 As a supporter of Louis Botha, he became a South African Party member from its creation in 1910 with the formation of the Union of South Africa.He was a South African Freemason.| He was editor of "Die Brandwag" magazine from 1910 until 1922.After the death of Botha in 1919 his loyalty wavered and he joined the National Party in 1925.He became editor of the party's mouthpiece, "Ons Vaderland".