The Evening Star THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1938. SOUTH AFRICAN ANTHEM.

Evening Star, Issue 22973, 2 June 1938, Page 10

The Evening Star THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 1938. SOUTH AFRICAN ANTHEM.

Since the United Party of South Africa has again been returned to power by a handsome majority, and since it represents the beneficial union of the two dominant peoples in that country, it cannot be a matter for serious perturbation that a certain amount of feeling has been aroused over the use of the anthem 1 Die Stem van Suid Afrika.’ It should be evident, nevertheless, that tho recurrence of exhibitions of rancour engendered by racial ultra-patriotism by either tho Englishspeaking section of the community or by Afrikanders would not he conducive to the maintenance of harmonious internal relationships. A cablegram received from Cape Town to-day must occasion some doubts as to whether the compromise over the playing of anthems which 1 was arrived at in February is being worked out in the most satisfactory manner possible. English-speaking South Africans are reported to be indignant at the playing of ‘ Die Stem van Suid Afrika ’ (‘The Voice of South Africa’) at tho Union Day military parades, while ‘ God Save the King ’ was omitted. If ever there was an occasion when the two anthems should have been played it was on Union Day, and those responsible for organising the displays appear to have committed a tactless error in judgment.’ In the Assembly in February General Hertzog defined his policy clearly enough when lie explained that there would be no question of tho British National Anthem being superseded by tho melody in Afrikaans and that the latter would be regarded in a supplementary light (much in the same way perhaps as ‘ God Defend New Zealand ’ could be used as a supplement to ‘ God Save the King ’). In South Africa the position is not so simple and clear-cut as it is in New Zealand, where no corresponding racial problem exists, and it can be sensed that the Afrikaansspeaking citizens are needlessly aggressive in pushing their claims for the recognition of ‘ Die Stem van Suid Afrika,’ About a week after General Hertzog's pronouncement the controversy took a virulent phase. While ‘ God Save the King ’ was being played in a Pretoria cinema two ink-filled receptacles were Hung at tho King’s portrait when it was exhibited on the screen, tho ink splashing over it. Possibly the insult came from a minority gang of hoodlums, euphemistically self-styled as Afrikander “ patriots,’’ and it was reassuring to read that it was indignantly received

by the great body of citizens. At the .same time it is obvious that the members of the United Party Government, whose ranks include Dutch South Africans of the more level-headed type, have still a certain amount of missionary work to do in reconciling some of their compatriots to the idea of complete friendship towards the British. Unfortunately racialism has not completely di.sapjmared with the general advance in national unity. There have been three focal points—bilingualism, the Flag, and the National Anthem. The flag question was settled some years ago, but the lingual issue is said to be still more important than the conflict over the Anthem. In the backveldt districts it takes such forms as the scrutinising of the Public Service lists and bitter criticism of any official who does not speak Afrikaans. Actually the law is that every j)ublic servant must speak botli English and Afrikaans. This is carried to extremes which the British section of the population regards as absurd. There is, for example, an acute shortage of nurses in South Africa and many British girls are recruited from the Overseas Nursing Association —an condition that they learn Afrikaans within eighteen months. Most of these girls Jhav© no intention of spending all their lives in the Union, and so. if the conditions are strictly complied with, the Government must repatriate them at the end of eighteen months, whereupon the shortage of nurses again becomes. acute. The history of the Union shows that Britons have been anxious to help Afrikanders to preserve their racial identity, but it is too much to expect that they themselves should remain passive in the face of incidents which can ,be interpreted only as slights to the King. No doubt they would welcome some measure of sympathetic reciprocity in cementing the union.