Labour's, Love Lost

From GRACE SCOTT

LUSAKA, N. RHODESIA TT would not be too bold to hazard a guess that few Europeans in the Central African Federa- tion will be praying for a Labour victory on October 8.

For years the British Labour Party has been the enemy of the Arcadia so benevolently watched over by Big Brother Welensky. 'Shooting down' British Labourites has helped to win more than one candidate the overwhelming European vote at election times. The practice became fashionable before Federation when, at the be- ginning of Roy Welensky's climb to political eminence, he referred in one of his rabble- rousing chin-well-thrust-forward speeches to 'those long-haired Fabians' in Britain. The ex- pression caught on like a Churchillism and has been used on and off by political parrOts ever since. Whether Mr. Welensky (as he then was) thoUght it up for himself or not, the cliche was a masterpiece at the time. It immediately con- jured up a picture of eccentric Left-wing do- gooders, sitting snugly at home in England, Plotting the downfall of the white settler in Rhodesia by handing out universal franchise to the African masses.

After Federation became a fail accompli, Europeans in Northern Rhodesia, nourished on the long-haired Fabian' idea, constantly re- assured each other that although Federation had many disadvantages from Northern Rhodesia's Point of view, at least it was a protection against the possibility of their country being turned into another Gold Coast if Labour should get back into power in Britain. This conviction that the Labour Party would hand over the colony to the Africans, the minute it had a chance to do so, is the underlying reason why Northern Rhodesians, while grumbling bitterly about Federation, con- tinue to elect Sir Roy's Federal Party to power. Nyasaland Europeans, although they have more reasons to be satisfied with Federation than have Northern Rhodesians, entertain the same fear of a Labour Party Government in Britain; and as for Southern Rhodesians, who have been inde- pendent of the mother country for so long, they have always had qualms about having tied them- selves to two colonial territories which might at any time have interference from a Socialist Colonial Office.

Although Sir Roy returned from London in July last a chastened man, no longer demanding Dominion Status or blustering about 'going it alone' if thwarted too much by the British Government—and although, when asked on his return what he intended to do if Labour won the next British election, he replied meekly that he did not fear such a contingency, since Labour in power always acted with responsibility—other voices in the Federation have been far less soft- spoken. Less than two months ago, the Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, Sir Edgar Whitehead, said during the course of a speech in the Southern Rhodesia Parliament that there were difficulties ahead for that country 'if our bitter enemies are returned in the British general election.' Only the day before, large headlines appeared in a Northern Rhodesia newspaper: "OUR BRITISH ENEMIES WILL NOT DIS- POSSESS US OF OUR HOMES" (says Federal MP).' Both, politicians were speaking in debates on the 1960 Advisory Commission and both were referring to the British Labour Party. If the use of the word 'enemies' to describe an im- portant section of the British Parliament raised a few eyebrows, it certainly raised no murmur of protest from any corner of the Federation. As it happened, the Federal MP had been mis- quoted, due to his handing over his speech to the press in advance and then not sticking to it : in actual fact he did not use the word 'enemies,' but when the discrepancy between Hansard and the newspaper report was pointed out, neither he nor the editor considered it worth while pub- lishing a correction, since the MP insisted that that was what he had meant anyway. Some days later, in the same newspaper, the editor commented on the fact that the use of such a strong word had not given rise to any protests and opined that this was not surprising, since 'by every word and deed in recent months, certain,spokesmen of the British Labour Party have proved their enmity.'

It stands to reason that Labour Members of Parliament who visit the Federation on 'fact- finding' commissions are not the most welcome of guests in Federal European circles. The only visitors these Europeans really appreciate are those who exclaim enthusiastically at every turn at the wonderful economic progress being made in the Federation, gasp at the colossal Kariba Dam project, dine at Government House and tell the press that they think the wonderful new ex- periment in partnership is just great (but add a warning that it would be a mistake to go too fast, for after all the African is 2,000 years behind in civilisation and all that, and no one should expect miracles). Visiting Labour MPs, on the other hand, have an annoying tendency to look behind the facade and a disconcerting habit of consulting the African as to what he thinks about it all. They irritate the European by calling him a 'settler' and have been known to decline in- vitations to official bunfights in favour of keeping appointments with leaders of African Congresses.

