THE RACE PROBLEM.

Otago Witness, Issue 3764, 4 May 1926, Page 6

THE RACE PROBLEM.

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS EXAMINED. DR MOTT'S ' PRACTICAL PROGRAMME." It may well be doubted if any man living can speak on tile race problem with such wide first-hand experience and personal knowledge as Dr John R Mott. He made it the subject of a thoughtful and most informative address delivered in Knox Church on Wednesday. The address was given primarily lo the delegates to the New Zealand Missionary Conference at present being held here, but there wae a very large attendance of the public. Tile Rev Professor Hewitson, chairman of the Missionary Conference, presided. An opening devotional service was conducted by Bishop WestWatson. Dr Mott, after disclaiming ability to deal wnth this great problem wit*i any degree of adequacy, went on to point out that the race problem is one of world-wide interest and world-wide concern It is not. simply a national question, but one of the widest international implications. It was to-dav a vital issue on every continent with the possible exception of South America. There was a constant and growing mingling of peoples on both the higher and lower levels of life. A serious aspect of the matter was that wherever two or more races were brought into close contact, without the restraining influence of a power greater than human, demoralisation all too often followed. Something took place which tended |0 draw put the worst in each race, os well

as under superhuman influence the best. The deepest hell into which he had ever gazed had been in places where the races hod been thrown against each other without adequate restraint. The friction points between the races to-day were more numerous and also more inflamed than they were two decades ago. The whole world-wide situation might be characterised as one of distrust, irritation, and bitterness. Unmistakably there was a growing volume of racial fear throughout the world. The situation presented by the racial problem was indeed urgent. This was due to the greatly accelerated pace in the movements of mankind to the startling development of divisive influences among the nations and races, and to the rapid spread of the corrupt influences of so-called Western civilisation. The race problem was not without its inspiration. One ground of his confidence that the Christian forces were on the threshold of something far greater and more wonderful than they had ever known was the fact that they found themselves in the midst of such an overwhelmingly difficult and impossible situation. lie proceeded to indicate various solutions proposed and advocated. One might be characterised as that of domination or subjugation. Such an attempted solution would utterly fail because, in the light of nil experience, it would tend to aggravate rather than relieve the very difficulty they wished to overcome. Others had insisted on a policy of segregation. If history had taught anything, however, it had made clear that th.us far it had been impossible to segregate com- £ lately, and, therefore, effectively, any race. f that had been true in the past it was likely to be still more true in the period before them in view of the far more oomplex, japid and irresistible interaction

of peoples. While some nations, like America, Australia, and Canada, might have policies and legislation which prevented certain races from coming to them, they could not in this day of constantly improving communications, ot industrial and commercial expansion, and of multiplying contacts in other departments of life, keep the aggressive elements of their own race from going forth to other parts of the world and mingling with their peoples. Thus inevitably the pleas, idedls, habits, and tendencies of one race would be brought to bear upon those of other races Another proposed solution might be characterised as amalgamation. Here again the study of history and of present-da v experience would lend one rather to char acterise this as a policy of drift, or moving on lines of least resistance. Some voices were raising the question as to whether the world was not being driven to the conclusion that there must be a policy of federation of certain races, which would ultimately, for example, group the Orientals as against the Occidentals, or the whites as against the blacks, or the Jews as against the Gentiles In his judgment none of these solutions showed the pathway out of their difficulties. This reminded him of the other solution of the race problem mentioned to him by Sir Robert Hart in a memorable conversation which he had with him in Peking. His full answer was “a colossal military and naval establishment—so colossal that it would break down the socalled Powers of the world to maintain it, — or the spread of Christianity in its purest form.” He proceeded to outline certain of the principles and teachings of Jesus Christ, which, if applied to inter-racial relations, would, he believed, dissolve the race problem through flooding the world ineriasinjflj with good will and unselfish action.

