge, England,
where he took his law finals with
a double first" After his grad
uation in 1894 he returned to
South Africa to practice law in
the Supreme Court at Capetown.
In 1897. he was married to
Sybella Margaretha Krige. They
had two sons and four daughters.
During his life, Marshal Smuts
received honorary degrees from
more than a score of universities
in England, the United States,
Scotland, Ireland, Canada and
South Africa. He also was
awarded the Albert Medal of the
Royal Society of Arts in 1912.
Despite his military and politi-
cal activities. Marshal Smuts also
found time for intellectual pur-
suits. He published two books,
"Holism and Evolution" 0926)
and Africa and Some World
Problems" 1880.
Last Visited Capital in 1946.
Marshal Smuts last visited
Washington in December, 1916,
when he was an overnight guest
at the White House. He was in
this country to represent South
Africa in United Nations delibera-
tionS in New York.
President Truman gave q dinner
in his honor and attending were
Army and Navy officials and White
House aides.
In January, 1880, he spoke here
before representatives of II organ
izations interested in world peace.