The Twin City star., 1914-03-06
SOUTH AFRICAN AFFAIRS.
Mixed Races Show Strength In Conflict
Between Capital and Labor.

Mixed Races Show Strength In Conflict
Between Capital and Labor.
Writing from Cape Town. South
Africa. w. Arthur Woodward. in let
ter to friends in the United States,
says: In South Africa the year 1914,
beginning with the threat of general
strike at the mines and on the rail
ways, does not seem likely to pass
without serious conflicts between capi-
tai and labor, and this quite apart
from the vexing problems raised by
the East Indians in Natal. The strength
Of the labor unions is increasing, the
labor party, though at present small
factor in the political world, is gaining
In importance and here as elsewhere
the spirit Of unrest is abroad.
With unskilled labor the white man In
South Africa has little to do. 1t Is left
to the natives. How great drawback
In some respects this is to the indus
trial development of the country is
evident when it is realized that the
supply is insufficient, that the natives
are not naturally industrious and, ex-
cept for short periods at a time, are
seldom willing workers.
With the white man holding aloof
from manual work, 1t does not seem
extraordinary that South Africa should
suffer chronically from shortage OF
labor when 1t Is remembered that the
total population Of the union is under
8,OO0 900, the natives and other colored
or mixed races numbering rather less
than 4,700.OOO. -.
It was because Of this state Of at
fairs that East Indian labor was de-
manded for the plantations in Natal
and Chinese labor for the Transvaal
mines. The Chinese have gone, but
nearly half the labor required for in
dustrial purposes on the Rand is re-
cruited outside the union in Portu-
guese East Africa.
Threatened with no active immigra-
tion policy, the skilled white laborer
has, all the same, the ever increasing
number Of skilled native and colored
laborers to cope with-the word
"colored" being used generally to sig
Nifty those who represent fusion OF
races. If the Kafir prefers the simple
life to work for works sake, the edu-
Gated colored man is competitor not
to be despised, who is willing to accept
q lower standard Of wages correspond
ing with less costly ways Of living.
No doubt the skilled and efficient COL
ored laborer will tend to undersell the
white man less as his own standing
improves and lis needs increase, but
in any case he has to be reck0ned with
and not at some remote periOd-but
now.
Naturally this growing competition is
matter Of grave concern to the trade
unions. At the conference Of labor
representatives held in January 1t was
decided that colored people, excluding,
however, natives and Asiatics, should
be admitted to the labor party. It Is
difficult to see what other course could
be taken If they are to enlist the coop
Grafton Of these men in keeping up the
rate Of wages. Nor Is the value of
the colored vote to be ignored. There
are in the union over 100000 colored
people, a considerable population mel
ther altogether white nor altogether
native" many Of whom in Natal and
the Cape have votes.
To exclude them In future from the
party would be, it was argued, to send
them into the arms of the capitalists
to exploit them against the labor par
ty. The market was being flooded
with colored trained artisans and the
principle for which the labor party
stood was the uplifting of humanity
without reference to the color Of n
mans skin. The Society Of Engineers
In the Cape has no color bar, while
the Typographical society Of Capetown
is largely composed Of colored men.
Thousands of these men are no less
we'll educated than their European
competitors, and clearly the labor par
ty needing their votes and recognize
ing the importance Of cooperation with
them, could not wisely any longer re-
fuse to invite their allegiance.