1938: South Africa, Union Of

With its economic situation reasonably secure as a result of a continued boom in gold production due to the high world price of gold, South Africa indulged in the luxury of internal political dispute throughout 1938. In an intensive campaign prior to the general election of May 18, the United party, under the leadership of Prime Minister J. B. M. Hertzog, appealed for a new mandate on the ground, first, that it represented the only effort to fuse the conflicting interests of the two European nationalities in a single, paramount South African unity; and second, that it stood upon its record in bringing prosperity to the country. The only powerful opposition group, the Nationalist party of Dr. F. S. Malan, charged the Government with subservience to British imperialism; urged that South Africa remain neutral during a war in which Britain might be involved; and generally maintained its thoroughgoing anti-native, anti-colored and anti-Semitic position. In the balloting the Nationalists won 6 seats, bringing their total to 27, but the United party, with 111 seats, did not lose its top-heavy majority.

Almost immediately afterward, two local political tempests threatened to shatter the Government coalition. A sharp controversy, deeply rooted in historic national rivalries, broke out when an anthem of the Afrikaans-speaking population, 'Die Stem van Suid-Afrika,' was played at several military parades on May 31, the national holiday, while 'God Save the King' was not. With the English-speaking members of the Cabinet up in arms, the Prime Minister was forced to issue a statement on June 2 to the effect that there was no official anthem for the Union and that both 'Die Stem' and 'God Save the King' would be played together on appropriate occasions. Injured feelings lingered on both sides. The Government encountered further difficulties when, early in September, it violated customary constitutional procedure in attempting, by rather questionable methods, to retain in the Cabinet a capable minister who had been defeated in the general election.

At the same time, other perils to South African national unity became apparent. The new arrangement for the separate communal representation of the 7,000,000 natives gave promise in 1938 of working out to their disadvantage. The Government rejected the recommendations of the Native Representative Council for better educational facilities for the natives. The anti-Semitic movement also made progress: a Jew-baiting outburst occurred in Johannesburg in November. Meanwhile, despite restrictive measures taken in 1937, the German population of the mandated territory of Southwest Africa had been subjected to strenuous regimentation into Nazi organizations. While the Government appeared to remain as firmly opposed as ever to retrocession of the territory to the Reich, it was obviously deeply concerned with Germany's drive for colonies. This anxiety was manifested in the journey of Oswald Pirow, South African Defense Minister, to Europe — and to Germany — in the closing months of 1938 — a journey whose results, if any, were not made public.