West Africans in Britain
SIR,—Our country still tolerates many well-shrouded barbarities, of which perhaps the most shocking is its treatment of human beings who differ from us in race, and especially in colour. West African students in London have told me in all seriousness that it took them about six months' sojourn here before they could convince themselves that they are, after all, human. The petty but continual affronts that they suffer in the bus, in the street and in the shops, have caused the more sensitive among them to eschew contact with our people as much as possible, and I have heard of some who hardly care to move from their hostels or lodgings except on business or to attend lectures. The British Council' is doing much to brighten their living conditions in hostels, while various unofficial bodies do what they can to invite them out to meet English people both at tea-parties and in home surroundings. There is evidence, however, that this is not enough.
To our shame, the role of the Good Samaritan has apparently been assumed by Communists and COMmunist-sympathisers. I have just received a letter from a West African post-graduate student which, reads:— " British families whom we are introduced to become friends fail to visit our homes or hostels.. You see, this is the trouble about Communism which is being widely discussed about their activities with Colonial people who return home with this undesirable ideology. The Communist friends visit students' homes and offer every assistance, in some cases students have been offered transport free to the Continent on holidays and this gesture is well appreciated by stranded students.- " I think the other friendly organisations seeking to help coloured people should be inspired to do more than what they are doing to counteract the Communist influence getting into the students in this country. I am afraid nearly every student is returning home as Commun ist."
I can assure you, Sir, that the writer of this letter is a balanced man, by no means prone to romancing. It is surely time that Christians in this island awoke to the challenge of Communist persistence and single-minded devotion to their ideal.—Yours faithfully, H. T. LANE.
Rossall School, Fleetwood, Lancs.
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