Mr. Roos and General Smuts
The temporary lull in the political controversy in South Africa has ended with a speech by Mr. Tielman Roos at Pretoria on Wednesday, and personal contact between Mr. Roos and General Smuts is likely to be established early next week, when both leaders are expected to be in Capetown. On the whole, the prospects of an accommodation between the two are improving, for Mr. Roos seems to be less disposed to push General Smuts on one side and try and secure the South African Party without its chief. As is pointed out elsewhere in this issue, there is no reason why General Smuts and his followers should make a bad bargain with Mr. Roos now when they believe victory to be certain for them in any case at next year's election. On the other hand, it would obviously suit them better to get the Government out now by a satisfactory deal with Mr. Roos than to wait twelve months and more. Whether the new leader's latest speech, with its proposals for State lotteries and premium bonds, will commend itself to General Smuts is a little doubtful. However that may be, steps decisive one way or the other are likely to be taken within the next week. Union between the Roos faction and the South African Party on a non-racial platform would be worth a great deal, though there would still be the larger native question in the background.
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