Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-21
AFRICA LAND Of
MILK AND HONEY.
SAY EXPLORERS

NEW YORK, Nov. 22-Africa as
the Continent of Great Misunder
standings, rather than the Dark
Continent, and as a land flowing
with milk and honey instead Of the
lost frontier for romanticists athirst
for wild thrills, is the theme Of a
report published today by the
Phelps Stokes fund for an inter
national commission, which has just
returned from a ten months in
vestigation.
The immense and varied physical
resources Of Africa are virtually
unknown to civilization, says DR..
Thomas Jesse Jones, author of the
report, because previous researches
were made for private or govern
mental use, and the results were
not published. He regrets that the
popular conception Of Africa was
derived from journalistic accounts.
He found evidence to convince
the most skeptical that Africa is
the "undeveloped treasure house of
the world" with every colony pos
sessing precious metals in CONNER
cial quantities and possibilities in
agriculture, animal husbandry ami
!! water-power that scarcely have
been touched.
| Four general misconceptions are
limiting investment of capital II
African industry and agriculture
| hampering the efforts of colonia;
/ governments, and discouraging the
support of missions, DR.. Jones con
! tinues. The first concerns natural
resources and scenery, the secont!
| the health conditions of the con-
| tlnent, the third the improvability
| of the people, and the fourth the
European and American influences.
1.-The INST unfortunate and unfair
| of all the misunderstanding is that
! the African people do not give prom
| isc of development sufficient to war
rant efforts in their behalf" DR..
Jones reports, adding that the con-
trary is shown "by their response to
! the missions, governments and COM
mercial organizations"
africans" he goes on, occupy
positions of Importance in every
colony visited. There are physi'
! clans, lawyers and ministers who
have completed the requirements OF
! European universities, and, while
| the number is small, it is sufficient
! to prove the capacity of the people.
1.-THE clerical tasks of govern
ment, industry and commerce are
very largely entrusted to young
| African men. The mechanical
operations on railroads and in con
! struction are more and more being
taken over by African workmeT.
Every mission gives emphatic test
mony to the value Of the native
teachers and ministers.
"Ncr are the possibilities of the
Africans to be judged only by those
who have entered the ranks of civ
| iliZation, whether in Africa, Europe
or America. Their folklore. then
handiCraft, their native music, their
forms of government, their ingu
tistic powers, all are substantial eVi
dences of their capacity to respond
to the wise approaches of civiliza
ton"
mEviI inf1uences-JPUN. 6*!;ffijeta
Evil influences originated witt
the white explorer and still persist
but DR.. Jones is convinced that the
native has gained more than he lost
through the white mans advent.
Ignorance, injustice, unrest ir
Africa Will always disturb the peace
OF mankind elsewhere" he con
cludes. 1.-The only cure for the SO
called rising tide of color and 'tht
revolt against civilization heraldet
abroad with such anxiety by some
alarmists of the present time, is II
the development of genuine and sin
cere cooperation of peoples of al
traces, based upon an education OF
the native masses and native
leaders in the common essentials OF