Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1963-02-14
US. IndusfrioIisf Y
Reports On Months
Visit To So. Africo

CONTINUED from Page u
have done for them over the past
80 years. y r |
Only Three Million Whites
1.-THE total present population of
the country's 16 million: II mil
lion blacks, three million whites,
Is million coloureds (mixed race)
and SOC, 900 Asians Suddenly
fusing this mixture of bloods and
racial backgrounds into one multi
racial society that would stand |
committed to single purposes and
ideals would challenge the highest
wisdom of the saints. But this Is
not all. Within each segment, there |
is severe internal strife =.
Claims Bantus (Africans) Have
No Unity
THE Bantu is a broad racial
grouping, not tribe. Within that
ethnic classification, there are
ancient animosities which have
caused tribe to fight tribe through
all the centuries Of unrecorded his
tory Because of this internal
disunity, the Bantu race has no
cohesion
THE Asiatic group meets con-
tinuous open hostility from both
blacks and whites, this being one
Of few subjects upon which the
two races are fully agreed. But the
Asians are also divided among
themselves. Some had as their an
cestors Malaga slaves. Others
came from India in the midst Of
the 10th Century. Some were Mos
lens, some Hindus, and both faiths
prevail today.
COloureds Most Confused
THE Coloureds have inherited
both the virtues and the anomisit-
les Of the varied races whose blood
flows in their veins - blacks,
whites, Indians, Malays and even
Bushmen and Hottentots. In so
far as they are black, they resent |
restrictions placed upon the Bantu,
but insofar as they are white, they
fear as deeply as do the whites the
imbalance Of power which lone
man one vote" would create.
Stin Fighting BOer War
But the cleavage most diff
ficult Of all to overcome Is that
which exists within the white pop
ulation itself. The Afrikaaners,
who are two million In number,
and the one million English, though
behaving with admirable good
manners toward one another, are
still quietly fighting the Boer War.
And let no one doubt that it Is the
Afrikaaners who run the country.
The Afrikaaner Is an honorable,
tough-minded man, - slow to an
ger, but equally slow to change.
The Bible was his only book. Read
ing 1t earnestly each day, he came
to the belief that the black man
was the son Of Ham, that he was
cursed Of God, and since he was
|predestined to be inferior to the
white man, Gods will must be
done and he must forever remain
In that relationship. Much Of this
heritage motivates the Afrikaaner
Of today.
Missionaries Taught brotherhood
OF Man
THE English came .. with mis-
sionaries who taught that the doc
trine Of the brotherhood Of man
knew no limitation Of color. The
Beers resented this Then az
now, outside criticism served to
solidify the Afrikaaner In his opin-
ions, but always he has remained
a man of high personal integrity.
Differ with him as you will, you
know that he earnestly believes
what he says.
Religion A Dividing Line
Deepest Of all the cleavages
which make for disunity are those
caused by religion. This Is essenti-
ally a Protestant country, but the
public, regardless Of race, Is divid-
ed even more sharply by religion.
If you are an Afrikaaner, you be-
long to the Dutch Reformed
Church and support the Nationalist
party; II you are English, the An
ghcan or Methodist church, and
the United Party. Few cross the
bridge Of compromise between
these opposing forces, either in re-
ligion or politics. One beginning of
hope that this may improve Is in
termarriage, the great solvent in
all social rigidities.
I'VE must face up to the in
credible complexity Of factors
which make for disunity In this
really exciting country and be gen.
erous enough In our criticisms to
recognize that solutions must be
found in evolution not revolu-
ton :"