Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1958-08-09
French Africa
Continued from Page One)

Continued from Page One)
ally linked French-African COM
munity, with certain common insti-
tutions.
Demands Outlined
The PRA calls for the immedi-
ate independence of the peoples of
Negro Africa, recognition of this
independence in the new constitu-
ton, and the establishment of
constituent assembly for Negro
Africa which would settle the sys-
TEN of government of the new
country. Then-and then only
would the new state be ready to
Join with France in "a confedera-
ton of free and equal peoples"
Ironically, it is a brilliant, leg
ally trained Negro, Leopold SEN
gho;, who because of his mastery
CT the French language was asked
to hel p write the Fourth Republic
Constitution, WHO is leading the
PRA in this move. He is familiar
figure in both the F french Assem-
bly, and at Strasbourg
A working friend of France
over the years, his words upon
leaving Cotonou in Dahomey for
Paris permit of no nisunderstand-
ing; Il would like the government
Of the republic to give US what we
ask. If they do not, we must turn
to struggle. Certain ly it will not
be a struggle mark ed by violence,
but a struggle, however, of which
there can be no doubt of the out
come"
Compromise Resolution
At the FRA congress there had
been a more extreme proposal
asking for immediate independence
with an economic and social policy
inspired by Marxist form of So
cialism. Representatives from Nj
ger, Senegal, French Sudan, and
Ubangi supported this extreme DO
sltlon, while Gabon, Guinea, Haute
Volta, Dahomey, and French So
maitland supported moderate pro-
posal by M. Senghor. The final
resolution calling fer independence
at once was compromise between
the two.
M, Senghor admits that the re-
sultlng unanimous vote will cause
bitterness in metropolitan France
when 1t is learned that "a great
African party has, in its general
politician motion, claimed not lust
the right to national independence,
but independence itself"
M. Seng.hcr said he had hoped
to be able to recommend a tran
sitional development, but was
faced with the fact that France
is always behind with reforms"
Before the liberation, the At
ricans had asked for assimilation
by Paris, which had been refused.
After liberation, they had asked
for federation and then been Of
fered assimilation. Recently they
had been asking for a real federal
republic and had been offered fed
eratiCn.
Now, continued NJ Senghor, "the
| Cotonou congress had been con-
WINGED rightly or wrongly that
metropolitan France is not inter-
| ested in humanitarian federalism"
and therefore had claimed "inde-
pendence in a spirit of friendship"
Negro African opinion clearly
is developing much faster than
France will recognize, and NJ
! Senghor, a moderate man himself,
| will have to represent the unani-
1 nous motion of Cotonou. The new
draft French constitution, which
| leaves it up to overseas territories
to choose between the status of a
| department or membership in a
French federation, is threatened
now by events before it even has
been approved.
The PRA cannot speak for the
while of French West Africa. The
RDA, drawing its support partly
/
from the rich Ivory Coast and the
white" country of Maufetania,
probably would be very unwilling
to become part of a predominantly
Negro state. Any grouping of
it is difficult to believe she is