The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-08-18
Educational Director, Council on
African Affairs
lin Two Parts: Following l. Part 1.
Part II Will Appear Next Week

As the newly elected Labor
government takes office in
Britain il finds itself faced
Immediately with a major
test of its colonial policy.
VIA, viii the government d. about
the labor and political unrest IN
Nigeria. Britain 81 second largest
colonial possession with rs popu-
laton az 230oo,0oo
The unrest In this West African
territory has reached = point OF
crlsis IN the form Of a genera!
strike 81 African workers WHICH
has continued NOW Tor SIX weeks
despite the intimidation ana
threats ~ NigerIas Governor, sir
Arthur Richards Il IS evident that
direct interccSs,on from tho Lon
don Colonial Oficc - necessary 10
settle the grievances OF the people
Of Nigeria and AVOID the outbreak
OF violent and widespread dis
orders i'm West Africs.
The strike involves over i5O,ooO
members Of the African Civil Serv-
ants and Technical WORKERS Union
tACSTWUD. comprising trade
union organ cations of workers en-
gagged IN Transport. communication.
and other government services
The strikers d. uandS ;hroN a
clear light upon me basic cond''
ton ~ poverty and economlc fN-
rioilaI0A. u7re TuSSiotc ~ tire
DENIAL ~ poll'ca. rights, charac-
;arlYng The * Stcrcc Q. colon
reoplcS all over the world IacN
srp asXnz for minimum "a II
wage ~ 4 mere 2s6d SOC present
exchange They also * t'r \
50 per cent increase IN g ,Chcu-
,le Of Cost o. LIVING Allowances
which has rcTBlncd stationary
since 1912 despite nc extremely
sharp increase ~ The cost NJ a..
cor nodiiies. and FOR nc aool ton
ot the diScr U.raiorN wage Schcd-
u.r, 'avorlng E.ropcan EMPLOYEES
The strike - the result ot me
failure o. me sOverumcn; over a
iWo-yCar pcIpd to g.Nc any re-
dress - the workers When me
ACSTWU hrSt submitted us re-
cues, COY wage increases IN isi3
the government FOR ii Nnole year
ignored the petition y then FINALS
declared tnN no proposals for
wage changes could I've considered
Lrfli Rs,c6 the Wa. a. which time
p commission would be appointed
10 investigate nc proposal Though
increases and allowances were
MADE for European cNl servants
continued Appeals tron me African
workers met with rChuhS
Finally on May Is ~ Lagos the
capitf, Of Nigeria. = crowded mas,
meeting of rank and hlc workers
Of tho union dctcrNlned tina, they
could endure TIC governments
negative policy no loNscr They
gave the coNCcuTcNt oN'-wonth
uluma,ur The resolution adopted
declared IN part
due to conditions occasiorcd
nv the war the cost of living in
Nigeria has risen tremendously
out of proportion to the slender
erS
We Strongl, dcplorc the cal
l0uS attitude Of government 10
the SufIcringS of the masses OF
African workers. mostly men
with families. ~ set out In a
previous memorandum.
That the Chief secretary to
the government of Nigeria he in
formed in distinct terms that the
situation can no longer he suS-
tanned that IN the name oi
equity we demand immediate
revocation IF the discriminatory
award hercinbcforc described;
and further that failing = grant
In full with effect from III" iSt
April, 1914, of the extremely
modest demand within one
cskcg':- riow,h he.cey u. re-
later tran THURSDAY the 'lSt of
June 1915. the workers of Nigeria
shj y proceed In seek their own
remedy. with due regard To law
and order on tho ono hand and
starvation on the other hand.
Tho government havlrc failed 20
oct. the workers lduu,hcd Their
strike on June ~ Tho SiriNc is re-
ported being led hy VI A lmOudu,
president of inc RailWa, Workers
Union ~ Niger a. lUpudG MS re-
leased only e frV weeks Jgo from
~ enforced exile 90 ,Vo years an,
I've months. the penalty for his
pert IN leading q Railway Workers
v 20 increase strike action "
wv Given = tremendous welcome
r, The people ~ Nigeria upon his
istease. the LABOR leader made n
Gear that he carried no chip on
his shoulder. He said
am not an enemy NJ the en-
ploy~S. must protect their In