THE COLOUR-BAR
Sot,—I am not satisfied that Professor Macmillan, in his letter uncle " South Africa and Africa," answers those of us who fear colcau. prejudice, as practised in South Africa, spreading into Northern Rhodesia. To say that " a white industrial society, Rand pattern, a the Gold Coast or even Northern Rhodesia, is moonshine," is d course true ; there can never be a permanent white settlement the Gold Coast, and probably not in Northern Rhodesia, but that does not prevent white miners from South Africa going to Northern Rhodesia and establishing themselves, by means of their whin trade unions, in key positions into which they will not allow African to enter. The situation, at the moment, is relieved by the fact than the home Government has control through the Colonial Office, wind has said, through its Under-Secretary in Parliament, that everything possible will be done to train Africans for the most highly skilled posts—and some of us know that the African can reach these 141 positions if well trained.
Let us hope Professor Macmillan's optimism about the change taking place in South African opinion on the colour-question le justified—I am personally not so optimistic—and that there wil be at no distant date a complete change of mind and heart. It,
,aevertheless, behoves the British public to be watchful that Northern Rhodesia remains a British Protectorate under the Colonial 01ce, until we are certain South Africa has learnt that the black Intaa will achieve equality of status with the white man, and that you cannot keep any race perpetually in subjection. I have kept to a ',main point in Professor Macmillan's letter. I am not, however, at 91 certain there is not ,erious racial discrimination in the matter ,ef land and public distribution of revenue in Kenya, and other forms of colour-prejudice against the educated African wherever he may be, which will be as dangerous as any colour-bar that might proceed from South Africa, via Southern Rhodesia, northwards.—I
Edinburgh House, 2 Eaton Gate, S.W. r.
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