By far the most notorious of these visitors in recent years is Mrs. Barbara Castle, who came 'to the Federation early in 1958. She was not in favour of the Northern territories seceding from the Federation at that time (though she has since changed her views and is now a keen secessionist) and spent many vain hours trying to persuade Nyasaland Africans that it was to their advan- tage for Nyasaland to stay within the Federation. All in all, her visit might have passed off quietly enough if she had not attempted to take Mr. Wellington Chirwa, a Nyasaland Member of the Federal Parliament, into Salisbury's famed Meikles Hotel for dinner, instead of being con- tent to talk with him in the confines of a parked car somewhere on the outskirts of Salisbury (a method which often has to be resorted to by visiting journalists who wish to interview Africans in Southern Rhodesia's colour-conscious capital where there are no multi-racial hotels). Although Mr. Chirwa was well-dressed, well-mannered, clean and educated (criteria laid down by those Europeans who like to insist that the hotel 'bar' is not a colour bar but a 'civilisation bar'), he was refused admission to Meikles' dining-room, and Mrs. Castle, in the Federation in her jour- nalistic capacity as well as that of an MP, very naturally did nothing to hush up the incident.

Rhodesians have never forgiven her. Her name became a household word throughout the Federation. Ordinarily mild, peace-loving white citizens would spit with rage and frustration at the very mention of it. Indignant letters about her poured into editorial offices. No woman has made herself so unpopular anywhere since Lady Docker was thrown out of Monaco.

An expensive Church of England prep. school in Southern Rhodesia, of very good repute, last Michaelmas-term had on show at its 'Open Day' a selection of letters written by the pupils of Standard V to Mrs. Barbara Castle.

Presumably only the best live or six had been posted—the rest were displayed for the delecta- tion of proud. parents. Most of the boys were sons of well-to-do farmers or businessmen and without doubt their letters reflected many of their parents' sentiments :

'Dear Barbara Castle,' they read, 'You should-not try to tell us how to treat our Natives. What about the riots in Notting Hill?'

'If we paid the Natives any more money, they would only spend it on beer;' They do not want to live in better houses because it would mean they would have to look after them. They like living in the bush:' 'They cannot expect to be our equals because even if they are educated they have a different mentality from us;' 'Some of them work well, but most of them are lazy. Others have bilharzia*;'

'My father is very good to his African boys but they are not grateful and they steal.'

These are only a few examples, but generally speaking the gist of all the letters was the same; and if they served no other purpose they proved that it might be as well if school authorities in- spected prospective English masters' politics as well as their credentials before turning them loose on the Federation's young.

Mr. Stonehouse fared no better than Mrs. Castle; indeed, was probably made to pay for some of her 'sins.' He was considered fortunate by many Europeans not to have been tarred and feathered when he was manhandled out of the Federation in February this year. Few Europeans had the vaguest notion what he had said to pre- cipitate his departure, but all Were adamant that he should not have said it. The very fact that he was a Labour MP was enough. 'About time, too,' was their reaction, `that'll teach them to come out here with their preconceived ideas, trying to stir up trouble.' Even when it was discovered that what Mr. Stonehouse had said was innocent enough and that he had been misinterpreted, neither sympathy nor apology was forthcoming from the white population. He had been trying to stir up trouble, hadn't he? Heaven knew the African was getting out of hand as it was, without people like Stonehouse coming out here and egging him on, The Nyasaland emergency, fol- lowing hot on the .heels of, though having no connection with, Mr. Stonehouse's deportation, only served to convince Europeans in the Federation that Labour MPs must be kept out of the way at all costs.

Mr. Fenner Brockway is another man whose name is anathema in Central Africa. He has not yet paid the Federation a visit, but this fact does not make him any more popular with its white inhabitants. The fact that he dares to express opinions on the Federation without so much as having set foot on its soil condemns him right away. So, whatever Labour M Ps who interest themselves in Central Afraican affairs do, it is bound to be wrong. If he stays at home, he doesn't know what he is talking about; and if he 'comes to see for himself, he brings his preconceived ideas with him and tries to incite the African to rebellion. They are Labour, and that is all that matters. They are 'Our enemies in Britain.'

For many reasons it would be most salutary if Labour were returned in this next election; one of them being that, then, they and the Cen- tral African settlers could get to know each other better, it would be a sorry day for the Federa- tion if its Europeans decided to treat the British Government as enemies, and it is highly likely that the idea would soon be dropped and a better understanding would exist all round. But whether I.abour tops the polls or not, something must be done to improve 'Labour-Settler' relations, for SO long as one section of the British public is regarded by one section of the Federal public as 'enemies,' simply because they are the friends of another section of the Federal public, race relations can never be happy. Applying the prin- ciple of 'Hale me, hate my dog,' it means that the Africans in the Federation are the 'enemies' of the Europeans, and a multi-racial State can never be built on such rotten foundations.

*A chronic disease caught from bathing in pools infested with a certain type of snail. One of the chief symptoms Of the disease is lethargy.