First among these was the teaching of the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. The infinite value of each race was likewise pre-eminently a Christian conception as wo could clearly see in contrasting what Jesus taught and did with reference to so-called despised peoples with the attitude and action of the non-Christian ro ligions or of irreligion Yet another principle was that inequalities in races should not be made the occasion for domination or exploitation, but rather for the display of level justice, and, above all, for the rendering of service—service in particular by the strong or advanced races on helm If of the weak or backward races Another guiding principle was that the different races were members one of another, and, therefore, essential to each other. This alone, if applied, would soften racial asperities and usher in a new day. The Golden Rule, also, as the great international statesman, John Hay, insisted, was applicable between nations as oetween individuals. What religion save the Christian religion had commanded that we love our enemies? Without doubt this com mandment, if taken seriously and applied resolutely by the leaders and members of the different races, would dissolve the race problem. Pr Mott next outlined a practical working programme to which Christians might lend themselves in the interest of ensuring, through right racial relations, the gradual and ultimate solution of the racial problem: (1) Let “neh Christian leader and worker, such as those who were gathered there, seek to discover the mind of Christ on the subject of race relationships, and then make that mind his own. (2) Let them promote on every hand the serious study of the race problem. No subject called for more intense thinking, clearer thinking, and more unselfish thinking. Various effective methods of scientific study he illustrated, highly coinmending the work of the Institute of Pacific Relations held at Honolulu and New Zealand’s part in it. (3) They should further the holding of intimate inter-raeial conferences and retreats, with the racial problem definitely in mind. He had in mind carefully selected groups of influential Christians of the races concerned who would go apart to spend time in unhurried conference, in spiritual fellowship, and united intercession. (4) Steps should be taken to utilise more fully the opportunities presented at representative international and world conferences to further the important object they had in view. In some respects the conference of the World's Student Christian Federation, notably the one held recently at Peking. China, had lent themselves best to this purpose. -(5) They should introduce widely and stimulate the study of the most notable books bearing on race relations. The most valuable books for their purpose have been issued within recent years. (H) A most vital nob' not second in importance to any other was that each of them and each person whom they could enlist should seek to make personal friends of individuals of different races. (T) He emphasised and illustrated the tremendous value of having contacts with the home life of men of oilier races. This changed a man’s whole outlook, disposition, and feeling with reference to another race. They should perfect the programme of promoting friendly relations among foreign students. In his judgment, the campaign of friendship which nad, during the past 25 years, been conducted with growing efficiency by certain Christian student movements on behalf of foreign students who had come among them, had been the most hopeful single factor in all this period in furthering better permanent race rela-' tionships. The time had come when in a more statesmanlike way the loaders of the Christian thought of different races which impinge upon each other should seek to promote inter-raeial co-operation in counsel and in action. Here they had an instructive example in the results achieved in the Southern States of America within less than a decade by the Commission on Inter-Racial Co-operation. It was of fundamental importance that the Christian leaders of races especially concerned give more thought to the formation of right public opinion. In some way the collaboration of the press must be more intelligently and more largely enlisted, because the press to-day exerts such an enormous influence. The Christians should wage uncompromi-ing warfare against everything which experience showed tended to promote racial misunderstanding and strife. This included warfare not only against racial ignorance and prejudice, but also against all unjust or unequal racial arrangements, laws, and practices. By this time he thought they must all realise more fully than ever before the absolutely unique importance of the world-wide missionary movement with reference to the solution of the race problem How true it was that this vast, constructive, vital movement was in a position to illustrate and to give effect, as was no other agency, to such a programme as was there being outlined. The 30,000 Protestant foreign missionaries were one and all ambassadors as between the races, interpreters of the best traits of the races they represented and the races they served, and mediators in the deepest «pin til a 1 sense of promoting understanding, confidence, affection, and mutual service between those who may have misunderstood each other, being prejudiced against each other. All the members of this conference, and their colleagues to whom they were to return, were called upon in a day like this to become apostles of reconciliation. Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ only, could solve the race problem. For .some reason, however, which never failed to move them with awe. lie did not accomplish this wonder work apart from human instrumentality. Nevertheless, in the final analysis, it was He Who accomplished the miracle. By His Incarnation, by the allinclusiveness. or comprehension, of His Gospel and Kingdom by His breaking down the middle wall of partition on the Cross, opening the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers, by the world-wide sweep of His .Pentecostal programme, and by the witness and sacrificial working of His living body, the Church. He revealed Himself as the one through whom the unity of the human race was discovered and realised. Dr Mott at the close of the «erviee invited any students who intended to spend their lives in some kind of service in foreign lands to meet him for a few minutes.