Evening star., 1942-09-06

known Americans who have specialized
in one or more aspects of the network
of African problems And It's report
starts from the irrefutable premise that
"the emergence into political conscious
ness of the non-white peoples of the
world is a recent phenomenon of great
significance"
This significance, the committee finds,
may be either one of promise or one of
danger. 1t will be the former If the
objective of seh-government for the
African colonies is unequivocslly estab-
lished and cautiously forwarded. 1t will
be the latter if the attempt is to main
tain pre-war policies of subjection and
exploitation.
While not ignoring the problems of
North Africa, it is with the part south
of the Sahara Desert, containing close
to 0,0O0, 900 people of whom only slight
ly over 100000 are white, that this
study is primarily concerned. 1t is, of
course, accepted that the political fu-
ture of the Union of South Africa, con-
tanning the great majority of this white
population. is independence either with
in or without the British Commonwealth v
of Nations. But for the remaining,
strictly colonial" territory the same
ultimate goal of comprehensive self
government Is also envisaged.
Nationhood Not Implied.
An eventual status of nationhood for
the Overwhelmingly Negro territories Is
not implied by use of the term self
government" Indeed, the committee
questions whether development of fur
ther nationalisms, in world so obvi-
ously unable to cope with those already
in full flower, would prove desirable for
the Africans themselves. That, how
ever, does not imply liberation of pres
ent political arrangements. In the
words of the first recommendation of
the report:
'The lessons of the recent military
defeats in Malaga, Singapore, Java and
Misunderstanding largely, in the opin-
ion of many European authorities, from
a lack of more general cooperation be-
tween the native population and the
Europeans in control-emphasizes the
vital Importance of prompt steps to give
colonial peoples larger and more re-
sponsible share in the government OF
their country"
Perhaps to establish the implicit re-
sponsibility of the United States for the
future political settlement of Africa, one
chapter Of the report centers on the far
reaching pledges made by President
Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill
in the famous Atlantic Charter" This
shows In detail that in the African col
onies of the United Nations these pledges
are at present honored in the breach
rather than the observance.
1t is noted that Mr. Churchill In
formed the House Of Commons, just a
year ago, that these pledges applied
primarily" to countries conquered by
Germany and were not to be regarded as
indicating any dissatisfaction with "the
progressive evolution of governing
institutions in regions whose people owe
allegiance to the British crown"
| Definition Not Accented.
The report of the Committee on Af-
r1ca, the War and Peace Aims does not
accept the British Prime Minister'S def
milton of limited applicability for the At
lantic Charter. His statement to Par
lament, 1t points out, was both supple
mented and supplanted by President
Roosevelt's broadcast of February %,
1912, stating that: "The Atlantic Charter
applies not only to the parts of the world
that border the Atlantic, but to the whole
world
The same general application of DEM
ocratlc principles, not merely to peoples
subjected by the Axis but to subject peo-
pies everywhere, found its latest express
sion in the Presidents Bethesda speech
OF August 81. In this Mr.. Roosevelt as
serted that the United States is dedicat.
ed to the removal of injustices and in
equalities which develop tyrants, as well
as the removal of present notorious ex-
amples of the breed. -
Examining the African pictures from
the viewpoint of Americas enlarging re-
sponsibilities, the report under consider
alton flnds plenty to be done before il
can be Claimed that the -four freedonsn
have much reality in these colonial pos
sessions of the United Nations. Indeed
there is something rather caustic in as
soclat1on OF the phrase freedom from
want with the disclosure that "the cash
earnings of the average peasant in Africa
vary from only one to four pounds A.
year"
IL would, however, be misleading to
give any impression that this WELL
balanced report is primarily, or even in
the main, concerned with the sordid side
OF white dominion in the Dark Continent.
The credit as we'll as the debit side of
imperialism, from the native viewpoint. Ia
examined. And throughout there is a
constructive emphasis on what should be
cone IN the future, rather than lament
Tor what was done in the past.
More Political Power Asked.
Elimination of policies of racial dis
crlmlnatlon; much greater attention to
native education; overdue development
Of public health work and a land policv
at once more democratic and scientific,
are steps advocated on the special and
economic side. AS political improve
ments, the opening of many more civil
service positions to Africans and greater
native representation in legislative as
semblies, are advised as minimum i'm
mediate steps for all the African terri
tories aa
Later. as part of the peace settle
ment, application of the mandates prin-
ciple to- all African colonies, as also to.
Liberia and Ethiopia, is recommended.
And it is strongly advised thot avan