DUTCH HECKLERS

Hokitika Guardian, 7 April 1921, Page 3

DUTCH HECKLERS

BETTER THAN THE SCOTS. (By L. E. Neame). JOHANNESBURG,. Every heckling record lias been broken in the general election campaign it South Africa, which ends with the polling on February 8. They are supposed to know a great deal about the business north of the Tweed; but compared with the backveld Boers the cleverest political cross examiner in Scotland is a mere novice. It is no uncommon thing for a Cabinet Minister in South Africa to start a speech at 10 a.m., finish it at 11 o’clock, and then be solidly heckled till 2 or 3 o’clock in the afternoon without a break. The backvekl Boer will ride 50 miles ncrosi country to attend an eleotion meeting. When he gets there he wants something for his effort. The country Dutch never shout down a political opponent. They listen to him. Then they cross-question him. Some speakers say that howling down is ‘preferabl*. The Dutch heckler does not ask a few questions. He subjects his victim to a political cross-examination which may last for half an hour. He comes armed with a long list of interrogations on the most abstruse constitutional points- He quotes freely from books and old speeches and the pronouncements of British Cabinet Ministers, and puts subtle hypothetical cases with a trap in every one. Each answer gives rise to an argument, which continues until the point is thoroughly threshed out. When one heckler drops out another, takes his place. ' Never has there been a more strenuous political conflict than the one nowdrawing to a close —anyway, in rural | South Africa. The towns have been somewhat, indifferent, being wrapped up in racing, sports, and amusements. j But the veld has given itself up | wholeheartedly to politics. A National- j ist (anti-General Smuts) newspaper thinks nothing of printing a leading -• article three columns in length on the political situation. Terrific manifestos, enormous letters, endless speeches have filled the country i Press. I Political discussion has begun at | sunrise and gone on until long after j dark. No Boer who can lie lifted into ( a cart and has strength enough to, scratch a cross on a- piece of paper will j fail to record his vote on February 8. | The Smuts-ites and the Hertzog-ites have come to grips again, and the Eng-, lisli world can hardly realise the intensity of the feeling which the struggle produces. That Hertzogism will gain ground among the Dutch is certain. Whethei , Smuts remains in power or not depends . upon the solidity of the British vote in his favour. j