The Daily News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1917. TRAMPLING ON PREJUDICE.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1917, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1917. TRAMPLING ON PREJUDICE.

Whatever we may dislike about the views of the Vorwaorts wo cannot bub admire the apt language in which those views are expressed. Recently that journal, in referring to the proposed preference to be accorded by Britain to the Dominions, said: "This does riot mean that free trade is dead, but it means that a procession is in process of formation which will accompany it to the grave.''' Those who are acquainted with the prolonged and bitter controversy in the Motherland over the question of free trade will recognise in the Vorwaerts' view of the forthcoming economic revolution an aptness of description that is beyond cavil. are one of those things that die hard, and the British prejudice against free trade and preference was one that, before the war, seemed to ibe unalterable. Another instance that can be cited ia the game laws, over which there was in years gone 'by much trouble and ill-feel-ing, yet they, too, have had to give way to the abnormal pressure of circumstances and tenant farmers have now the right to shoot pheasants on their holdings. But tho greatest of all prejudices that Aave been trampled upon during the war is that of employing colored troops against FAiropeans. Britain has used her native Indian solders, also New Zealand natives, in this war, and 'now that the principle has been accepted the question arises as to whether it should not be extended to the natives of South Africa. General Botha strongly advocates the despatch of the South African troops to Europe, and the proposal is supported by such high authorities in African affairs as Sir H. H. Johnston, Sir A. Baker, Sir Godfrey Langdon, General Smuts, and Commander Wedgwood, M.P., as well as a committtcc of the House of Commons and many responsible journals. There is no gainsaying the fact that there is a rooted British prejudice against having black | troops to fight with the whites, but there has never arisen such an emergency as the present struggle for national existence. Had our enemies conducted the war on civilised lines there would probably never have been any question of colored troops forming part of the Allies' forces, hut they proved barbarous and fiendishly cruel in their methods, so that there need be no scruples in allowing the dusky warriors of South Africa to fight under the British flag by virtue of their being a unit of the Empire. It is stated on reliable authority that it would be possible to obtain a million first-class, thoroughly reliable soldiers from the African continent—men of splendid physique sad fighting powers, who love fighting for its own sake, and have proved their courage and reliability on many occasions under British officers. These men belong to the class who never surrender; they always bring in their officers, dead or alive, and they march like Guards. What the Indian troops have done the natives of Africa can accomplish, and a million brave and resourceful men added to the Allies' forces at this critical stage of the war would be of incalculable advantage. They might at least be vised to operate against the Turks, for whom they would be most worthy opponents. Cqmmander Wedgwood has s,aid: "I have seen Senegalese drive fcaek Turk's with the bayonet; I have seen Algerians fighting the Germans in : French Flanders; ,1 have seen the English and, Gormaa ftskans fighting each

other in Africa, and I can say that the

record of the Indian troops on the Tigris stamps them as amongst the best troops in the world." The Germans have been fighting their African campaigns almost entirely witli black men. This is no time for keeping up old prejudices. The natives of South Africa are just as much a part of the Empire as those of India and New Zealand. The Allies have need of all the help that is available, and it would seem to be ab?urd to pass over the million first-class fighting men that can easily be raised in South Africa. One prejudice after another has had to be trampled on during Mi is great struggle, but the color prejudice has still to receive its quietus. If common sense prevails that is what will happen, for it would be no indignity to the Huns to have to contend against natives; rather would it be a fitting means of conveying to the war lords of Germany that as warriors the colored men of South Africa are gentlemen as compared with tho brutal and barbaric beings responsible for the outrages committed in the name of "Kultur."