RACE QUESTION

Hokitika Guardian, 14 October 1933, Page 7

RACE QUESTION

AFRICAN PROBLEM

VIEWS OF GENERAL SMUTS

CAPETOWN, October 7

General Smuts, who .arrived at Nairobi, Kenya, by air on August 29, on his way back to South Africa from London, discussed with the Times corr croon dent the scheme for a comprehensive survey of conditions throughout Africa which ho had wished for several years and had now been made possible by grants promised from the Rockefeller Trust.

“I am struck very much,” said General Smuts, “by the differences in native policies 'pursued by 'various countries on the' Arriban continent. These different policies may in the end lead to conflicting development and certainly cannot be in the interest? of the native peoples of Africa as a whole. Cannot we work out on a purely objective scientific basis, apart from party prejudices, what policy would he best in the interests of both white and black?

General Smuts said that a group had been 'formed which would fiend out officers uninterested in .politics to study the whole questions iin collaboration wjth the various Governments. He ■added:—“We shall have it set going by people who are neither pro-white nor pro-native. They will try to coordinate policies and shape ;a .policy that .will 'be useful for our guidance in what is going to be o«e of the outstanding problems of the 20th century —the whole problem of Africa, the African and white settlement. Take Kenya. You have problems here ; the r e is a conflict of opinion which Will be ■all over Africa in .a few years. Let us get some guidance.” After expressing his convict ion that the native could not fuilly develop without the help of the .white settlers, General Smuts referred to local controversies, and urged the people to remember .that there was gcod will on both sides, both in Africa and at home. All the Dominions had experienced similar difficulties, but in the end had hammered out a line of conduct mutually satisfying and settled down •to work together, and he. w.as sure that would be the position in Kenya.