NO NAZI ELEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 156, 28 March 1939, Page 10

NO NAZI ELEMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Vigorous Denial By Afrikaan Visitor

ANTI-JEWISH ACTIVITY

ADMITTED

Au indignant protest against the statements made by a former South African air-pilot, in an interview in yesterday's ''Dominion,” was made by two South African women visitors. They are Miss Bobbie Pretorius, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of famous Boer generals and Mrs. Cecil Thurburn, daughter of a New Zealand war correspondent, Mr. G. 11. Kingswell, who went to South Africa for the Boer War tint! remained there. “Can you imagine South Africa buying warplanes from Germany?” said Miss Pretorius. "The idea is preposterous. It is equivalent to New Zealand buying them from Germany, and can you imagine that?” Tlie only planes, said Miss Pretorius, purchased from Germany by the Union. were Junkers for commercial use, and were not warplanes. Men from the air force would not be sent to bring these home. . That the Boer population ot South Africa was still preponderantly antiBritish was vigorously denied by Miss Pretorius. "I am of pure Dutch descent, and I have every reason to feel resentment against Britain,” she said. “My father’s home was burned to the ground during the Boer War, all his goods were confiscated, and his wife and children were confined in a camp. If anyone should have knowledge of antiBritish feeling it should be I. “I harbour no anti-British sentiment, nor do any other Africanders, except those in isolated areas of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal, where settlers are so isolated that the old feeling is retained.” Miss Pretorius denied that the Africanders “would do nothing for any Briton, and would as far as possible oppose’him in every way, commercially or otherwise.” Tlie Briton had every opportunity for equal prosperity with the Boers, both in commercial life ami public service, where tlie required qualifications were bi-lingual. "We respect and recognize tlie British, we are proud of the British Empire, and we would resent any interference with our part in the Empire as completely tis duriiiig the . Great War,” giiid Miss Pretorius. “I think the memory of tlie Africanders’ assistance to tlie British cause then will be fresh to New Zealanders. I can say most emphatically that this feeling is still paramount.”

That the Boers would not honour the British flag or the British National Anthem was nonsense, she declared. The Boers’ anthem, “Die Stein.” was placed on an equal footing witli “God Save the King,” and. the South African flag was on a footing with tlie Union Jack, and this was recognized as a gesture toward “a nation of great people who bad been effective in colonization and whose history entitled them to consideration with the British in the Union of South Africa. The Brown Shirts. Miss Pretorius did not deny that there existed a movement in South Africa ot people who called themselves "Brown Shirts.” “This so-called Nazi movement is not pro-German, nor anti-British.” she declared. "The movement is anti-Jew-ish and I must admit that these feelings are growing. This is understandable only when the causes are known. In the farming country Jewish traders and merchants have established themselves among the African community, who are for the most part honest, simple trusting people. With the failure of crops tlies people would find themselves very much in debt to the traders; before long their laud would be heavily mortgaged to them, and finally they would lose it altogether.” Miss Pretorius said that commerce was greatly in tlie bands of the Jews.

Both Miss Pretorius and Mrs. Thurbum move in air force aud military circles. They both declare that the rank of Squadron Leader is non-exis-tant in the South African air force, this rank being equivalent to major; and the air force is the highest paid in the world.

Mrs. Thorbnrn arrived by tlie Dominion Monarch, but Miss Pretorius lias been in the Dominion for four months in the course of a world tour.