On Friday week General Botha issued a statement on the
differences between himself and General Hertzog. He pointed out that General Hertzog had violated all constitutional etiquette in making public what had happened at Cabinet meetings. Moreover his disclosures had been one-sided and in some respects inaccurate. " General Hertzog," the state- ment proceeds, " has gratuitously and unnecessarily put the question whether the interests of South Africa should take preference over those of the British Empire. . . . Within the Empire the South African nation can fully develop its local patriotism and national instincts. In these circumstances it was unpardonable to suggest, as happened at De Wildt, that the Empire is only good so long as it is useful to South Africa." It is now clear that General Botha won a fine tactical victory in resigning the Premiership and thus dis- solving his Cabinet as the only way of getting rid of General Hertzog, who had refused to resign. With his reconstituted Cabinet General Botha returns to office, greatly strengthened, to continue his courageous work of racial conciliation.
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