MUCH INTERESTED

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 60, 8 September 1931, Page 16

MUCH INTERESTED

FBANCE AND AFRICA

"SCORNFUL WHITES"

France is now beginning to take quite a keen interest in South Africa, and —a significant point—one of the largest French dailies, "Le Journal," has begun the publication, under the title of "In the Country of Gold and Diamonds," of articles on South Africa by its correspondent, Max Massct, says the "Cape Times" Paris correspondent. Tho French newspaper gives a. prominent place to this series. Apparently M. Massot visited every part of the Union, anil will give a detailed description of what lie saw. In his first two articles lie deals with his journey to South Afi.ea and describes Cape Town. He starts by quoting the quostionnaire of the immigration authorities. "The Anglo-Dutch whites desire to remain the master," remarks M. Masset, "and that is all there is to be said. That is the ono point upon which there is entire understanding between them." Seventeen days are required to get to this South African El Dorado, -ho continues. "Seventeen days of mint sauce, red currant jolly, solo a la banane, and 42 varieties of pudding help you largely to bear the journey. Ten lines by wireless on tho international situation and 50 on Charlie Chaplin's reflections on love and social questions —that's the daily liaison with the world." Cape Town reminds M. Masset of all the harbours of the world. "Fortunately," he remarks, "a few negroes are seen at various points, and in any case they prove that it is Africa." "A SALAD." M. Masset does not like the mixture of architectural styles in the centre of the city. "Tho people of Cape Town are very proud of their buildings," he says. "I would not like to disappoint them, as every builder has tried to do his best; but still, what :t salad of Tudor, Ilenry the Second, Elizabethan, Jacobean, Queen Anne, Pompadour and even Troubadour —without taking into account. Etruscan, Byzantine, Lombardian, Saxon, and Bavarian. "About 4 o'clock in the afternoon the people appear on tho streets. Amid the scornful whites —the gentlemen uniformly clad, in British suits and noble ladies with thinned oyebrowa who would be almost l'arisicnnes but for their excessive fondness for largo hats a la Eomuey—a crowd of coloured people circulates." M. Masset describes the iiitcr-raeial relations in Cape Town. They seem to puzzle tho Frenchman, who in North Africa would not mind taking a cup of coffee with an Arab or even a negro. He cannot understand why black policemen aro not'allowed to arrest a white thief. If M. Masset is rather critical of the city architecture, he is greatly delighted by the surroundings of Cape Town. "What men have spoiled in their city they havo quite restored iv their residential suburbs," 'io says. "Man knows how to oboy Nature! Home adoration has conquered official bad taste." The Marine drive recalls tho French Itivicra ro M. Masset.