M.P. reports on tour of Rhodesia and Nyasaland

FUTURE OF CHURCH IS AT STAKE
"NTOT only the normally accepted standards of
" western civilisation are at stake in central Africa but also the future of the Church itself," writes Major Patrick Wall, Conservative M.P. for IIaltemprice, in an exclusive comment for the CATHOLIC HERALD on his recent visit to Rhodesia and Nyasaland.
The political future of these territories has been discussed in London at the constitutional conferences which are to be resumed in the New Year. Major Wall writes:
All liberal-minded people— and, one likes to think, particularly Catholics — have opposed the racial discrimination which has existed in the Federation and particularly in Southern Rhodesia. They have felt that partnership, if it is to mean anything, must eventually become a partnership of equals.
Slow start
The Federation got off to a slow start, but I do not believe that the Catholic press -and indeed Catholics in this country — have appreciated the rate at which discriminatory legislation has been modified or abolished during the past two years.
In Southern Rhodesia, the Land Apportionment Act is being amended; the trade unions have become non-racial; and Africans are to he admitted for the first time to Parliament at the next General Election. I was recently assured that all discriminatory legislation, other than that dealing with native law and custom. would be repealed or amended within the next 18 months.
Unfortunately, during my recent visit to the Federation 1 found that Africans in Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland were no longer interested in the concept of partnership, and indeed even those in Southern Rhodesia were now talking .in terms of domination.
The Europeans can be criticised for starting too late and for moving too slowly, but it is now the Africans who want to move too far and too fast. "One man, one vote" may be a just aim. but its achievement in the immediate future, particularly in Southern Rhodesia, would bring chaos.
There are, however, encouraging signs that an African middle class with a real stake in the country is emerging. particularly in Southern Rhodesia and on the Northern Rhodesian Copperbelt, where a number of Africans now earn between £600 and £800 a year.
These Africans naturally want a greater say in the government of their country, but they realise that progress must be comparatively slow if stability and, above all, the confidence of foreign investors are to be maintained.
Frightening
What 1 found really frightening in the Federation was what was virtually a complete cessation of all business activity. This will inevitably have a serious effect on the economy of the country and the main sufferers will be the Africans.
Unless confidence can be restored and investment continued, it will be impossible to educate the African peoples for them to be able to play their full part in the destiny of their country.
African tribal life has always tended to be authoritarian, and the western type of democracy is not yet understood by the masses of the people. A few of the leaders, however, arc coming to realise that they can manipulate democratic ideas in order to obtain power, irrespective of the wishes and the good of the masses.
Intimidation, which has always been a factor in tribal life, is becoming, particularly in Nyasaland, both open and widespread, and this is bringing the whole system of law and order into contempt. People are being carried away by their emotions and even the Churches are now under attack. Because missionaries condemn intimidation and try to show that politics are subject to the moral law, they are condemned by African nationalists.
`God-given'
A , whole issue of "Malawi News", the official publication of Dr. Banda's party in Nyasaland, was devoted to attacking the Catholic Church; and even in Southern Rhodesia a recent issue of the official publication of the National Democratic Party contained an article which concluded with the following sentences: "We shall not tolerate white supremacy at any cost, for our goal is the establishment of Christ's version of equality and the recognition of the God-given principle of 'One Man One Vote'!
" Do you realise, brethren, that, unless your teaching is in line with our National aspirations, your version of Christianity will never take root? Your seed will fall on a solid rock and we shall fight resolutely to destroy it and establish a correct version instead. Either you are with us or against us!"