The Life and Struggles of Negro Toilers

7/27/2019 The Life and Struggles of Negro Toilers

1/94

George Padmore

The Life and Struggles of Negro Toilers

1931

First published: by the Red International of Labour of Unions Magaine for the International !radeUnion "ommittee of #egro $or%ers& London& 1931'(our)e: Maoist Internationalist Mo*ement+
http://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/countries/panafrican/1931padmore.htmlhttp://www.etext.org/Politics/MIM/countries/panafrican/1931padmore.html


2/94

Index

Introdu)tion

Part 1

1' ,ppression of #egro !oilers -.fri)a/

I'0ritish (outh .fri)aII'0ritish ast .fri)aIII'0ritish $est .fri)aI2'Fren)h .fri)a2'0elgian .fri)a2I'Portuguese .fri)a2II'(panish and Italian .fri)a

' 0la)% (la*es in the #e4 $orld

I'!he United (tates of .meri)aII'!he $est IndiesIII'Latin .meri)a

3' Under the 5o%e of 5an%ee Imperialism

I'6aitiII'Liberia

III'(an 7omingoI2'.byssinia

Part '

8' !he .4a%ening of #egro !oilers

I'(outh .fri)aII'ast .fri)aIII'$est .fri)aI2'!he "ongo !erritories

2'6aiti2I'$est Indies2II'!he United (tates

' 0la)% (oldiers of Imperialism

I'!he $ar 7angerII',rigin of the Fren)h .fri)an .rmyIII'0ritish "olonial !roopsI2'#egro !roops of the U'('.'2'!he "ongo .rmy

' Re*olutionary Perspe)ti*es
http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/introduction.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s5http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s6http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s7http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch02.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch02.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch03.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch03.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch04.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch04.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s5http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s6http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s7http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch05.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch05.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s5http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch06.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/introduction.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s5http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s6http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s7http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch02.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch02.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch03.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch03.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch04.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch04.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s5http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s6http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s7http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch05.htmhttp://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch05.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s3http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s4http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch01.htm#s5http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch06.htm


3/94

I'Role of the R'I'L'U' in the (truggles of the #egro $or%ersII'$hat Must 0e 7one;
http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch06.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch06.htm#s2http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch06.htm#s1http://www.marxists.org/archive/padmore/1931/negro-toilers/ch06.htm#s2


4/94

Part 1.

1. The Oppression of Negro Toilers (Africa)

$ith the e$est.fri)a -a mandate under the Union Go*ernment/& all of 4hi)h )o*er an area about half the sie ofurope' The Union of South Africais the most important se)tion in this part of the )ontinent' It has anarea of 8?1&91? s@uare miles and is made up of four pro*in)es: "ape "olony& #atal& !rans*aal and,range Free (tate' !he population& a))ording to the )ensus of 191& 4as estimated at 1&19&8AA 4hites

and &8B9&19 non>4hites' ,f these non>uropeans there are 8&9?&A13 0antu nati*es& 1&?31 .siati)s-mostly ast Indians/ and 8&8A people of milabour and ra)ial la4s'

Land Robbery

!heReserve Systemis the poli)y 4hereby all of the best lands ha*e been ta%en a4ay from the nati*esand turned o*er to 4hite farmers' !he nati*es are then gathered together on tra)ts of unfertile territoryspe)ially reser*ed for them' 0e)ause of the unprodu)ti*e )hara)ter of the land they are unable to

produ)e enough food to feed themsel*es& and therefore they are for)ed to go and 4or% for the uropeanfarmers and industrialists'

!he uropean population of 1C million o4ns more than AB per )ent' of the land in the Union' !he nati*epopulation of C million o4ns less than B per )ent'& the reser*es s)heduled under theNative Land Actof 1913 being little more than 1C per )ent' of the total'


5/94

!heNative Land Actof 1913 had as its obDe)t to preser*e the former status pending further legislation&4ith the promise that additional land for nati*es 4ould be forth)oming' !his promise has not yet beenfulfilled' Pur)hase by nati*es& e*en in )ertain reser*ed areas& is allo4ed only by spe)ial permission ofthe Go*ernment' . spe)ial disability is that& o4ing to the restri)ted area in 4hi)h pur)hase is e*en

possible& pri)es are fre@uently raised against nati*es' Many o4ners 4illing to sell hold on until they get

their pri)e& %no4ing that nati*es )annot obtain land else4here'

In spite of statements to the )ontrary& figures sho4 that european/ = 3'3' in thenanda !istrict& 1B'

-c/ In the "len "rey !istrict of the Cape& 4hi)h is sur*eyed and 4hi)h )ontains A&BBB allotments& there4as in 19 a 4aiting list of about 8&BBB landless nati*es' (ome of these are no4 pro*ided for& and are

paying a @uit>rent high enough to )o*er amortisation of a pur)hase pri)e rendered notoriously high byfarmers 4ho 4ere able to hold out for their o4n pri)e'

-d/ Transvaal Native Areas= ?B to 9B per s@uare mile'

-e/ The #ran$e %ree Statepro*ides 88'3 s@uare miles for a nati*e population of 88B&BBB in 19& of

4hom far too many e


6/94

them to ma%e su)h terms and absolutely refuse to gi*e effe)t to the )ontra)t' !his often leads to )riminala)tion& 4ith the result that nati*es are either imprisoned or e*i)ted from the farms'

