The Omaha guide., 1947-06-14

here on furlough from Africa. DR..
Mcmillan was the first medical
missionary ever to 60 from the
United States to Angola. They
have devoted 20 years of their
life helping the natives. I think
they deserve a graf deal of praise
and credit.
DR.. Mcmillan was dismayed
when they went there as his hos
pital was only a matched mud
hut, his medical supplies less than
adequate and staff n~on-existent.
Mrs. Mcmillan was his only as
sistant and she had never witness
ed an operation before going out
there. She has assisted in several
thousand operations since then.
She also supervises a weekly baby
clinic.
DR.. Mcmillan Immediately be-
gan training the natives. He now
has a staff composed Of IS out
standing young men and women.
I saw the pictures Of the new
hospital which has 100 beds, and
sometimes it is necessary to use
floor mats to accommodate the pa
tients. The convalescent patents
are moved out into the camps, all
treatments in this department are
carried out by the natives.
In the beginning Of their work
DR.. Mcmillan made a sterilizer
out Of a gasoline drum. Its pres
sure indicator was an automobile
tire guage. They now have a
new Simplex Unit" which the
natives handle perfectly.
They not only practiced medi-
cine but they have created OPP
portunities for a better life for
many people so they "a live like
other citizens.
. Their medical set up covers
about four square miles; that in
cludes the hospital, annexes and
sick camp, including As buildings
in all.
People come from all over for
treatments of all kinds. (Not only
do the natives go for many miles
but also Europeans.
Treatments in the past few
years have increased from as to
40 thousand in the early '30s to
200 to 800 thousand in the early
'4Os.
There are many injustices in
Africa. The complicated caste
system is one Of the evils causing
bitter resentment and the in
equalities of taxation and tax col
lection. Every native must carry
a Pass-unless he has a specified
exemption. These ills lead to q
fantastic number of arrets, SO
that the prisons are packed with
peopl guilty Of a blundr or Of an
economic incapacity rathr than of
wilful Grim. To simplify the Pass
system, temper the blasts of tax
alton to the shorn lamb and HUI
mamie the police would ease life
for multitudes who are madden
ed by that most infuriating of
all evils, an impersonal bureau
cracy enforcing cast-iron regu-
lations.
The method of dealing with the
African that creates the greatest
unrest and rebellious feeling is
not that of forcd labor; it is the
method of thrusting him off rom
MS ancestral lands, or refusing to
give hm a clear, secure title to
the lands, that he has. That land
was not only their possession; it
Is neld In passionate reverence
because their spirits are living
realities. The landless people
must do $50 days work each wear
or europeans in order to be al
lowed to stay on the soil that AL
ways hitherto has been theirs.
Iaxatlon also drives them to
work on European plantations to
earn the needed money.
Some of the people have never
oeen given a decent opportunity
20 DUR their positions. They want
education and liberty. Given a
cnance they will help build a So
claI structure in Africa, and build
It upon that sort Of foundation
mere r many people who be-
ileVe that it is a sign of weakness
10 deal with so-called primitive
people" in any other terms but
the lash and the gun. They will
work harder and better if thew
are treated as men. and not as =
work Ok.
me natives unable to pay fines
assessed by rural magistrates are
beng held in pawn and made m
apor long hours, without nav
until the penalties are PAID. There
are some natives who have been
held as pawns for 20 a for
having committed misdemeanors
which would draw a suspended
sentence Of 30 days in this coun-
try.
AS Americans we realize there
is some work being done with
Africa but not enough. President
Humans aid to Greece and Tur-
key came somewhat late in the
day for communism had already
gripped those countries.
Now is the time to answer
Africa's cry for help in industry
education and spiritual needs be-
fore Stain moves in that direc-
ton. It is rumored that Stain
is building a fleet Of steamers
to be used in the West African
| Trade.
We need to expand overseas
trade ana secure sources of raw
material. Africa has hitherto al
most been monopolized by Europ-