[From THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 18, 1915.]
The South African "Blue Paper" is out. It is unique. However widely and
however eagerly the official documents of the other countries involved
in the present war may have been read, they could not be called romantic
in any sense of the word.
The "Blue Paper" issued by the Union of South Africa presents a distinct
contrast. In the third paragraph of the very first page of this weighty
document, which deals with the recent rebellion, is the following
unusual sentence:
It is not surprising, then, that in the ferment aroused by the
gigantic struggle in Europe, which seemed to be shaking the
world to its foundations, young men began to see visions and
old men to dream dreams of what the outcome might be for South
Africa.
And this is followed by a still stranger passage:
The times were not without their signs. There was a seer in
Lichtenburg who had visions of strange import. Years ago and
long before any one in this country had dreamed of war he
beheld a great fight of bulls, six or seven of them, engaged
in bloody combat; a gray bull had emerged victorious from the
contest.
The bulls signified the great nations of Europe, and the gray
bull was Germany. Thousands had discussed this strange vision
and had remembered its prophetic character when, later, war
actually broke out. The vision seemed ominous. Germany was
predestined to triumph.
The seer is Niklaas van Rensburg, and he runs through this Government
report like a scarlet thread through gray homespun. It is around his
influence that the uprising of Sept. 15 is built. It is under his roof
that all manner of lurid conspiracies are hatched. Not only do his words
carry with the crowds that gather before his house to hear his prophecy,
but his warnings shape the actions of some of the Transvaal Generals.
The Government report will not go so far as to brand "Oom Niklaas" as a
hoax. Says the preface:
It is desired to point out that the narrative of events has
been compiled in as objective a manner as possible, and that
it contains no statement which is not borne out by evidence in
possession of the Government.
Evidently, to denounce visions of gray bulls as hocus-pocus would be to
describe a puzzling situation much too subjectively, since the
Government has apparently no evidence that these are not genuine
prophecy. The best the Government can do is to call them "extraordinary
and apparently quite authentic."
But the extraordinary part of it is that an illiterate old soothsayer
should be considered important enough to be included in an official
report.
His most famous and most influential prophecy, the one that will go down
in the history of South Africa, was that which concerned General de la
Rey and the fatal number 15.
The prophecy which came back to the minds of van Rensburg's followers
when war broke out was one concerning General de la Rey, the intrepid
soldier who had commanded the Lichtenburg burghers in the Boer war and
since become President of the Western Transvaal Farmers' Association.
Van Rensburg had always admired General de la Rey. He had frequently
hinted to his circle that great things were in store for him. One of his
visions had been well known to General de la Rey and his friends for
some years. The report says:
The seer had beheld the number 15 on a dark cloud from which
blood issued, and then General de la Rey returning home
without his hat. Immediately afterward came a carriage covered
with flowers.
[Illustration: H.M. CONSTANTINE I.
King of Greece.
_(Photo from P.S. Rogers.)_]
[Illustration: JOHN REDMOND
The great Irish leader, who says that Ireland has now taken her proper
place in the British Empire.
_(Photo from P.S. Rogers.)_]
This was several years ago. But the people did not forget the prophecy,
and when war broke out in Europe the Western Transvaal--in the
Lichtenburg-Wolmaransstad area, where van Rensburg's influence was
strongest--was immediately aflame. The Government does not seek to
minimize the importance of this influence:
When the war at last broke out, the effect in Lichtenburg was
instantaneous. The prophecies of van Rensburg were eagerly
recalled, and it was remembered that he had foretold a day on
which the independence of the Transvaal would be restored.
Certain individuals could be seen daily cleaning their rifles
and cartridges in order to be ready for the day. Within a week
of the declaration of war between England and Germany the
district was further profoundly stirred by the news (now
become generally known) that a great meeting of local burghers
was to be held at Treurfontein on the 15th of August, and that
certain local officers were commandeering their burghers to
come to this meeting armed and fully equipped for active
service.
The outbreak of the war in Europe suddenly brought the Lichtenburger's
prophecy down to earth and crystallized the dream. The commandants were
evidently as convinced that independence was at hand as the crowd.
Careful inquiries by other local officers brought to light the
following facts:
Veld Kornet, I.E. Claassen, and Commandant F.G.A. Wolmarans of
Ward Onder Hartsrivier had been commandeering their own
burghers as well as their political friends since the first
week of August to come to the meeting which was to be held at
Treurfontein on the 15th. The instructions given to these men
were that they were to come with rifle, horse, saddle and
bridle, and as much ammunitions and provisions as they could
manage to bring.
