The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-01-10
Mr.. Pinder, Ambassador Of Goodwill
Continues His Mission In africa

1
Frank did.
Now in grade 10, the grade for
graduation Frank knew that he
had a tool with which he could
earn money. With his typewriter,
he headed for Florida A. and M.
College, Tallahassee, Florida.
The story continues.
For a time Frank taught agri-
cultural subjects at Tuskegee In
stitute. Then he served as an
economist in the Farm Security
Administration. Early in World
War II, when violence flared up
between the Jamaicans brought to
this country as emergency labor
ers and their American employ
ers, he had been called to arbi-
trate the differences between them.
AS Pinder went about his work
in Liberia, there was none of the
fanfare usually associated with a
visiting diplomat. Liberia had no
beasts of burden. Human head
loading is the method of carrying
supplies. Pinder did not then, and
never has, ridden in a hammock
slung between four bearers. In
stead, a sturdy man of medium
height, he walked along a narrow
trail worn through the Jungle by
generations of native citizens.
AS he walked along, clad in a
ragged white shirt, khaki pants,
and heavy work shoes, he puffed
away at his pipe, observing the
soil, the plants, the trees. He was
intensely interested in every as
pect of this countryside which he
would do a great deal to change
in certain localities. AS he went,
his soft voice and friendly smile
made him more welcome than any
official trappings could have done.
Wartime shortages made it i'm
possible to get any of the supplies
that Pinder needed for a trek
through a tropical country. He did
not wait for supplies. He lived on
the land as he went along, and
he lived with the people, learning
to fit himself into the customs of
the country. He learned to know
the peoples problems and their
needs at first hand.
When he came to a village, he
went Immediately to the palaver
house which was also the guest
house and presented himself to
the village chief. Toward shutdown,
when the days work was over.
the chief would summon the village
elders and long talks followed.
These talks might be continued on
the several nights of Finders visit.
He found it necessary to listen
alphabetically to accounts of a
variety of troubles such as boun-
dairy disputes, domestic squabbles,
and tales of hunting proves. He
managed, always, to turn the con-
versation back to crops, seeds,
plants. seasons, and methods of
cultivation. This was not too diff
cult because everywhere the people
lived on a day-to-day basis and
the threat of hunger was constant
ly with them.
What Pinder found in the coun.
try back of the coastal strip point
ed to the need for some drastic
changes in methods of farming.
The Liberian custom of moving on
to a new clearing each year, al
lowing the cultivated land of the
previous year to go back to bush,
was waSteful of manpower and
land. There was very little pro-
tein food. meat, fish, eggs in the
diet of the people. Fresh vege-
tables were always scarce and
practically nonexiStent in the dry
season.
Rice and CasSava were the prin-
cipal foods. Often, they were the
only foods. A little corn was grown
in haphazard manner among the
other crops. Rice was planted in
the uplands in the rainy season
between April and November, but
not enough was grown to carry
through the dry months. Hence,
the hungry season"
Talking with the village chiefs
and elders, Pinder pointed out to
them that if they would clear the
inland swampS a crop of rice could
be grown which would carry them
through the dry months. They
protested that it was impossible to
clear those Swamps. The growth
was too dense Men we're not strong
enough TO do it Besides, il had
never been done before Patiently
Frank Pinder assured them over
and over again that it could be
done. He would show them how
with the help of the steel tools
he had brought along.
Finally one village decided to
try ii. Once the decision was made.
even the gFumhlers came along