Once more in 1922, when Smuts was prime minister he had to suppress a strike on the Rand, partly due to labour troubles, partly to republican agitation, which, owing to its violence, was called the reign of red terror and was not overcome till 1 o,000 agitators had been arrested. These ruthless, however necessary, repressions naturally led to the persistent opposition of the labour party to Smuts personally and eventually to its junction in 1923 with the Nationalists under Hertzog. Nevertheless both Botha and Smuts during their ministries, which lasted from 191c) to introduced several improvements in the conditions of labour, such as acts directed against the scourge of phthisis in 1911 and 1919, acts for the security of workmen's wages and for compensation against accidents, and a scheme for arbitration and conciliation in labour disputes, measures which have been further elaborated by the Hertzog Government. Since the Union also the whole rail way system has been unified and the vexatious differential railway rates and customs between the different colonies abolished.
The War and the Rebellion.—When the World War broke out in Aug. 1914 many of the Boers wished to stand out of it altogether, but Botha and Smuts were determined to abide by the empire. They relieved the home forces by offering to dispense entirely with imperial troops and be responsible for South African defence, and further agreed to conquer German South-west Africa. But before doing the last they had to meet a serious rebellion among some of their own people, who wanted entirely to disasso ciate the country from Britain's concerns. Beyers, the corn mander of the Defence Force resigned and with de Wet and others collected a force to resist the Government ; the commander of the border force went over to the Germans. In this crisis Botha, sorely against his will, decided it was his duty to take the field against his own rebellious Boers; but he and Smuts decided that their suppression must be entirely the work of Boers, for if troops of English origin were employed fresh racial bitterness would surely ensue. Beyers and later de Wet, the two chief rebel leaders were defeated with comparative ease in Oct. and Nov. 1914, and the bitterness aroused was considerably assuaged by the very moderate punishments inflicted on the rebels.
Botha was then able to turn his attention to his task of captur ing South-west Africa. The waterless country rather than the comparatively small numbers of the German troops proved the most formidable enemy in the campaign which lasted from March to July 1915, when the German forces surrendered themselves and their colony unconditionally to Botha. The easy victory was
due to fine organization for which Botha and Smuts were respon sible.
After this success, South Africa as a whole took no direct part in the war, but no fewer than 50,000 South Africans fought in Ger man East Africa, where Smuts was in command during 1916, while about half as many went overseas to Europe, gaining great honour for themselves and their country in such engagements as Delville Wood and Givenchy ; in addition nearly Ioo,000 Bantus volunteered for work behind the lines in labour battalions. Smuts himself left the East African command only to take a seat in the Imperial cabinet during the rest of the war, while he and still more Botha were notable figures at the Versailles conference, where they signed the Treaty as equal representatives of South Africa with the other allies and dominions.
South-west Africa.—One provision of the treaty attributed to South Africa as a mandatory of the League of Nations the administration of South-west Africa. At first the administration was placed under the arbitrary rule of an administrator, G. R. Hofmeyr, assisted by a nominated council of which half the members were Germans. In 1922 the attention of the Mandates Commission of the League of Nations was directed to the methods of the administration in suppressing a revolt of the Hottentot tribe of Bondelswarts, whereby zoo men, women and children were killed, and some strictures were passed on the administrator's policy in the matter. Otherwise the territory has prospered; al though about half the 15,00o Germans in the territory at the time of its occupation returned to Germany, some 10,000 South Afri cans have taken their place and the administration has done much by railway, roads and irrigation to increase the country's pros perity, while a long-standing boundary dispute with the Portuguese Government of Angola was amicably settled in 1926. But before this a demand had come from the European inhabitants for some voice in the administration. Partly elective municipal institutions were granted in 1922, but for a more extended electoral system it was necessary to regularize the position of the Germans, who were still technically aliens. Under an agreement negotiated with Berlin by Smuts in 1923, the Germans automatically received British citizenship, unless they elected specifically not to accept it, and in 1925 a regular system of partly representative executive, legis lative and advisory councils was established. The territory may ultimately be incorporated in the Union.