The meeting was to be addressed by General de la Rey, and it
was generally believed that the assembled burghers would march
on Potchefstroom immediately after the meeting.
None doubted the truth of the seer's prophecy now. The Western Transvaal
took it for its guide with implicit confidence.
The strange vision of the number 15, which had long been
common knowledge, was now discussed with intense interest. The
15, it was said, signified the 15th of August, the day of the
meeting. That would be the day which had been so long
expected--the day of liberation.
Van Rensburg was now the oracle. His prophecies with regard to
the great war had been signally fulfilled. Germany was at
grips with England, and her triumph was looked upon as
inevitable.
The day had arrived to strike a blow for their lost
independence. Van Rensburg assured his following that the
Union Government was "finished." Not a shot would be fired.
The revolution would be complete and bloodless.
Between the 10th and the 15th the plotters in Lichtenburg were
actively preparing for the day. There is evidence that German
secret agents were working in concert with them. When doubters
asked how they could be so certain that the 15 signified a day
of the month--and of the month of August in particular--they
were scornfully if illogically told that "in God's time a
month sooner or later made no difference."
Of course, General de la Rey was the storm centre. He had been mentioned
in the same vision with the number 15 and it was taken for granted that
he would play the chief rôle in the Treurfontein meeting. De la Rey was
the unquestioned ruler of the Western Transvaal. The report states:
He possessed an unrivaled influence and was looked up to as
the uncrowned king of the West. His attitude at the meeting
would sway the mass of his adherents and decide the question
of peace or war.
Accordingly, General Louis Botha, Premier of the South African Union,
summoned General de la Rey to Pretoria some days before the meeting, and
persuaded him to use his best efforts to allay excitement.
On the 15th the meeting was held. The situation was a tense one. Not one
of the burghers present doubted the outcome. Yet General de la Rey
exhorted them to remain cool and calm. He urged them to await the turn
of events in Europe. After his address a "strange and unusual silence"
was observed, says the "Blue Paper."
A resolution was passed unanimously expressing complete
confidence in the Government to act in the best interests of
South Africa in the present world crisis. The burghers
appeared to have taken their leader's advice to heart, as they
dispersed quietly to their homes.
All danger of a rebellious movement had apparently been averted.
The only difficulty was that the prophecy of "Oom Niklaas" was still
standing. The fact that the uprising had failed did not seem in the
least to invalidate the vision. If the mysterious number did not mean
Aug. 15, then perhaps it did mean Sept. 15.
Accordingly, preparations were laid for a rebellion for the latter date.
The plot was engineered by Lieut. Colonel Solomon G. Maritz and General
Christian Frederick Beyers. Maritz is a brilliant though unlettered
Colonel who won distinction in the Boer war, while Beyers was the
Commandant General of the South African Union forces. Beyers is dead
now; Maritz and some of the prominent men associated in the conspiracy
are in prison awaiting trial.
Beyers and Maritz did not trust entirely to the prophecy of the seer of
Lichtenburg. Maritz had already obtained a guarantee from the
authorities in German West Africa, with whom he had been in
communication for some time, that in the event of Germany's victory the
Free State and the Transvaal would be given their freedom. He had
organized the back-veldt Boers into readiness to go over into German
West Africa at a moment's notice. In the Free State, General de Wet was
ready to aid the rebellion, and the Western Transvaal, already excited,
could easily be swung into line.
The regiments of the west were to concentrate at Potchefstroom early in
September for their annual training. At that time the members of the
Government, among them General de la Rey, who is a member of the
Legislative Assembly, would be in Cape Town for the session of the
Parliament.
Everything made the 15th of September look like an auspicious date for
the conspirators and those who believed in van Rensburg. But General de
la Rey still remained the storm centre. He was the factor which upset
all plans. He was the most difficult obstacle. A large personality, his
influence could never be discounted. If he could be induced to join the
conspiracy the cause was as good as won. Should he oppose the movement
it was lost, for neither Beyers nor Major Kemp, a leader in his district
in West Transvaal, could hope to do anything against General de la Rey
in the west.
General de la Rey believed in the Lichtenburg prophet. A strong man, of
extraordinary force and intelligence, the whole course of his plans
might be altered by a new vision from van Rensburg. Beyers knew this,
says the report, and saw the way by which he should win the General to
the conspiracy.
