29 JUNE 1934, Page 2

Fusion in South Africa The success of the party fusion

in South Africa under General Hertzog and General Smuts seems 113W well assured, the dissentient groups remaining on a small scale. That of the Dutch extremists under Dr. Malan is offset by one formed on the English-speaking side by Colonel Stallard ; and, quaintly enough, there is to be even a third dissidence—a " Centre Party " of still smaller dimensions under Mr. Tielman Roos. Mr. Roos was the original promoter of the Fusion idea, but he wanted it to be carried out under• his own auspices, not under those of the two es-party leaders. So far as it succeeds in render- ing Dutch-English race-feuds obsolete, the Hertzog- Smuts Government may render a great and permanent service to South Africa. But it would be absurd, in the first instance, to expect from their parties when " fused " more general enlightenment than they showed separately. In the sphere of native policy,, for example, any consider- able progress can only be looked for from a gradual spread of wiser and juster ideas.