"To forget their loyalty to the Empire in this hour of trial would be scandalous and shameful, and would blacken South Africa in the eyes of the whole world. Of this South Africans were incapable. They had endured some of the greatest sacrifices that could be demanded of a people, but they had always kept before them ideals, founded on Christianity, and never in their darkest days had they sought to gain their ends by treasonable means. The path of treason was an unknown path to Dutch and English alike. "Their duty and their conscience alike bade them be faithful and true to the Imperial Government in all respects in this hour of darkness and trouble. That was the attitude of the Union Government; that was the attitude of the people of South Africa. The Government had cabled to the Imperial Government at the outbreak of war, offering to undertake the defence of South Africa, thereby releasing the Imperial troops for service elsewhere. This was accepted, and the Union Defence Force was mobilised." With regard to the operations in South-West Africa, General Botha declared that there could be only one response to the Imperial Government's wishes, unless they wished to contemplate a situation much more serious than that which now confronted them. He wished them to understand the seriousness of the position, and to accept the responsibility which they would be called upon to accept. He placed himself with confidence in the hands of the House. General Botha detailed the German entry into Union territory at Nakob (Nauby). This force was entrenched in kopjes in Union territory at the present time. He also described an affair at Scuitdrift in August. In addition to this, armed German forces were on the Union frontier in large numbers before there was any question of Union mobilisation. The Premier said he quoted the foregoing to show the hostile attitude adopted by Germans in the neighbouring territory. He next referred to the White Paper on the diplomatic proceedings on the eve of war. These documents, he declared, showed that if ever Great Britain entered upon a war with clean hands it was this war. Great confidence had been reposed in the people of South Africa. They had received a Constitution under which they could create a great nationality. Great Britain had given them this Constitution, and ever since had regarded them as a free people and as a sister State. As an example of how the Imperial Government treated them, General Botha said that last July the Union Government wanted to raise a loan of £4,000,000. They had raised only £2,000,000. As things were, it would be fatal to go into the money market just now, so the Imperial Government had now come to the assistance of the Union Government, and had lent the Union £7,000,000. That was the spirit of co-operation and brotherhood which invariably animated the Imperial towards the Union Government.