The Dominion. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1916. TO FREE THE FIGHTING MEN .

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2925, 10 November 1916, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 1916. TO FREE THE FIGHTING MEN .

Mk. Bonar Law, Secretary of State for the Colonies, replying in the House of Commons to Mr. Outhwaite's question relative to the employment of South African na-

I tives, seems not to have erred in the direction .of giving too much information. As cabled, his reply scarcely represents the situation with accuracy., Ibii're were no arrange- ; h.G feaid, for the employment of Soii'ch African natives by France, b.ufc a number had been recruited by , che _ British Government for service behind_ the lines. The truth is that a contingent of 10,000 natives has been, or is_ being, raised within the South African Union for work at different ports in France. The chief object is, 'of course, to free men from civil labour who are capable of taking their places in the ranks, and when this fact is kept in view it will be. realised that the dispatch of this powerful native contingent to Europe is an event of very great importance indeed. It may mean the beginning of a, new system: one that will immediately release thousands of soldiers for the fighting lines.. _ South Africa is capable of supplying, many contingents of natives for'..work, at ports, munition works, _ and behind the lines, and thus liberating men whose services are urgently needed elsewhere. Indeed, it is matter .for some surprise that the Imperial authorities have no.t before now taken advantage of this immense reservoir of native labour. In General Botha's brilliant campaign against the enemy in German South West Africa his success was undoubtedly facilitated by the corps of natives which accompanied his different armies, attending to transport and performing work which, without them, would have fallen to the lot of soldiers. In addition, an immense body of natives, working continuously, laid a railway across the.desert lands of the_ Cape into, German territory,; giving General Botha's forces in the _\Vest almost immediate connection with the railways of the Union. Those natives, in.short, did practically everything of . a, non-bel-ligerent character that had to' be done, leaving free every possible white soldier for th© firing line. In German East Africa General Smtjts's_ army is decidedly, polychromatic. It includes native troops from British East Africa, dark-skinned soldiers from the Punjab, English regulars, British and Dutch volunteers from South Africa, Cape boys, and'some thousands of natives from the Union. Again, the natives are attached mainly to the transport - section, though they strongly desiredto enlist as soldiers. A concession, however, was made by the raising of a battalion iof Cape Boys, who are half-castes, mostly from the Cape Province. They have proved themselves to bo excellently adapted for the warfare that has been going on in East Africa, and when the> Germans have been finally routed they will, it is announced, accompany, General Smuts and his victorious and interesting■ array to Europe. The natives of the Union have frequently appealed to the Government for liberty to enlist as soldiers. Within the Union thero are some 4,000,000 natives, and in South Africa, south of the Zambesi, a_ total of probably 10,000,000. There is. therefore, no lack of na- : tives. But according to the best ' South African opinion, we learn, a very small proportion of that vast number is adapted for civilised warfare. There are probably 2,500,000 natives and half-castes in |he Cape Province, and from among them, no mean force could bo raised. In the Cape the coloured population is, in the main, well advanced in civilisation. But the great bulk of the native pupulation of the Union is employable during the present Empire crisis only as workmen or in the performance of the multifarious duties which lie behind the lines. And for this class of work, they are described as, in every way, suitable. - The first contingent will consist of carefully chosen men, and will be under the direct control of Union officials who are familiar with the language and the customs of the natives. Native chaplains will be attached to each of the five battalions, and a fully equipped hospital is to be provided in Europe. .The presence of the chaplains indicates that those selected belong,.

to tho civilised section of the native population. Apart from the effect the employment of natives may have, in free-

ing thousands of effective soldiers for the fighting lines, thia particular departure has naturally created considerable interest in South Af-

rica. From a series of interviews with men of authority on native affairs published in tho Natal Mercury, we learn that, provided the proper class of native is recruited, no objections can be heard against, not one but several, contingents go-' ing to Europe. There are fears that the local labour supplies may suffer; but, on the other hand, the benefits that will result from the new system are expected to be many. Chief among the latter is the improved relations that should exist between,tho natives ancl the white population. Those relations are not always characterised by'an excess of harmony, and it is believed that, after the war, tho strongest negronhobe within the Union may have but kindly feelings for tho class which has rendered so great and valuable services for tho Empire. The thousands of natives when thley return, proud of their achievements, will enlighten their more backward brothers as to the wonders of the lands they have seen, and the might of the white people overseas. Theirs should be an influence ■ altogether salutary among the millions of natives in South Africa and assist greatly in securing peaoo and contentment in what of late ha& been a somewhat "distressful country." General Botha, it should be explained, two months ago,- transmitted a message for the natives through tho Union's district officers, expressing .his appreciation of tho good work whioh the natives I throughout South Africa performed, by furnishing' labour for the Union Forces. "You havo often expressed your great 'desire," continues the message, "to bo allowed to assist oversea, and at the request of His Majesty tho King's Government it has been arranged that a contingent of 10,000 workmen shoulcT proceed to Europe for labour service. The contingent will bo a military unit, un- v der military discipline, and will be employed on dock labour at French ports, and not in the fighting line."