MAN POWER FROM AFRICA.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 245, 26 January 1917, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAN POWER FROM AFRICA.

VAST FORCES AVAILABLE i-Wi WORK. MANY NON-COMBATANT DUTIES. ide.qnead interest has been created by the powerful plea for the utilisation of African labour for non-combatant service in France contained in the remarkable article published in tiie Daily Chioniele on October 27. The author of that article is a man with e.xten-ivo first-hand knowledge of Africa and is well-known a.; a fearless champion of the. native population. He is the last ptrson to propound a scheme that would be detrimental to the welfare of the native races. In fact, his ardent desire is to promote their interest!} by opening out to them opportunities of showing their devotion to the British Empire and displaying their capacity to serve it in this world-war for the rights of humanity. The attitude of the Briti-h Governirmt to the natives of Africa has been for many years sympathetic and j u.-t. No other great Power with |>a-.sessions in Africa has a recoid comparable to our own in the treatment of the natives, whether as regards protection for their personal liberties and their property rights cr respect for their customs and beliefs. 1 lie Imperial Government has regarded itself as a trustee for native rights and has jealously protected these agaii st encroachment. We have been singularly fortunate, tco, in that many of our African administrators have been distinguished by their eagerness to promote the weil-beiii<* cf the natives and ''J a genuine devotion to their interests. Bv the native African the names of men like Sir Harry Johnston, Sir Godfrey Lay-den, Sir Georga Denton. Loid Miiner, and Lord Selborne are remembered with gratitude, affection, and reaped.

OFFER* OF SMITH F. It. is no wonder. then. that since the outbreak of this tremendoiLs war relented oilers of service have been made to the Imperial Government bv native .Africans in every quarter of the continent, says the Chronicle. They wer? eager for the opportunity of tighling <>; i our side at a t i »:ie of nad for the Finpire of which they arc proud to form pert. The natives of Africa arc excellent military material. Thev are men of tine physique, with marvellous eye-ighf and an extraordinary capacity for endurance. Well trained and well fut they ■ n .ike tine soldier-. For many reasons. however, the J!iii-i-li Government is reluctant to u-e African natives a> combatants. That ino ju-tificatie.n for our not it ing them as iion-coi.jbat.ints. There is abundance of wo!k for them behind the lr«r!: line in France — a- road-maker.-., roadcleaners, railway builders. tnui-port-drivers, and in many ether eapacitirs.

Xo, when we aie seeking to tap i' r the army our rc-crves of manpower in this country, whv should we roi'u.-.' to avail ourselves of the vast ie-rvior of manhood in Africa? The native papulation under Ilriti-h control in Africa is estimated at l"..ii'"».i:(Hi. Compulsory military service or forced labour for th • adult males; of this population is not to be thought of: nor is it necessary. We could raise among them half a million sturdy men in .-i\ months by voluntary enlistment.

The War Office i-> -aid to be io experiment 011 a modest -cale in the 1 i--jn-r of a ii'.n-i -••nil-alaut coi 1 s in Atrica. This i> not a tini • for peddling 111 ca-aires, which wonl<l probablv be followed later b7 iii'l'itiou- -elieine-. that would colla p-e becau-e ade.|Uate preparation hid lie.; be. 11 made beforehand The W-*r Office .-liould aim at the oe:- >f at 1 iisino- a native Afiiean folic f' r non-com-batant service ol I'.-i.ti-Ml men. and the jirclimii'.aiy iiKa-iue- should be taken eceordinglv so as to ensure that 1 cmi-c-iderable" i)io|ortieu of the men wi.uld be available in";t -tiring. A hundred thousand black- 011 non-combatant work would free en almost (univalent number of white men fer the lighting line in 1017. .vwjkixc st i!t:mi To en-nre succ-e - anv schema for the crli-t'iient. and training of African 11.1ti\e- en a la'ji .-eale imi-1 be woi-k'"l out v.it'i th-uffhl and care from the outset. A eommittee ou<_'ht to 1 e tonne.l in London of expel iei-eed African adini 1-i-i.itor j . This would work ia eo-opcra-t ion with native chiefs and leaders • 1 alive opinion in Africa. l'lobnl'iv e.n rraiigcnie.it eoald be made villi our old \ 11v Port ileal to ship the rceiuit- to j |i it remit rv an-l 'jive them preliminary tiainiiig there, lint ; and .-ioampine.it - would have to b- erected in time to iv- , 1 jvc litem. Fioiii it- geographical -;t u:,ljon Portugal i- an admirable hall-vev lioii-e betweni Af: iea end the batti/.nlU 1 . F11I1!::' the Indian-, there is no • e .-v -1 e 111 among the \flieail-; tile 110 •- I 111 of their sii|,| iic- i- then f. to eae iiiv -implilied. Ilice ail ! l-nllv I-ei V"I,I> be th" ■ t.'ijde of tii die'. N• - «l« km 1•• > \ need be ai m 'hem! 1 on th ' -."•!»■ oi i.im-,r;|;,,-e I .11 "0 11M Ml 1 •I -of 1 '' " linde; -land linei i-h an I tl.ev won!, have cdit-al- d .r-n ; f ihc' ;v. u i ' II o;| -e- ill' lII' -i' 111 d ei.it er . '■ ■' " t lie llieiiiliel b '< ' •'■ " 'U" ! ■i ed thaw hit oi,i( 'i II has !e n -hev. „ that there are . >iv'.— of litaii-i'.-Wcl in l!i iii-i> \t :• ■ that thev et i:' Ibe danui tip "it., a. ;i',lvail(■•!?<> bv it- ill this "i^"' l "' and that bv n-itig theft behind

«Sfid4»?3sSn we could r< lea.-- fiom non-combntant work thousands of whit" nun who would be available for t-oint>at.> 111 >ervice. Uoiilv remain.- (or Iho <iovi i iimoiit to act. V hc.i it ;<i!> !« t it do ro with and judgment. I'oro.-ight and cue;l'v will be needed in th<* work of preliminary > :st ion. I lie -caudal.- of tiio training camp-. in the autumn and spring of 15)11-1), owing to tho defective arrangements made by tWar Oflitc. must not lie allowed to mm ur in the r<ciiiitm«'Ht- and training of black labour In fact, tin' African recruiting .scherno ought to bo fntiu.-ted not to militaiy moll, but. I<> addiiiii>trators and bu.-i!:c-a men. leaving to the soldiers only tiie ■work ol actual training. Properly worked, a scheme on tlie>o lines will place at Sir Douglas 11 jig's dicpo-al for auxiliary services in franco a great bodv of hard-working. willing, and vigorous men who would work with enthusiasm for the I'.mpire of which they are proud to be citizen*.