Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-04

and the worlds newest state.
Handsome, dynamic Sekou
Toure was born at q busting
Lost Of Three Articles
railhead town which goes by
the enticing name Of Kan-Kan.
He was one of seven children,
and although he claims as his
grandfather the warrior-prince
Samory. who kept the French
at bay for 20 years, Mr.. Toure's
peasant parents were too poor
to afford more than a primary
school education for their son.
Moslem Background
But Mr.. Toure read vora-
ciously. and. coming from a
devout and politically safe
Moslem background, he was
able to get a job as a clerk in
the French colonial service.
There his union activities got
him into hot water, and at %
he quit his job to avoid a trans
fer out Of Guinea and went to-
work as a full-time trade
unionist.
He soon showed that he could
do two things very well: Talk
and organize. These talents
earned him the leadership of
the Guinea branch Of a Com
munist-tinged French union. In
this capacity he found frequent
occasion to visit France.
In France. Toure came in
contact with the Communists
who saw in the dapper, tough
talking nationalist a man who
could help them in Africa. They
taught him political theory and
organization, shipped him be-
hind the Iron Curtain for
polishing.
Also in France Toure met
Ivory Coast boss Felix HOUR
houet-Boigny, now De Gaulle's
loyal lieutenant but then a fell
low-traveler. Mr.. Houphouet-
Boigney introduced Mr.. Toure
to practical politics, made him
his top lieutenant, and sent
him back to Guinea to organize
the local branch of Mr.. Houp-
houet-Boigny's French Africa
wide African Democratic Rally.
Elected to Legislature
Apt-pupil Toure got himself
elected to the Guinea legisla-
ture, became mayor Of the
capital city Of Conakry, later
was elected to the French
Chamber Of Deputies. In 1857.
he became vice president and
top African in Guinea's execu-
tive council.
Mr.. Houphouet- Boigny and
Mr.. Toure reached q parting
Of the way last year when Gen.
de Gaulle offered the French
African territories the choice
between independence or in
ternal autonomy. financial aid.
and membership in his new
French Community.
On August IS. little more
than a month before the ref.
erendum, Mr.. Toure was able
to state that "our heart, our
reason, even more than our
most evident self-interest.
makes us choose, without
hesitation. interdependence and
liberty within this union,
rather than definition Of our
selves without France or
against France"
Three days later, in Gen.
de Gaulle's presence. Mr.. Toure
reversed himself 100 degrees
and beloved: I'VE prefer
poverty with liberty to riches
and slavery"
Deduction: Sometime in the
three-day interval between the
two announcements, Mr..
TORRES Communist pals in
formed him that Red aid would
be forthcoming If he would
undertake to destroy the
Franco-African community.
Mr.. Houphouet- Boigny and
10 other African chiefs OF
state stuck with Gen. de Gaulle;
Mr.. Toure led his Oregon
sized country's 2.5 million tribe
men to independence.
Since independence, Mr..
Toure has had to keep to a
nonstop program which has
made a tense, chain smoking,
sometimes suspicious man of
him.
Blames America
In an icicle-cold interview at
his Conakry palace he blamed
the America press for most of
his troubles and refused to
comment on any Cold War
problem. Although he and his
cabinet ministers avow that
they are netutralists, Guinea's
recently concluded trade pacts
with four Communist countries
and the frigid reception &C
corded Western visitors gives
some indication Of Guinea's
true orientation.
Mr.. Toure rules Guinea with
an iron hand; political opposi-
ton is not permitted. Asked
whether he would consider the
establishment Of a two-party
system. Mr.. Toure replied:
ut is not our intention to
squander this chance Of unity
by adopting a system which
could only reduce our political
strength. A political system
based on two parties would be
q certain check on our revolu-
ton. The revolutionary dyna-
mism doesn't need any other
stimulant than our needs. our