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THE RIDDLE OF AFRICA BY EDMUND UPDALE, Director Carolina Times London Bureau ’Speclol To The Carolina Times PROVIDENCE siiftled upon the continent of Africa. It is a land of immense, immeasurable riches. Its people, tousle-haired and dark-skinned in natural protect ion against the benign sun, which pours down a ■ benison upon fertile acres, are industri ous, happy, good people. But today there are clouds over Africa. It is at the most critical point in its long history. In this special report, the Carolina Times presents to its readers a balanced, factual, and sometimes terrifying account of what goes on in Africa today— Now-Whlle you read this survey. Your correspondent has just returned from Westminster. There, in the House of Commons, British Colonial Secretary Oli ver Lyttelton has held the mem bers of Parliament in a state of horrified awe with his de scriptions, veiled but neverthe less forbidding, of alleged hor rors in Kenya. Said the Colonial Secretary of “Mau Mau’’, said to be a secret society of African militants: “We shall end this terror. We shall restore freedom from fear. We shall restore the Queen’s peace.” He was reporting on a six- day tour of Kenya, during which he saw prisons packed with Africans held incommunicado, without charge of trial. He saw Europeans, all of them carrying arms, going in fear of their lives as they went ^bout their business. He saw Africans, dlstingush- ed men and women who have devoted a life-time to the cause of making beautiful Kenya more beautiful, shrink in dread at'the name “Mau Mau”. But he did not-he could not- see into the heart of the people. They know one thing better than all others—that there has arisen a grim situation which threatens their homes, their property and their lives. Lyttelton himself said in Par liament; "The British are in Kenya to stay. We will use all means necessary to restore law and order.” Lest It be felt that Kenya and the Kenyans are ground down by the “White Rajs” let it be said in complete fairness that the rule of London has been just, the yoke, if such it is, mild. But now — let us hear the voice of Kenya. The voice, first, At the time of reporting, Jomo is in jail. He has not been brought to trial, though he is alleged to be the spiritual head of the Mau Mau movement. He is the open, active head of the Kenya African Union, a law ful organization. He was jailed in the first great wave of arrests, three weeks ago. Although Jomo is in prison, his veiws are outside He has stat ed them fearlessly and publlcily and even since his imprisonment his voice, it is said, has been heard by friends not yet arrest ed. Jomo Is of the Kikuyu tribe— the tribe which has been accused of responsibility for the “troub le" in Kenya. He was educated at London University, his particular study being that of anthropology. Ear lier despatches to the Carolina Times have told of his marriage to an English girl, and his sub sequent return to Kenya, In 1946. Since that time-he has been active in trying to better the lot of his fellow trlljesmen, say his siipporters. Jomo demands: 1. FREEDOM TO TILL THE LAND. 2. FREEDOM FROM RACIAL INTOLERANCE. 3. FREEDOM OF EDUCA TION. 4. FREEDOM OF OPPORTU NITY. These basic freedoms have, say Europeans in Kenya, always been available. But the Kikuyu feel this is not true, and It might fairly be presumed that they should Imow. With the arrested chieftains of his tribe, he says: “I am ready to lay down my life for my people. I will be misunderstood. I will be vilified. I will be be trayed. “But I will never cease my labours for the cause.” Those who oppose Jomo Ken- yatta—and there are many^ in part from almost all Europeans his tribe and in other tribes, a- on the spot, say that by alleged ly resurrecting tribal witchcraft and ancient “magical systems of horrific bloodshed and jungle rites,” he has put back the clock. They point to the swift and destardly executions of Negroes and Europeans some of them horribly butchered, and say: “Tliis is the work of Jomo. This Is the work of Mau Mau.’’ The connection is strongly denied by Jomo. It has never been proved. One of the loyalists, as Afri cans who advocate peaceful ne gotiation are called, is Chief Nji- ri. An attempt on his life failed recently. Two days later he met Lyttelton in Nairobi, and said “Do not harm my people." Lyttelton, it is reported, as sured him that his intentions were strictly honourable. What are Nijlri’s views? He claims that under British guidance and protection, Kenya has taken seven-league strides toward prosperity. “Every murder of a white man, every burning of his home, ev ery knifing of his cattle is a blow against that progress,” he declares. “We Africans, greatly out numbering the Europeans, could rise In our millions and anni hilate them. But that would be self-murder. “Our country would fall back into the soulless obscurity it en- dured bpfpre it was emancipated. er if we can “get together.’ ‘But it is difficult not to bear resentment when, for no stated reason, men are deprived of their liberify. It is difficult to state a case when the ground is covered with the slime of smear politics. When lies have fogged the issue, so that the truth it self seems false.” Babu demands the “four free doms,” and is prepared to fight for them. One day ^ last week he was guide, in Kenya, to a British member of Parliament who had gone there to find the facts. The next day he was in jail Fenner Brockway, the mem ber of Parliament, was himself accused of meddling in Kenya's politics, and he stoutly defend- ded his right to investigate when he attended a dinner of Europ eans in Nairobi. “Let’s face it, “he said. “At this moment there is a need for give and take on both sides. Ev ery crisis has a cause. Let us di scover the cause.’’ His speech was coldly receiv ed. Some of those in his audience men who had not enjoyed the calm comfort of life In London for forty or fifty years, felt that he was Intruding. They have seen their friends struck down by killer gangs. They have heard reports of at tacks on farms, the slaying of livestock. They want to blot out the threat to their safety. Three hundred white men and women signed a petition urging Sir Evelyn Baring, London-ap pointed Governor of Kenya, to send Brockway out of the count ry, with M. Leslie Hale, another British member of Parliament also on the track of facts. Shortly after meeting the Gov ernor, Brockway and Hales left. Since their return they have been blamed in some quarters for subsequent outrages. It is being said that their open sym pathy for the Afriacns encou raged them to further violence. Both Brockway and Hales are Socialists, their brand of politics being approximately the same as that of moderate Democrats in the United States. Certainly, they loathe vio lence. They want to see peace in Kenya. So does a typical Kenya bus iness man, Mr. Jashbai. He has no quarrel with one side or the other in the great dispute now raging. His view represents that of the business commimity, who naturally have Kenya’s long-^ term prosperity at heart. He says: “Let’s have a con ference on a country-wide scale. Let there be concessions where they are needed. Open up the country. Close down on the hat red.” And he puts his finger on a delicate spot. “At the bottom of the problem is that old colour bar,” he says. We quote now, Sir Godfrey Huggins—the voice of authority on many African problems. When the question of colour arises in African politics, Euro peans are quick to point out that many Africans want to see the white man banished from the continent. That may well be true. All political sections are represent ed there. “Africa for the Afri cans” is a popular slogan, says Sir Godfrey, for the unthinking. He ridicules it—^but not on the well-trodden ground that Europeans have brought indus trial achivement to the conti nent, true though this undoubt edly is. Sir Godfrey’s argument is that the white population has now become an Inextrlclable part of the population of Africa. And not only white, he says. “Large numbers of European descended people were born in Africa,” declares this eminewt politician, who is Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, “They are natives of the country in the truest sense of the term, just as Europeans in the 'Inter-tribal warfare woul3^ flare again. The crops would wilt while warriors fought across them. “The road of peace is the only road we can tread.” Njiri is old and wise. He Is 87. Jomo Kenyatta is still await ing his fortieth birthday. Could they^ get together and work out a joint plan, with the British, for peace? Or has the re cent bloodshed made this impos sible? Hear the views of another African. He is Babu Kamau. He too is now in jail. Protective custody, it Is said. Babu declares: “We Africans are no better, no worse than any other people. We are not gifted with the wisdom of Solomon. But we are not like Balaam’s Ass. We think, and we see ahead. “I look to the time when weapons will be put away, kniv es sheathed and shields hung on the wall. We can all live togeth- United States are natives of that land.” The Prime Minister acea five main problems. FIRST—He sees the need fot the formation of a pattern of life whereby all races in Africa can live in harmony, SECOND — Hp declares' the need for “civilising the millions of backward people in these ter ritories, to raise their standard of living.” THIRD — He urges a great agricultural drive to feed the people, whose numbers will double in the next twenty-five years. FOURTH —Adequate capital must be introduced into the con tinent, so that employment will be created for thee millions who will not be able to live by agri culture, FIFTH—Sir Godfrey declares that technicians “and others’ must be attracted from Europe, to provide the drive and energy for balanced development of the new industries. These five points are not like ly to meet with opposition from African Negroes, They want to see prosperity. But for all the goodwill that is applied to this toughest of problems, the colour factor will not cancel itself out of African politics. South of Sir Godfrey’s ter ritory lies the sprawling, vast colossally wealthy Union of South Africa, It is rent north, south, east and west by the larg est colour “war” in its history. The United Nations has recog nised the peril, and its attempts to persuade Premier Malan to moderate his policy are con sidered laudable by many think ing people. But Maian’s tele- grapli has stuck at full speed ahead, lie fears, on behalf of many whites, tlie huge Negro popula tion. "We must dominate, or be dominated, "Malan declares. There, in South Africa, is the first admission of outright war on the coloured man. His parlia mentary rights are being chisell ed away. His public rights are being whittled down by supra- governmental methods. His tem per is being severly tested. Kenya flares. South Africa flares. Between them are many divis ions of the continent, where the racial problem is more or less under control.” In'*these territories there is prosperity—and squalor. Teem ing millions of derided “jungle blacks” have had little of the benefits of the riches beneath their feet. They are beginning SATVBDAT, NOV. 22nd, IMS THK CABOUWA CTO» lAWK Otte orAde HOMOGEMIZEP WITAWIM 0 MILK . . . because its COUNTRY-FRESH! CALL DURHAM 4901 FOR HOME DELIVERY $ea0mms BLENDED WHISKEY 86.8 Prool 65% Grain Nentral Spirits Seagram‘DUtiUmrt Corporation^ ChrytUr Building, N9W York M&J FINANCE COaP. AUTO LOANS 0 213 IUga1>M Aveane (Back 01 Poet Offiee) PHONE S-S721 jM is your home ''luirEd" for banking- by-mnil? When you bank by mall you take advantage of a inodem convanieoce. It’s like having your home wired fot electricity, and equipped with a telephone, gas and water facilities. A letter will do as well as a personal call at the bank. Write, call, or phone, and we wtU provide you with everything necessary for banking-by-maiL Mechanics And Farmers Bank tJURHAM AND RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA OVERTON'S innBMWti- write r«r ncRISample OVERTON HYGIENIC MFG. COMPANT S6SS Sontli State Street Chleafo t, III. Name AddreM City For Real Estate, Renting, Insurance, Repairs, And Building Supplies See UNION INSURANCE AND REALTY CO. Tdephone: 3-6521 814 Fayetteville St. Durham, N. G to say: “Where do we come in?’’ Africa—Mother Africa to mil lions of American citizens whose forebearers were slave-traded across the oceans—nurses within it the embryo of a mighty disas ter. If the African Negroes hit out, they will hit hard. And yet—there is a twin In the womb. The continent could be the world’s granary, the world’s coal mine, the world’s diamond mine. It has everything. Both twins cannot survive. "fhe choice must be made— and already the world can see the early strivings, the warning throes. Some of the wisest admlnstra- tors In Africa see only one sure way to avert a holocaust. They urge a Pan-African conference, at which all problems will be tackled by Negro and white, round the table. Out of its deliberations might emerge a pattern similar to the proved method of federation— a United States of Africa, Already, part of the conti nent is advancing toward that end, though the road is proving a hard one. Nothern Rhodesia, Southern Rhodesia and Nyasa- iand are grouping. Others may join the move ment toward unity. Then, despite present ordeals, the world may see the transfor mation from violence to peace, from anarchy and despotism to democracy and freedom for all. Quaker Film Shown In ChapelHill ' The Quaker film "A Time tor Greatness” will be presented Thursday evening at 8:00 P. M, in Swain Hall on the campus of the University of North Caro lina, The showing was under the sponsorship of the Chapel Hill Chapter of the Women's Inter national League for Peace and Freedom. The movie lasted twenty-seven minutes-. The film was based on the pamphlet published by the A- •merican Friends Service Com mittee in 1951 called "Steps to Peace—A Quaker View of U, S, Foreign Policy", The purpose of this pamphlet was (1) to express moral concern over pre sent dependence on military force, (2) to share with others J. M. Schooler Speaks To Hillside PTA In a recent address to the Hill side Parent-Teachers Asiocia- tion here. Professor J. M. Schooler, Principal of the Whltt- ed School, called attention to some pertinent facts concerning school children that should be of interest to every parent in- tions nerw problems artoe wMcli were not present in the joaatn child. Among other thinfi the child grows more self-coofldeiit and SMks to throw off some of the authority which may have “plagued” him through his earlier childhood”. In another part of his addreas, Mr. Schooler pointed out dis- tance of travel to school as one of the reasons why problems may increase as the child grows older and enters high school. Said the principal, “He is re moved from his immediate home neighborhood, and the visitation problems of parent and teacher are increased. He is exposed to more personalities in depart mentalized school work. This places a definite burden on his powers of adjustment. The semi- departmentalized eighth grade is an attempt to help the pupil to make a better transition from the one teacher grade In the elementary school to the com pletely departmentalized high school. There is need however, for the assuring hand of the pa rent, for the visit to the school, for the informal note from teacher to parent, for ttie mu tual understanding between teacher, parent and pupil'’. terested in the proper develop ment of their children. Speaking from the subject, “Do Problems Of Pupils Diminish As They Progress In School?", Mr. Schooler cited several of these problems and stated that instead of diminishing they often in crease. Said he, •'Children are born with certain tendencies of vary ing degrees and kinds. Aggres siveness, selifishness, reticence, inquisitiveness are but few of those which are noticeable. These tendencies must be culti vated, channelled, sublimated or curbed according to the out come desired Those who have spent much time with children realize only too well what a constant effort must be, exerted to bring them to the desired ends. As children grow older cer tain traits appear, become more prominent, or perhaps the op posite, As the child grows he ma tures physically and mentally. With this maturity and the ma turation of certain body func- what Quakers have learned of other peoples in working among them for many years, and (3) to stimulate discussion of U. S. foreign policy. m Professor Horward A Murphy of the Music faculty of Teachers College, Columbia University will speak at Virginia State Col lege Fridtt^ afternoon Decem ber 5, at 1:00. The address which witt be de livered in Virginia Hall Audi torium is sponsored by the Col lege Chapel committee and the ^SC Department of Music of which F. Nathaniel Gatlin is Acting Head. Professor Murphy will meet with music majors in a seminar at 4:00, HUNTER $030 $965 M PINT W4/5QT. Hunter-Wilson Distilling Co., Inc., Louisviila, Ky. Blandad Whislwy 8C.8 Proof. 65% Grain Nautral Spirits.' Altering - Tailoring - Dry Cleaning - Dyeing CLOTHES TAILORED ”fOR YOU , UNION TAILORING SHOP TELEPHONE US AT 4-6491 STOP BY TO SEE US AT 418 DOWD STREIT ii
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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Nov. 22, 1952, edition 1
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