Evening star., 1932-02-21
PEN PORTRAITS
Mime. Ragna Bachke.
BY PAULINE A. FREDERICK.

Three de luxe meals a day on first
class railway dining car for 81. and on
the same train, bedding newly sterl-
i1ed-from government stores for 75
cents, seems almost beyond the pale
Of credibility. But these unusual &C
commodationS are an everyday part OF
the railway system of the Union OF
South Africa, according to Mrs. Anna
Louw, wife of the Minister OF that
country to Washington.
Our railways are run by the gov
ernment," Mrs. Louw pointed out. and
people from other countries who have
travelled on them declare that there IS
none more comfortable in the world.
In the first-class coaches there are
compartments in which the guests may
ride We do not have the Pullman
system.
When meal time arrives you go to
q dining car which is beautifully fur
nished and perfect in every detail OF
service. The meals are delicious and
cost only a small amount. When the
porter begins to make up your berth
for the night he brings out bedding
that has been sterilized at government
stores and bears the government seal
to that effect. You pay only Is cents
for this accommodation II you are on
the train for as many as three nights
instead of just one
And so. this winsome little lady OF
the diplomatic set began to shatter,
skillfully but surely, some of the pre-
conceived false notions which have
come into being about her homeland
in the tip of the African continent:
For she said with charming touch OF
humor
You have no idea what unusual
questions my husband and I are asked
about the Union of South Africa!"
This little Dutch lady of South Africa
had pretty bobbed hair through which
played glints of gold to match gay
brown eyes. Her gown, too. was OF the
same color a figured crepe aftalr
which was becoming to her slight hg,,
IRE. Her quiet, low-pitched voice and
English accent would be delight to
any listener.
She. and her distinguished husband
are Beers, descendants of the sturdy
Dutch who, more than a century ago,
found their way to the most southern
point of the Old World to help estao-
iish there an outpost of CIVILIZATION. In
spite of her English accent. the Louws
home language here in Washington Is
Afrikaans-the form of Dutch used In
South Africa.
Il was born in the Cape Province
Mrs. Louw related. "and, OF course,
educated there. 1t may be surprising
to know that there are excellent eou-
cational facilities in the Union, Tor we
have hiph-ranking universities and
colleges. as well as public and private
schools" la
From a tender age Mrs. Louw dis
nlaved considerable talent for playing
the violin, and so, she observed, music
has a particular emphasis on her carrier
life. g,
Il really had a musical education"
she pointed out, "for mother ana 1atner
were both musical. When I was just a
tinv tot they bought me fiddle ana 1
learned to play"
Mrs. Louw played a great deal in
public before her marriage. Now the
nlace of the violin in her life is neces-
sarilv subordinated to other interests
for her responsibilities as the wife OF
public official encroach considerably
upon her time.
1T is impossible for me to practice
enough now to keep my fingers IN
form" she explained. Il don't care to
plav when my fingers aren't in form be-
cause feel as though I'm hurting my
self About the piano feel dlferent-
". 1 play it, whenever have an op.
portunity for I don't feel my lack OF
form SO keenly. I suppose it is be-
cause the piano is not as vital part Oh
my interest as is the Violin.
SYMPHONY concerts here in Washing
ton strike a sympathetic response In
this talented little lady. She played
with such organizations numerous
times during her musical career, and
consequently has a keen ear for SYM
phonic productions. In addition, she
is an appreciative admirer of Kreisler.
"I never miss Kreisler." she said.
"His selection of programs are excel
lent. Somehow, they always seem to
contain things love-
Mrs. Louw pointed out that some OF
the leading European musicians and
actors come to Capetown each year.
South Africa therefore is not by any
means set apart from the rest OF the
world for music and drama have sought
1t out and found there cordial well
come.
In the city of Grahamstown, Union
of South Africa MRS. Louw declares
that Grahamstown is a city because 1t
has a cathedraD there was living. in
1918 an enterprising young barrister
A year or two previously youtn1ul
musician came to the same city to
study the violin. Thus. began ro-
nance between the lawyer and the Vlo-
linist which eliminated the following
July in the marriage Of Eric Hendrix
Louw and Mrs. LouW.
Until six years ago Minister Louw
served his country as a member OF the
Parliament. Then he was sent to New
York as trade commissioner, and
from there he went to London as high
commissioner of South Africa.
1t was only two years ago that the
Union of South Africa first established
legations anywhere. and Washington
received one of the first. Minister Leuw
then returned to the United States as
the first diplomatic representative of
this country. having been given the
choice of remaining in London as high
commissioner or coming to the United
States as South Africa's first Minister.
Mrs. Louw is official hostess in
brand-new diplomatic residence. 1t
was but a few weeks ago that the South
African legation moved from Twenty
second street into its new. white granite
home on New Hampshire avenue, and
the lady who presides over it was in
Quoted into an atmosphere Of attrac-
tive drawing rooms and cozy salons.
Photographs on the piano Of two