Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-20

with enthusiasm. my word for 1t. they
made out good case against u.s."
Have you not observed how much
greater is the friction today between the
white and dark races all over the world.
Wherever they come in close contact. than
1t ever was before?" 1 asked.
Certainly have" replied Mr.. Stead with
a smile. That is the most hopeful sign Of
all, l think The truth of it is. the dark
races all over the world are progressing so
rapidly that their white brothers are be-
coming genuinely alarmed. Japan's VIC
tory over Russia has done more to prove
that a dark skin is no more a badge of in
ieriority and weakness than a white face
is a sign of superiority and strength than
anything which has happened in a long
time. than anything which has ever hap
pened, perhaps. / believe the friction be-
tween the white and dark races today is
caused more by the fear which white peo-
pie entertain that the dark races of the
earth may eventually overtake and out
strip them than by what some people call
the natural antipathy' which exists be-
tween fair skin and black one"
"Of course" l reminded Mr.. Stead again,
Tor fear he might forget 1t. you are not
discussing the race problem in this coun-
try at all You are still expatiatng upon
the Africans in South Africa or the Ethio-
plans in England or Madagascar or any
except in the United States" THAT Is
correct" replied Mr. Stead, while his steel
blue eyes fairly danced with the humor Of
the situation. Then Mr. and Mrs Stead
and laughed outright.
Moral Considerations.
you have Travelled in Africa extensively"
said. please tell me something about the
morality Of African men,"
THAT 1 WILL" was the hearty response.
Assaults upon white women by native men
practically never occur in Africa. This is
all the more striking. because the African
men do much of the Homework for Eng
iishmen and Europeans. They nurse the
children, play the role of chamhermaid and
thus come into the closest possible contact
with white women, and yet one almost
never hears of assaults upon them by the
natives" did not have the COURAGE to
interrogate Mr.. Stead on the attitude OF the
white foreigners who go to Africa toward
the native women. I'm Africa, continued
Mr.. Stead, the natives do nearly all the
mental work, while the whites shun 1t.
The white mans attitude toward manual
labor in Africa is the white mans curse. I
once told a native that there are few, very
few Africans in England. who In the
world does the work in England then he
inquired in great surprise. When the men
Of subject race do all the manual labor.
1t nearly always happens that the dominant
race looks down upon work and scorns
those who perform 1t. The same condition
exists. when one sex does all the drudsery."
1T is sometimes claimed that Africans
are innately inferior to the white races. be-
cause they have contributed so little to the
civilization of the world, / said.
There isn't much in that" replied Mr..
Stead Egypt was the cradle of civiliza-
tion was 1t not? To be sure 1t is claimed
that Egyptians are not classed as Africans,
as that word is generally used. But nobody
knows how close was the connection be-
tween the Philippians and Egyptians. Be
sides, you must remember that Africa IS
Africa. There are many things which af-
feet the progress of a people. The climate
for instance. If Africans had lived in Eu-
rope and Europeans had been indigenous
to African SOIL | doubt very much indeed
that the white men would have done any
more in Africa than have the Africans
themselves. AS 1T is. Europeans have not
done so well in Africa
Just then a knock was heard. the door
opened and in walked the American cor.
My doom was sealed, / knew. and / ac-
cepted my fate with philosophical resgna-
ton.
You did not mind my telling Mr.. Stead
he must not discuss the race problem, did
you Mrs Terrell?' he cooly inquired.
certainly l did l replied, following the
example set by the father of his country.
| did not regret my temerity, however.
and was glad l succeeded in securing the
great and brilliant and generous hearted
Steads opinion of Africans in South Africa,
if he was not permitted by his literary men,
tor to discuss the race problem in the
United States.
MARY CHURCH TERRELL.