Evening star., 1932-05-22


living there. Thirdly, onto this patri-
archal pastoral system of primitive ae-
riculture has been grated modern in
duStrialism.
The white laborers, Dutch and Brit
iSh alike, with their political power,
have attempted to preserve two sepa-
rate systems of employment. The
skilled trades and callings, as artisans,
have been reserved for a handful of
highly paid white workmen. The Ne
groes have been compelled to conflne
themselves to rough, Ilnskilled work
at very low wages. But only minor
ity Of the white laborers can obtain
employment under this system, and as
a result immigration has declined prac-
tically to the vanishing point.
The British imperialist in the nine
teenth century dreamed of South
Africa as another United States, with
a steadily increasing European popu-
lation and a complete modern indus
trial organization. Even during the
prosperous years Of 1925 to 1929 the
total net surplus of immigrants taking
up permanent residence in the Union
was only l3.500-under 5000 a year.
Even more significant is the fact that
the net British immigration during
these years was only l6i The reason
for this is that it is practically i'm
possible for more white men to obtain
employment in South Africa at a wage
on which they can subsist.
Nor can the immigrant hope to OBJ
tain land, for the pastoral farmers Of
Boer descent hold all the available
property and are themselves overcrowd-
ed. The Negroes have been forced into
limited reserves to such an extent that
they also are overcrowded.
Only Three Solutions.
Unprejudiced students of South Afri-
can conditions foresee only three last
ing solutions to this terrible problem.
The first is the determination of the
black race; the second is the extermi-
nation Of the white race; the third
the breaking down of racial barriers
and the intermarriage and intermin-
Cling of the white and cOlored peoples.
This third solution, terrible as 1t
sounds, is the only possible one.
AS a comprGsE.oe, segregation is be-
ing attempted; that is, it is intended
to attempt the segregation CT 100000
natives in certain areas and to parti-
tion off nearly 100000 Europeans in
other parts of the country. This So
luton is impra cticable.
If there could be a wholesale evic-
ton of the surplus white inhabitants
of South Africa to Australia it might
be a solution; but Australia, with her
own difficulties, has no intention Of
taking poor whites of South Africa,
who already are deteriorating fast, NOR
ally and physically.
So in South Africa We have the skele-
ton of a European state side by side
with teeming Negro population which
has been prevented from advancing
economically and socially
- !, N1v-r 49, 1t
Liberia. Here, just over a hundred
years ago, was established a settlement
of Negroes who had been freed from
slavery; here they were to govern
themselves. The result IS a bankrupt
state, without a mile Of railway, with
no roads to the interior, without a
medical or telephone service, and with
100000 bush niggers," as the edu-
Gated black aristorcrats call their breth-
rem, exploited and suppressed by $4,000
American -Liberians on the coast, slav-
cry and forced labor are rife. The only
benefits" the vast majority of the
people in the interior receive from the
democratic" capital of Monroyia are
the visit of rapacious tax-gatherers
escorted by parties of soldiers. There
is almost certain to be Intervention
here.
Ethiopia Has Good Army.
Ethiopia has preserved here inde-
pendence because of the incompetence
of Italian military commanders, the
vaIor of the Ethiopian soldiers and
their possession of modern arms. The
present Emperor Halle Selassie, pro-
gressive ruler of high character, has
undertaken the task of removing Ethi-
opia's great blot-the existence of
100000 persons held in domestic
slavery.
The difficulties of the ruler of Ethi-
opia are lack of means of communica-
ton, the strength and power Of the
semi-independent feudal chiefs and
large landowners and the public opin-
ion of the country. which regards slav-
cry as natural and an organic part OF
the nations social structure. Vast prov
inces of this huge territory are not
inhabited by EthiopianS, because of the
climate, but peopled by Negro tribes. the
victims Of Christian slave raiders from
the Ethiopian highlands. The EN-
peror must move with caution.
These two examples OF native African
rule are discouraging. Yet in the Por-
tuguese colonies the exploitation of the
Negro inhabitants is as scandalous.
The above, briefly, is survey of the
African scene. Where the administra-
ton is enlightened and for the ad-
vantage of the native inhabitants. as
in the British and French examples
cited. the future is promising.
Where attempts have been made to
establish European colonies side by side
with the indigenous inhabitants, but
socially segregated from them, economic
conflict is almost certain to develop
into racial war. A future generation
will suffer bitterly for the mistakea of
the past. Africa, which should be a
land of promise, is likely to be the
scene of one Of the greatest tragedies
the world has ever witnessed.