The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-06-01
MOWERS OFFICE
HAS DEFENSE FOR
AFRICANSLAvERY

WASHINGTON, May 81 (FP)-If
American capital should accept the Of
fers made to it by Ras Tafari, ruler
Of Abyssinia, and proceed to employ
great numbers of slaves in the devel-
opment of rubber coffee, copper and
other resources Of his empire, 1t will
do so with elaborate moral explana-
tons.
In the files of the government at
Washington is a confidential report Of
recent date, on the subject Of slavery
. in Abyssinia-the one significant
omission from the report on that
country which the Commerce Depart
ment has just published.
Nice Life.
"The slaves" says this anonymous
report, "in the capital, Adds Ababa,
at least, do no useful work, their con-
ception of their whole duty to their
owners being the ornamental function
Of running beside him on the few
/ occasions when he rides forth upon
his mount. It is an easy life, and the
class Of people used as slaves desire
no other.
1T seems superflhous to wax vitri-
olic over the time honored customs of
an ancient African empire. The last
slave country in the world must be
induced to change its ways by more
gradual methods. A custom like this
is not to be uprooted by stroke Of pen
or sword"
Disarm Natives.
Having thus reported on chattel
slavery to an administration which
claims direct succession from the
Great Emancipator, this investigator
quoted at length the opinions of a
foreign official who had lived long in
eastern Africa. This foreigner rec
commended that Abyssinian raiders be
deprived Of arms and ammunition as
means Of stopping their slave-taking
habits.
"The War Minister Of Abyssinia,"
says this report, "never rides forth
without at least 1000 slaves running
behind his horse waving long wands
and shouting their paens of Joy in
praise Of their master. A poor man
may possess only one small item of
human property, but that one must
assuredly be ever at his side to do
him homage.
"Nor is the lot Of the slave unenvi-
able. To bring a good price, or TO re-
tain his value, he must be we'll fed.
He is content, on the whole, with his
position in life, albeit because he can
visualize none better.
All for Civilization.
"To all these peoples slavery is, far
from being an evil, a most desirable
and essential part Of the social struc-
ture. They would even maintain, were
it put to them, that the condition of
the slave is much improved over their
aboriginal status, their status being
considerably elevated from that of
wild animals to the relatively high
civilization into which they are pur-
chased.
at is to be anticipated, therefore,
that the eventual eradication of slav-
cry from the countries of this district
is scarcely to be seen by any person
living at present"
These conclusions were applied not
merely to Abyssinia but TO Afghanis-
tan and the Hedjaz, in southwestern
Arabia, TO which large numbers Of
slaves, especially children, are sold by
Abyssinian raiders and Arab traders.
Win Send Minister.
In its report dated July %, 1925,
the Temporary Slavery Commission
Of the League Of Nations says that
Abyssinia is the only Christian coun-
try in which slavery is still legalized.
It credits Ras Tafari with taking pre-
iminary steps toward their gradual
liberation, but it offers advice to him,
in a series of proposed measures for
making his purpose effective. It asks
him TO encourage his principal chiefs
TO free their own slaves; also 70 reg
ister all slaves and to declare free the
ones not registered; finally TO abolish
"the legal status Of slavery" but with
the reservation that "for fixed pc
Rod" such freed slaves might be.com-
PEELED to continue to serve their mas
tiers.
The League Commissions report
also declares that forced labor can
only become free labor, in a safe eco
nomic condition, when small holdings
Of land are made accessible TO freed
men, and when cash payment Of ade-
quate wages is assured by foreign
companies that may develop the re-
sources Of the country with the labor
Of serfs and slaves.
These facts were in hand when the
Washington administration decided to
ask congress to enable it TO send
minister to Abyssinia.