For the Sake of South Africa
THE dispute over the flag, which ought always to be an agreed device, is threatening to hurl South Africa back into the 'whirlpool of racial animosity. What a tragic irony ! Professional pacifists are never tired of telling us that a flag—which they perversely take to be necessarily a symbol of aggression—is only a miserable bit of bunting which should have no power to appeal to anyone who has passed through the childish stage. Yet after all had seemed to be going well in South Africa for the better part of sixteen years, we see the unity of the country threatened because no one, after all, can escape from the significance and the importance of a flag. We must say frankly here and now that the real blame in this matter seems to us to belong to General Hertzog's Government. We know perfectly well that General Hertzog himself does not desire strife ; he has given several proofs of his desire for conciliation. But Dr. Malan has kept the Prime Minister to his original point, and the Labour Party, for tactical reasons, deliberately risk all the dangers of the Flag Bill in order that they may 'hold the Coalition Government together. This combination of circumstances pins the Government to the Bill.
At the back of the objection to the Union Jack— an objection sternly, intensely, and, no doubt, sincerely made by the Veld Boers—is the feeling that the presence in any form of the Union Jack is an insulting memorial of past wrongs. This, as we have explained several times, seems to us to be an entirely wrong conception of the flag. If the various elements which compose every nation put their heads together to produce a flag expressing ideals and confidence in the future not one of the present familiar flags would remain. The flags, as they arc, are Mostly embodiments of history rather than expressions of hope. It is no condemnation of a flag to say that it recalls what many people would willingly forget. On the contrary, it is to the credit of any people that they should accept devices which remind them of the bitter struggles from which' they have emerged to _unity and self-respect.
General &nuts, in our judgment, described the Whole situation clearly when he said in the House of Assembly on Monday . that the country should come first, but that the Government Nivre placing their Flag Bill above the interests of the country.. Every reasonable person hoped that there might be a settlement when Dr. Maltin summoned a Commission to consider the new flag. Unfortunately the Government, no doubt under Dr. Mahas inspiration, instructed their repre- sentatives. to refuse every design in Which the Union Jack was included. In other words, the Conference was not an open Conference at all. It Was tied. Naturally the opponents of the Government refused to consider any design in which the Union Jack was not included. If reason and a proper sense of tradition prevailed, the future South African flag would combine the Union Jack with the old flags of the Dutch Republics. That would be fair to both sides. As it is, the Govern- ment seem to be intent upon pressing on with their Bill. What then is likely to happen ?
The general expectation is that after the Bill has been forced through the House of Assembly it will be rejected by the Senate. Then there Will be a joint session of both Houses in which the Government majority will carry the day., Finally there will be a Referendum— for General . Hertzog promised it last year—and that will he the, occasion of a ." tearing, raging propaganda" which will make all the old sores fester once more. Strong believers in the Referendum though we are, we dread it when the subject of discussion will be the ancient enmity of two races.
The character of the debate on Monday was menacing. General Smuts and Mr. Duncan, who pleaded for tolera- tion and accommodation, were jeered at and interrupted. Yet everything which General Smuts said was full of right feeling and wisdom. He pointed out that ever since the Union was formed the two white races had made a practice of settling great national questions by agreement. It was silently understood that neither race could force its opinions upon the other. Now came this Bill which was a breach of "the silent understanding." He went on to say that British South Africans had unreservedly accepted the status of South Africa as it was very liberally defined by the Imperial Conference. When General Hertzog returned from the- Imperial Conference he had been welcomed by the whole nation. If only he had seized his opportunity at that moment to drop the Bill he would have cemented the two races together for ever. General Smuts's concluding words were so moving that we quote them from the report in the Times :— "Do not let us try to force the national flag through at. a tins when the country is running, riot with passion. The Government last year bowed before the storm. Let them, for the sake of South Africa, bow once more, and withdraw this Bill. Lot them giin time for passions to cool down, and do not let us, in a laudable attempt to establish a national flag,' take a step which will undo all that has been. done in the last sixteen years, and once more launch. us on the stormy seas of passion, mistrust, and RH* picion."
General Hertzog no doubt feels sensitively about the position to which circumstances and manoeuvre and not his own volition have brought him. There was a corresponding situation when he became Prime Minister. He had made many speeches about South Africa's right of secession, and he was asked what exactly he intended to do. Would he force the question of secession? His, answer was that he could not possibly take any action without iiroOf that " an overwhelming majority" of the country desired secession. Surely, now that the country is' threatened With the disaster—it is nothing less—of a renewed racial .division, he must see that the principle Which held -good then holds good now. The British South AfriCans have no right to compel the Dutch; but neither. have the Dutch the right to compel the. British.
It is not enough to say that such an outburst of sentiment as there has been in Natal is mere jingo loyalty run mad. Anyone who reads the accounts of the religious service at . Durban, at which the nil° Jack was " rededicated " with fervour, must feel that,. whether one goes all the way with this .fervid sentimer or not, here is the "Covenanting spirit" at work. It cannot be suppressed. It is _profound. It is genuine. People in Natal are convinced that the Flag Bill is ia effect a violation of the South Africa' Act and they sof that they would never have been -parties to that iiet it they had foreseen this Bill.
In these :circumstances we cannot -hesitate to join OUT voices with: those who are appealing to General Hertzof to be true to himself. We" do not suggest that 'be should abandon a single conviction. We only suggest that lle should place peace above all. "For the sake of South Africa ". is the motto for this testing time:
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