Anti-semitic Attacks Voiced in Sc. African Parliament by Nationalists

Anti-Semitic attacks by members of the South African Nationalist Party in the House of Representatives of South Africa’s Assembly reached a high peak yesterday, forcing a Jewish member of Parliament, former Johannesburg Mayor Alec Gorshel, to shout “go to Hell” at the Nationalists, the Guardian of Manchester reported here from Capetown today.

South Africa’s House was debating amendments to the Bantu Laws, a move designed to strengthen the Government’s apartheid policy, when Nationalists started Jeering at Mr. Gorshel’s opposition to that measure. The Nationalists referred to Mr. Gorshel’s “race,” dragged Israel into the discussion, and otherwise baited the Jewish members of Parliament, according to the Guardian report. When two other Jewish members, Hymie Miller of the United Party and Mrs. Helen Suzman, of the Progressive Party, rose to try to get the floor, Nationalists shouted “Look how the Jews are getting up.” It was then that Mr. Gorshel reportedly used the harsh language against the Jew baiters.

Douglas Mitchell, leader for the United Party in Natal, protested vigorously against the Jew-baiting, pointing out that not one of the senior members of the Nationalist Party had risen to defend other members from calumny. This was the second time in two weeks that Mr. Mitchell had voiced such a protest.

The Guardian stated that the Nationalist tendency to deride the Jewish members with anti-Semitic jibes has increased “markedly” in the last two weeks. Two weeks ago, Mr. Gorshel, after a heated argument with Nationalists, was ordered out of the chamber while Nationalists yelled “go back to Israel.” The Nationalists in the House have repeatedly accused the Jewish population here of “devoting themselves to undermining the country.”