Seretse's Sentence
Difficult as the problems raised by Seretse Khama's marriage to an Englishwoman are, it is impossible to endorse the decision which the Government has reached. The House of Commons was pro- foundly disturbed about the whole matter on Wednesday, and it is obvious' that the last has not been heard of it. The only question indeed is how far-reaching and how detrimental the reactions will be. Certain facts are indisputable. While in this country Seretse married an English girl, who, incidentally will shortly be bearing him a baby. No one could question the legality of that ; few• would condemn it on other grounds ; the marriage was as completely in order as Mr. Attlee's or Mr. Churchill's ; and in this country no colour-bar prevails. Nor does it among the Baman- gwato tribe in Bechuanaland, of which Seretse is Chief in the appointed line. It is shown by the firm decision of the tribe to accept Seretse as Chief, and his white wife with him. The real trouble, no doubt, is the intense hostility to mixed marriages felt throughout the Union of South Africa—felt, it is fair to say, almost as strongly by blacks as by whites. Mr. Gordon-Walker's state- ment that no representations have been received from the South African Government must, of course, be accepted, but in fact none were necessary ; the views of that Government on that question are notorious. But there are two other aspects of the affair. An ,enquiry has been helo into the whole situation by the High Commissioner for the three Protectorates and its findings withheld from Seretse. Worse still, Seretse was invited to this country for consultation with the Secre- tary of State, no suggestion being made, apparently, that anything but consultation in the ordinary sense was involved. Having arrived, he was told he would not be allowed to return to Bechuana- land for at least five years. Whether Seretse was " enticed " here is not worth quarrelling about. He came here in all good faith and has now formed decisive conclusions about British good faith. So will the whole black population of Africa. That is a far more serious matter than any consequences that might ensue from allowing Seretse to return in the ordinary way. Mr. Churchill spoke of "a very disreputable transaction." At least it is action to which that frequently misused term " un-English " applies.
