GERMAN VOTERS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 151, 23 December 1925, Page 5

GERMAN VOTERS

ELECTION CIRCULAR BAD FEELING AMONG SETTLERS ECHO OF WAETIME. ' (From Our Own Corrnpondint.) SYDNEY, 17th December. A week or so before the date of the Federal election a circular which was circulated in the Hume electorate aroused much comment. Purporting to be signed by three settlers of German descent who had been interned during the war, it bore the caption "Lest we Forget." It was sent to settlers in the electorate, mainly around Albury and Holbrook, which before the war was called Germanton, and called upon this section, who probably number about 2000, to vote against the Nationalist and Country Party candidates owing to the policy adopted by the Nationalists during the war. Bad feeling was immediately engendered among .the settlers of German descent, many of whom looked upon the circular as an attempt to stir up racial hatred for the political advantage of the Labour Party. As Mr. Parker Moloney (Labour) has such a strong hold on the electorate, the circular made little difference to the result of $he poll, but it has had a curious aftermath.

The three signatories were Messrs. H. A. Paech, 0. E. Heppner, and E. G. Wenke. The last-named has since denied in a letter to the local Press that he had any share in the circular. The other two stuck to their statements. Paech is a retired glazier living at Albury and has a. largo personal following; Like his father, he is Australian-born. He was recently elected a councillor of the 'Culcairn Shire. Heppuer also sought, honours at the recent local Government elections, and was returned unopposed for a riding of the Humo Shire. Three councillors who were returned unopposed for another riding thereupon announced their intention not to take their seats at the shire council's meetings at which any of the three who had signed the circular was present. FANNING THE FLAMES. This immediately fanned the flames of bad feeling, created during the I'cderal election, into life again. A meeting of protest * was convened at a township near Albury for last Saturday night by Messrs. Lindner, Sehute, Moll, Priese, Zunk, and Odewahn, all of German descent and prominent landowners of the district. But Labour rallied ,to its electiontime friends, and they flofided from all the surrounding centres to the meeting place. When the meeting opened Labour supporters and sympathisers of the objects of the meeting—to protest against the circular — were present iv equal numbers. The Labour supporters immediately took charge of the meeting, and vigorously hooted the conveners when they appeared on the platform. Paech was among those present, and he harangued the chairman (Mr. Lindner) continually." 'There was only one policeman present. He was unable to control the Labour supporters, who proceeded to elect a chairman, despite Lindner's protests against the use of the hall by any except those who had paid for it. As soon as the Labour chairman approached the platform he was struck iv the face, and a free fight ensued. The Labour contingent rushed the'stage, but further disturbance was prevented by the police officer, who informed the Labour chairman that he could not occupy the platform. The Labour chairman then took charge of the meeting from the boMy of the hall. Left in possession, the Labour contingent proceeded to carry a resolution eulogising Paech, Heppner, and. Wenke for having issued the "Lest we Forget" circular, and affirming that Labour's opponents had distorted the meaning of the circular to , foment race hatred. Then someone turned off the gas, but undismayed the Labour advocates continued their_ harangue in semi-darkness. Lindner afterwards stated that the meeting he convened was intended to convey an expression of allegiance to the King, support of British institutions, and a sincere wish for the cultivation of happy and trusting relationships between people, of German' descent and those; of British stock. •

Albury's little war is creating widespread interest. Sydney is not the only place in Australia where the inhabitants are stirred from complacent routine by unusualness and excitement., Albury's little storm in the tea-cup is calculated to provide spice for some time to come.