recommended was in line with historical tradition and with the techÂnical requirements of the situation.
Unfortunately,
there was a division of opinion between the Kimber-ley and the London
directors of De Beers as to what properties should be taken over, and,
as the correspondence with Kimberley showed, not only did De Beers
desire to pick and choose among the properties offered them, but the
company chose to consider that Ernest Oppen-heimer had no moral right
to acquire interests for the Consohdated South West African company,
though, in fact, that company did not subsequently acquire these
interests. Opinion was also being mobilized against his assuming the
chairmanship of De Beers, although he was clearly right in insisting
that he could not, without an adequate quid pro quo sacrifice
the position of Anglo American Corporation, in which he could, and did,
assume the leadership. What helped to exacerbate him were the certainly
quite sincere attempts on the part of the Morgan partners and Lord
Bessborough to explain the obstacles standing in the way of his
immediate appointment as chairman of De Beers and the somewhat
patronizing cable sent by Solly Joel (and Ernest so largely relied on
him) on 6 May 1927 to the effect that 'you wm create
bitter feeling all round by antagonizing. You must be patient and
reasonable. Think holding Lichtenburg Port Nolloth should be offered to
them. Do not see advisability of our locking up f 1,000,000 to protect
producers. . . . Our interest De Beers and connexion should be first
consideration.' He was the more likely to be exasperated because at the
very same time Louis was cabling that 'I do not agree with S. B.Joel
cable. He is afraid of large outlay; in case of need our company can
take his shares over. One does not antagonize by simply saying
piecemeal deals are useless.'
In
the end Ernest Oppenheimer burst out: he was thoroughly outraged and
poured out his heart to Louis Oppenheimer in a long cable dated 21 May
1927. Louis, he argued, was being 'completely misled'. Though Louis had
urged that 'everybody is most friendly to you' Ernest quoted from
correspondence to show that he was still regarded by important
personalities at De Beers as having acted improperly in acquiring the
10,000 shares for Consohdated Mines which 'should not have been bought
for any other interest and belong to De Beers. Kimberley was asking him
for an explanation.' He went on to say:
Can
you imagine my feelings? I have done everything to control alluvial
discoveries and in making suggestion De Beers should take lead have
never