There is evidence to prove that General Beyers set himself
systematically to work in General de la Rey's mind in order to
induce him to join the conspiracy.
General de la Rey was known to hold strong religious views,
which colored his whole outlook. The seer, van Rensburg, who
was always full of religious talk, had in this way acquired a
considerable amount of influence over General de la Rey.
There is the best of evidence (General Beyers's own statement)
for the belief that he himself did not scruple to work on
General de la Rey's mind through his religious feelings.
Just how Beyers accomplished this has not yet been revealed, but there
was material enough to his hand. The news from Europe was disquieting.
The German drive to Paris seemed irresistible. It looked as if in a week
or two Germany would have the Allies at her mercy.
The prophet saw visions in which 40,000 German soldiers were marching up
and down the streets of London. He predicted significantly that the new
South African State would have at its head "a man who feared God." The
Government of Premier Botha and General Smuts, the Minister of Finance
and Defense, was "finished." He had seen the English leaving the
Transvaal and moving down toward Natal. When they had gone far away, a
vulture flew from among them and returned to the Boers and settled down
among them. That was Botha. As for Smuts, he would flee desperately to
England and would never be seen in South Africa again. Through it all
ran the strange number 15.
This was excellent material for the conspirators. But the problem was to
get General de la Rey away from the Parliament session at Cape Town and
into the Potchefstroom camp at the psychological moment. Beyers sent a
series of urgent telegrams to Cape Town hinting at important business.
He emphasized the need for General de la Rey's immediate presence in
Potchefstroom. He had evidently not yet broached the conspiracy to the
General, but hoped only to get him to the camp at the critical moment
when his presence would prove the deciding factor.
[Illustration: [map of South Africa]]
Everything in Potchefstroom was in readiness. The Active Citizen Force
concentrated here--about 1,600 men--was to start the uprising. The
movement was to be promptly seconded throughout the Western Transvaal.
The "Vierkleur" was to be hoisted, and a march made on Pretoria, men and
horses being commandeered on the way. This was to take place on Tuesday,
the 15th. There was an attempt to line up the prophet to add to the
theatric effect, says the report.
On the night of the 14th the "Prophet" himself was specially
sent for by motor car to be personally present on the 15th to
witness the consummation of his prophecy. The conspirators
hoped to profit by the impression he would undoubtedly make on
those who still hesitated.
Unfortunately for them, however, the seer refused to leave his
home, saying that "it was not yet clear to him that that was
his path."
The signal for the revolt was to be the arrival of General Beyers and
General de la Rey in the Potchefstroom camp. The latter was returning
from Cape Town via Kimberley, and was due to arrive in Potchefstroom on
the 15th. But for some reason he chose to come back through the Free
State, and by the 15th was only at Johannesburg.
This upset plans. Beyers had to act quickly. He had his chauffeur
overhaul his motor car, equip it with new tubes and covers, in readiness
for "a long journey." In a short time the car was on its way to bring
General de la Rey from Johannesburg to Pretoria, where Beyers would meet
him.
There was no time to be lost. It was too late to stage the rebellion for
the 15th, but Beyers arranged for it to be at 4 o'clock on the morning
of Wednesday, the 16th.
General de la Rey arrived in Pretoria. General Beyers met him and asked
him to go immediately with him to Potchefstroom.
The car came within sight of Johannesburg. A police cordon had been
thrown around the town for the purpose of capturing three desperadoes,
known as the "Foster gang," who were trying to escape in a motor car.
The police were instructed to stop all motors and to examine in
particular any car containing three men.
Beyers's car held three men. It was racing at high speed. It was, of
course, challenged by the police and ordered to stop. But Beyers knew
nothing of the "Foster gang" and the reason for the police cordon. Keyed
up to the highest pitch of nervous tension, his immediate conclusion was
that his plot had been discovered and that the police were after him. He
believed he was trapped.
Meanwhile, Major Kemp at Potchefstroom grew more and more anxious as the
hours slipped by. Midnight came, and no news of the two Generals. About
3 o'clock in the morning, says the report, an officer sharing the tent
of a Lieutenant Colonel by the name of Kock, who was Kemp's confidant,
was awakened by the entrance of a man. It proved to be Major Kemp. He
leaned over Kock's bed and whispered something in his ear.