SOUTH AFRICA’S DUALISM

Southland Times, Issue 23646, 22 October 1938, Page 21

SOUTH AFRICA’S DUALISM

Two National Songs In Parliament RACIAL OBJECTIONS IN EXTREME When the Eighth Parliament of the Union of South Africa was opened on July 22, the ceremonial included, the playing of two national anthems —“God Save the King,” and “Die Stem van Suid Afrika,” writes the South African correspondent of The Age, Melbourne. Tliis constitutes the latest expression of the curious duality that characterizes the country. When the union was formed in 1910 it formally admitted the existence of two white races, two languages, and two capitals. Eighteen years later it added two flags, for while the Union Jack was retained and occasionally flown as the symbol of the union’s association with the British Commonwealth, a new flag was sanctioned by Parliament as the union’s own national emblem. In recent months there has been an anthem controversy almost as fierce as the flag dispute of a decade ago. In the past “God Save the. King” was generally played as the national anthem of South Africa, though it was often repudiated by people of Dutch descent. It was not usually played in centres mainly occupied by the _ Dutch, ana when it was they sometimes marched out in a body as a protest. But there was no official national anthem that could be used in its place, and a committee was appointed to discover ® suitable set of verses and music. While the committee was still investigating, the Broadcasting Company suddenly began to wind up its sessions with a second tune, as well, as the British National Anthem. This second anthem was found to be the music arranged by the Rev. M. L. de Villiers for a poem, or national hymn, written by the late Senator Langenhoven, a well-known Afrikander author and poet, and entitled “Die Stem van Suid Afrika,” of which, however, there is no authorized English translation. MADE IT WELL KNOWN The daily broadcasting of “Die Stem” made the melody so well .known that the national anthem selecting committee found nothing that was likely to displace it on a public vote, and therefore ceased its inquiries. It was, indeed, generally accepted by the Afrikanders as their national anthem, although no Act of Parliament has ever given it the official recognition extended to the union’s national flag. When the anniversary of the foundation of the union was celebrated last May, with several military reviews, some bars from “Die Stem” were used in the march past, whereas “God Save the King” was not played at all. This drew angry protests from the British, section of the population, and nearly caused the break-up of the Cabinet, which contains two English-speaking South. Africans. Tlie upshot of the trouble was that the Government decided that ‘Die Stem” should .always be played when “God Save the King” was played, and vice versa. The British section of the population do not object, but some are now agitating for the flying .of the Union Jack whenever the . union national flag is shown. It is probable, however, that the Government will refuse to do this, as the flag controversy was settled by the passing of an Act of Parliament, wliich does not lay down that the two flags must always be flown side by side. The Afrikanders will strongly object to the suggestion of .equality in the flags, for the Union Jack is not the national flag of the union. EXTENDING THE PRINCIPLE An Equal Rights League has been formed among the English people to ask for the principle of duality to be extended to everything, and the issue is likely to stir another racial storm. This recrudescence of racial rivalry is really due to the activities of the extreme wing of the Afrikanders, who in. the sphere of politics are represented by Dr D. F. Malan and his “purified” National Party. It is busy beneath , the surface capturing cultural associations and protesting against everything that suggests the association of Great Britain with South Africa. The campaign is carried to ridiculous lengths. One of the “purified” Afrikanders objected in Parliament to the incorporation in the wall of a cathedral in South Africa of a stone from a cathedral in England. Another protested because a model of the Imperial Institute in London has been placed in one of the ante-rooms in the. Houses of Parliament. A third complained that there is on view in Parliament buildings a book containing the names of South Africans who fell in the Great War, and that busts that had formed part of the House of Commons had been built into a new portion of the Union Parliament buildings. Right through the country there is evidence of an effort to eliminate, all association with Great Britain. It is made a matter of complaint that there is too much of the “public school” atmosphere in the Government schools of the Union, and that English books and periodicals are found in Afrikander homes. A purely Afrikander association of University students has been formed, because the older and original body contained English members, and arranged tours that took students over Great Britain. BANNED SOCIETIES Special organizations on Boy Scout and Girl Guide lines have been formed for Afrikander children, so that they need not be subjected to the “dangerous influences” of the English bodies. There has been objection to the appearance of the British Admiral in command of the Cape Station at the opening of the Union Parliament. The British Association for the Advancement of Science, the Oxford Group, the Rotary'societies, and the Toe H movement are banned, as far as “purified” Afrikanders are concerned, because they are not truly South African, and encourage a British outlook. The Afrikander universities are becoming so narrow-minded that even Afrikanders are protesting. They are cultivating a sort of local doctrine of untouchability, and creating the mental attitude in which the twice-born Brahmin looks upon the Sudra. Cards and dancing are frowned upon, and a strong Calvinism is preached. It is held that no true Afrikander ought to be amused at the foreign humour represented by Pop-Eye, and a church meeting has thrust poor little Shirley Temple into outer darkness. A critical or analytical frame of mind is rebuked and liberty of thought suppressed. The campaign is bad enough from the point of view of the young generation of Afrikanders; but what makes it worse from a national angle is the reaction it has upon the British section of the public, who in the face of these inhibitions and repressions are inclined to demand a more general recognition of British symbols and emblems, and this attitude, of course, increases racial rivalry and antagonism. The institution, of dualism for the appeasement of racial sentiments may

be defended on the ground that it is better than discord, and that life in a bi-racial land is easier if both races are allowed to go their own way. Unfortunately the more the country turns to it the more difficult it will be to build up a homogeneous nation. And there is no knowing where it will stop, Even now one of the Afrikander cultural societies is asking for the formation of Afrikander wholesale companies to supply Afrikander retail stores, and the next step will be to preach that Afrikanders should deal only with Afrikanders. The end would be a South African nation resembling the Siamese twins, with two entirely selfcontrolled bodies, connected only by the cord of Union citizenship. Happily there are signs of a reaction against this extreme Afrikanderism, even among the more thoughtful of Afrikanders themselves. The more far-sighted Dutch perceive that the policy of racial exclusiveness must in the long run damage the prospects of their own young men. One may anticipate a new effort to strengthen a South African national sentiment as an antidote to both ultra-Britishism and extreme Afrikanderism. There are only some two million whites in the Union out of a total population of 10,000,009, and if they are to be permanently split into two distinct and antagonistic races the supremacy of the European in the sub-continent will not be easily maintained. Dualism may make co-exist-ence more simple for the moment, but nationally it is dangerous. From a peace-making expedient it may harden into a permanent dividing line, leaving South Africa a united country only in name. |