Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1918-08-24

after the present war which may
goad the blacks of Central Africa to
antagOniSm. That naturally invites
an examination into some OF the
likely causes Of Il possible conflict.
s;rrT-o---.> .ssF' 49,
Now. throughout this war, black
folk have shown such loyalty to those
sentiments which make for the high
est civilization that it is fair to them
to suppose that, given fair treatment
they will continue to yield tho same
loyalty. They were given to under
stand by their leaders from the plat
form and in the press at the out
break OF the war that this was Il war
OF ideals. We were all lighting, they
wore told on many an occasion, that
the weak might have chance OF
living without being harrasscd by the
strong.
The formula was that henceforth
might should not usurp the place OF
right; that all might have equal OPP
portunity to develop according to
their capacity and genius; that JUS
ticc and Il fair deal might be open to
all. regardless of race, condition, or
cline. That was the ideal that was
inscribed iii the banner of freedom.
1t waved in the four corners OF the
earth, and. wherever black men con-
grcgatcd and looked upon that IN
scription, they took courage and
resolved to die in Il good cause. Can
ii be seriously said that there is
ground to think that the black man
will suddenly turn back from this
ideal and be Il menace to civilization?
No. except he is 'goadcd to it by the
very ones who SO, up the ideal. Ev--
cry sensible responsible person feels
that tho better course is to cement
the feeling Of confidence that the pur
suit OF a common ideal heas inspired
by tho circumstances Of the war.
Hence the Importance of Scrutin-
izing some OF the causes which may
impair such confidence. TO begin
with, General SHUTS starts with the
old world idea of the black man be-
ing like child and almost animal
like in the simplicity Of his nature.
Lest | may wrong him, | will use his
own words. He says:
eff you ask my opinion what is
wrong with Europe, | would say that
it seems to me that the moral basis
in Europe has become undermined.
All this enormous Superstructure OF
civilization and commerce and trade,
all these enormous developments that
have been built on that basis. have
become too much for 1t. The Christ
ian moral code has proved too weak
q basis, and so you see the building
sagging and all this ruin with which
Europe is now involved. If this ap-
plies to the European peoples, still
more does it apply to the natives in
!, 4 fpi1 xx,hn l,n
simplest minds possible, people who
do not understand ideals AMI who arr.
almost animal.like in the simplicity
Of their naturc--pcoplc, in fact, who
appreciate only the most primitive
human feelings. If we want to mako
a success in South Africa we know
We shall have to proceed on the basis
of the bedrock Of the Christian moral
code"
OF course, it is all very finely put,
but it is easy to draw the necessary
implication. Now. when any one ap
proachcs another in spirit OF pa
tronage and assumes gratuitously
that the latter is Of a different type
in the domain Of development, that
he is a kind Of link between animal
and Supcrman, as the last is
a link between angels and men, he
is sure to come q CrOpDcr and can
not avoid making mistakes. For he
adopts a frame OF mind, which will
ever prevent him from estimating
facts at their true value.
General SHUTS belongs to one OF
the greatest English Universities. He
is a Cambridge man. He must, in
his undergraduates days, have come
across South Africans, who had taken
Il; rh IN 1o Tn;
writer did in his undergraduate days
in the same University. Does the
gallant General include these mon in
the people who do not understand
ideals and who are almost animal
like in the simplicity of their ma
turc?" If not, why not? 1t may be
said that these were exceptional mon
and so is General SHUTS himself an
exceptional man.