Victory for the United Party at present in power was predicted here tonight in the elections tomorrow in which the 1,018,568 white voters of the Union of South Africa will elect a new parliament. Four Government candidates have already been declared elected for lack of rivals, leaving 146 seats to be disputed between 324 candidates.
Observers declared the United Party, headed by prime minister J.B.M. Herzog and vice-prime minister Jan Christian Smuts, would probably win a total of 102 seats, which would give it a majority of 54.
The Nationalist (Republican) Party of Dr. D.F. Malan will probably win 33 seats, the Dominion Party, which appeals to the loyalty of South Africans of British orign, 6, the Labor Party 7, and Independents two.
Gen. Smuts, for decades an outstanding figure in South African politics, hinted today that he is planning to retire from political life, speaking at a Standerton electoral meeting, Gen. Smuts, who will be 68 on May 24, declared tomorrow’s election would probably be the last in which he would appear as a candidate.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
