Letters to the Editor
Capricorn Africa Thomas Fox Pitt
Edward Carpenter
Judas's Service Rev. J. K. NettlelPid 'Reason and Life' A. MacC. Armstrong Jacobean Intelligence Peter Quennell
Alan Hodge
Religious Tolerance A. B. D. Mayes
CAPRICORN AFRICA
SIR,—In your issue of March 23 you print an article by Colonel Stirling on the Capricorn Africa Society, and you say in your editorial, 'This in the long run is the best chance for Europeans, and for order, in Africa.' To all , Africans with whom I have discussed the Capricorn policy it has appeared to be designed to preserve European domination, but I do not think that this is the point which you intended to make. The policy is to be re-stated after at convention later this year. Perhaps in its final form it will seem fair to Africans, but the Society is distrusted by many Africans because of its support of Federation in Central Africa. If one considers African opinion as equal in importance to that of other people that is a serious handicap to start with. The partial acceptance of its policy of restricted franchise with multiple votes, in the form of the Coutts report, by the nominated African members of the Kenya Legislative Council, is no indication that it will satisfy African political opinion in general.
The alternative to the Capricorn scheme and other proposals for multi-racial government in which authority remains with the minorities out of proportion with their numbers, is government by Africans who have majorities of 95 to 98 per cent. of the populations. This need not mean disorder. Africans have a tradi- tion of democratic government and have shown that they are ready to accept modern Western democratic methods as better adapted than their own to a period of declining tribalism. There will be a place of respect and influence for Europeans and Asians whose work in developing the economic life of the country is appreciated by all Africans. That investors demand certain advantages is readily understood.
The leaders of African political thought are unlikely to endorse the Capricorn policy unless they sec that it lies in the line of development towards African government. If it appears to deviate from that line they will repudiate it and it will be valueless as a peaceful solution to the problem. The colonial governments have antagonised the African political societies with popular support and have driven them to extremes of opposition, but unless the leaders of these societies are present at the Capricorn Convention and agree to what is put in the Charter it will not be acceptable to
the majority. Before if is possible to estimate the value of the Convention or Charter, it will be necessary to know if the trusted leaders of the Africans are to be present and whether they have accepted what has been written in the Charter. It is not possible to overstress this point.—Yours faithfully, THOMAS FOX PITT
12 Kensington Court Place, W8
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