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5/8/1953 - Natal Secession by Edwin S. Munger

INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS ESM Natal Secession Durban South Africa Mr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers Senator G Heaton Nicholls former leader United Party South African Senate union failed pletely He resigned United Prty August because could possibly election trying stroy Natal stand The information public request United Party until election For present government wants substitute loose federal system Transvaal Orange Free State Cape Province republics Natal maintaining allegiance Queen He The English speaking people reared liberal tradition cannot accept politico rellglous funda mentalism Nationalists He convinced under present circumstances cooperation impossi Afrikanerdom cannot possibly retain South Africa modern about which those dictate Nationalist policies nothing A federation would undoubtedly This latest growing movement secession Natel which temporarily aside during cmpaign Now Nstlonslist landslide boiling hotter How people support seces practicable It difficult Judge support Many people attended Defenders ConstitUtion meeting under Senator Nicholls chairmanship probably support FJor General Selby National Vice Chairman Torch Commando support Senator Nicholls Natal Torch whole The Maritz Services Club World War II veterans dropped constitution links United Party Mny bitter internal fights Natal U P because within party fight public support wsged D E Mitchell U P chslrmsn Natal blasted Senator proposals impracticable lacking introducing religion party politics Mitchell fought secession proposals tooth since first mooted He Ntel couldn secede because would under British Netive Policy which would disastrous Natal Nicholls replied publicly politics parliament twenty years before understood ESM South African politics Mitchell Just novice trying along diCficult experience parliament Many Natslins would polltlcsl autonomy worried economic consequences Natal economy closely linked sister provinces major reduction trade would drastically standard living Con versely Union particularly Transvaal pendent Natal great harbor allied fC11ties Economic pressure could spplled directions disas trous results Senator Nicholls envisages closest economic between states federation Likewise reason defense southern Africa including Natal coast could handled jointly points cooperstlon tween Southern Rhodesls South Africa Whether Ns legsl right secede doubtful This solved secessionists would dependent willlngess Union Pgrllsment dismember itself unlikely happening This within present polltlcl atmosphere If prophet could clshlng white nstionallsms might foresee conditions which separatist movement would greater support Underlying political sparr hlstorisn Keppel Jones invisible secession He points people often secede spiritually before break formal bonds In South Africa trekkers seceded their hearts before crossed Orange River Eire spiritual lleglance Britain before break As Toynbee there affairs state Pied Piper plays people refuse dance Whips usually without effect For every hlqglish speaking South African Rhodesia there thousands their hearts It sentiment strong Natal which Nicholls those their support Probably thoughtful South Africans whether speaking Afrikaans English disturbed regional polarization Union politics illustrated politlcl Afrikaans paper The solid United Party strength N based English speaklng people They seats Rand Afrikaner cndldates ccentustlng tendency regional split within United Party The Nstlon sllsts could Engllsh spesking front border Natal This geogrsphlcl meprstlon power political stability secession manifests The government fvoritism imagined regional government large territory ESM The Natal Secession watered organi zation called Defenders Constitution They published series documented pamphlets attacking Rationalist inter prettlon South African constitution attention inviolability entrenched clauses South African Act except thlrds majority The organization fairly public larbn throughout rural Ntsl partlculrly among articulate It newspaper support UID NSVAAL VRYSTA KAAPLAN whereas press critical Senator Nicholls proposed radical I asked Senator various Nationalist proposals order strenuous objections He preferred issue constitution above without which nowhere iudivldual measures Because reference Native Policy I asked would differ Natal present policy South Africa He The majority Europeans Natal stand behind enlightened program relations Natal always stood keeping Native dvsnce along European What frsnchise Natal policy allow Europeans He there would cuali fication there would chaos illiterate European voted qualification races without tricks restrict franchise Europeans He stressed belief Natal really vital center South Africa color problems We large number Natives Indians relatively aropeans The Nationalists merely It answer Time again Senator Nicholls returned called seventeenth century fundamentalism Afrikanerdom He quipped plattelanders never gotten beyond Old Testament wanted policy based New Testament On other align himself Johannesburg Capetown liberals Senator Nicholls grown distinguished service South Africa Although remains powerful figure South African politics success present scheme would quantity caliber gather His optimism about willingness Natalisns return calls traditionally liberal Ns stand founded opinion local observers though serlously discount eloquent oratory accomplish aided swell Natal feeling against Nstlonslists Natal secession another centrifugal force within disUnited Party ESM Sincerely yours Edwin S Munger Received New York