The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-12-28
AFRICA IS NOT
DARK CONTINENT
But One Of "Great Misunder.
standings" Is Conclusion Of
Phelps.Stokes Commission.
POTENTIAL STRENGTH IS VAST
After Ten Months Of Intensive Study,
Experts Declare That Natives Are
Worthy Best Efforts Of the
World.

WorIo.
New York--After a ten months in.
tensive study Of the hygienic, eco
nonic. social and religious condition
commission OF experts In educational
and missionary work has reached the
conclusion that Africa Is the Cont
nent Of Great Misunderstanding"
rather than the Dark Continent" and
that the country's vas: potential
strength in raw materials and the de-
velOpment Of Its native peoples snopld
be emphasized instead Of its jups,es
and savngery. The report Of the CON.
mission has been published by the
Phelps. Stokes fund.
More than $4,000 miles through
west. south and equatorial Africs
were traversed by the commission dur.
ing the fall of 1920 and following win.
ter, scores Of schools and missions sup
ported by churches Of America and
European traders consulted and native
chiefs interviewed In the first effort
ever made to secure q comprehensive
survey.
The personnel Of the commission In.
cluded DIR. Thomas Jesse Jones, chair
man, writer Of the Official report. who
is director Of education Of the Phelps
Stokes fund; James Emman Kwegyir
Aggrey, member Of the Fanti tribe of
the Gold Coast; DR.. Henry Stanley Hol-
lenbeck Of Wisconsin, for twelve years
a medical missionary: Mr.. and Mrs.
Arthur w. Wilkie Of Scotland, mis-
sionaries Of the United Free Church of
Scotland. and the Rev. John T. Tucker
Of the Canadian Congregational Board
In Angola. Leo A. Roy Of New York
City, an expert in Industrial education.
served as secretary.
The report says: "Of the many mis-
conceptions that still tend to limit the
investment of capital In African in
dustry and agriculture, to hamper the
efforts of colonial governments and dis
courage the support Of missions, there
ere four Of such Importance as to re-
Quire consideration In any effort TO
evaluate, the educational possibilities.
The first Of these misunderstanding
relates to the wealth Of resources and
natural scenery: the second Ii con-
cerned with the healthfulness Of the
continent and the promising possibili-
ties Of sanitary Improvement the third
has to do with the inprovability Of the
African people: the fourth with Euro
pean and American influences"
Wonderful Physical Rsseuresa
DR.. Jones points out that the i'm
mense and varied physical resources
Of Africa are practically unknown to
the civilized world. largely because
the researches % far made have been
for private or government use and
the results have net been published.
'There is sufficient evidence of poten-
tial wealth" he says. ito convince
the most skeptical that Africa Is the
undeveloped treasure house Of the
world" The diamond fields Of Kim
berly. the gold ridge Of johannesburg.
the coal mines Of Rhodesia. the Ka-
tanga copper plateaus Of Belgian Con-
60 are cited as specific instances Of
the country's natural wealth. Every
colony Is said to have some Of the
precious metals in forms and quanti-
ties profitable for commerce. A num-
Der Of colonies. also the Republic Of
Liberia, have immense quantities Of
water power The forest and agri.
cultural possibilities have scarcely
been touched and animal husbandry IL
even less developed.
"Africa's reputation for unhealth-
fulness was the result of the tragic
experience Of those who entered the
continent without knowledge OF con-
ditions or Indifferent to the hardships
always attending the entrance OF
pioneers into a new field" the report
sets forth. "a fair comparison of
Africa with other parts Of the world
will undoubtedly show that Africa
will respond to modern methods of
sanitation In exactly the same way
as continents OF similar climate. eco
nomic and social conditions"
In further discussion ON the health.
fulness Of Africa. Doctor Jones makes
the following comment; Even In the
lower levels where mosquitoes and
tsetse files have been menace TO
health and life missionaries, mer-
chants and government officials are
living with considerable safety and
comfort. Members OF the education
commission were repeatedly impressed
by the sight OF Europeans and Ameri-
cans who have lived in these regions
for many years.
"In one American mission station,
just where the Congo river crosses
the equator. the commission saw four
American families with seven children.
all In good health. In another station
on the lower Congo were two Ameri.
can missionaries and their wives who
have served an average OF forty years
IN that region which is notorious for
malaria and sleeping sickness. Near.
by was also station of Jesuit Fathers