!he tenden)y is for these la4s to be stiffened in their a)tion against the nati*e' For instan)e:

-1/ In 19 the Es@uatter 4as brought e*en more under E)ontrol by being made a Eser*ant'

-/ . ne4 0ill designed by the Minister for usti)e Eproposes to add the possibility of lashes to fine orimprisonment as a punishment for brea)h of )ontra)t by a nati*e'

0e)ause of the )ongestion of the Reser*es 4hi)h adds to the famine )ondition al4ays pre*alentthousands of bla)%s are for)ed to also migrate into industrial )entres in order to find employment'

Industrial Exploitation

!he follo4ing figures gi*e an estimate of the number of bla)% and 4hite 4or%ers engaged in the basi)industries in 19?:

)hites* Blacks*

-1/ Gold 1&98 199&1

-/ 7iamond 18&3A B&91A

-3/ "oal 1&?88 88&B?9

-8/ le)tri) Po4er "o' 91?&91? 3&B

.))ording to the ohannesburg oint "oun)il& Ethese urbanised industrial nati*es are go*erned by the(asters and Servants La&4hi)h& in the !rans*aal& is fifty years old'

Under this la4 brea)h of )ontra)t of ser*i)e is a )riminal offen)e for the nati*e 4or%er& but not for theuropean employer'

.nother la4 %no4n as the Colour Bar Act-Mines and $or%s .)t -1911/& .mendment .)t -19// gi*espo4er to )lose s%illed o))upation to nati*es' Its de)lared purpose is the segregation of nati*es inReser*es' -From B to ?B per )ent' of the adult male population of the Reser*es& and an in)reasingnumber of the 4omen& are ne)essarily a4ay from home at 4or% for si< or nine months per annum'/ !hegeneral effe)t of the .)t is to destroy all hope for the nati*e to ad*an)e beyond menial labour& 4hate*erhis )apa)ities may be& and to dis)ourage the training of nati*e labourers by employers'

Pass>bearing nati*es -i'e'& the *ast maDority of the 4or%ers/ are e


7/94

eli%e barra)%s %no4n as Compounds' !hese Compoundsare %ept in the most filthy andinsanitary )ondition& 4hi)h& added to the bad food& mostly maie 4ith salt& supplied the men& )ontribute

largely to tuber)ulosis and other so)ial and industrial diseases' . fe4 years ago the )onditions 4ere soa4ful that the death rate 4as europeans there 4ere 1&B?? births and 8&19 deaths'In some industrial areas the nati*e infantile death rate is ?B per thousand' !hese *ital statisti)s areli*ing indi)ations of the differen)e in the standards of li*ing 4hi)h e$estern part of "ape Pro*in)e the labour supply 4asinade@uate& due to the 4holesale migration of nati*es& 4ho 4ere running a4ay from the brutalrationalisation methods to 4hi)h they are being subDe)ted in the industries in this part of the )ountry' In*ie4 of this the )ommittee re)ommended that immediate steps be ta%en to pre*ent the nati*es fromrunning a4ay and to supply the demands of the mining )ompanies& 4hi)h re@uire a labour for)e of about3BB&BBB nati*e miners' !here are only 19B&BBB su)h miners in the $it4atersrand mining distri)t' For the

purpose of )omplying 4ith the demands of the mine>o4ners& the Go*ernment is ta%ing a)ti*e steps tofor)e the nati*es to remain in the mining areas' !his is being done by re>ena)ting *arious anti>labourla4s and in)reasing ta


8/94

-/ Travellin$ ,ass' "arried by all male nati*es 4ishing to tra*el+ in the )ase of rail a nati*e has toprodu)e this pass before a ti)%et is issued to him' "ertain ti)%et issuers 4ill demand also his poll>taJ#ati*e Problem in .fri)a' 2ol' I'& p' 338/'

In summarising the nati*e problem in enya 4e see that the bla)% toilers are under obligation by la4 toperform t4o duties: -1/ pay ta


14/94

In uly& 193B& delegates representing *arious asso)iations of employers met at itali in enya andappro*ed the resolution fi


15/94

Political Domination

Politi)ally& the administration of 0ritish $est .fri)a is in the hands of some &BBB nglish offi)ials&4ho rule dire)tly& and in some instan)es indire)tly -as in the )ase of #orthern #igeria/& through nati*e)hiefs and petty bla)% offi)ials' !he system of go*ernment pre*ailing throughout 0ritish $est .fri)a

)an be pla)ed under t4o heads: ;a< Cro&n Colony& and ;b< ,rotectorate'

Under the former the legislati*e and efeudal and other rea)tionary elements'


16/94

!he prin)ipal fun)tions 4hi)h the nati*e )hiefs perform at present are those of labour re)ruiting agentsand ta< gatherers' $hene*er there is a shortage of labour the foreign plantation o4ners and mining)ompanies& as 4ell as (tate 7epartments a)ting through the pro*in)ial go*ernments& order the )hiefs to

pro*ide the re@uired @uota of labourers' !han%s to the tribal institutions of the $est .fri)an peoples&4hi)h generally )onferred all so*ereign po4er of the tribe in the person of the )hiefs& and as su)h made

them the )ustodians of all lands& they& espe)ially in #igeria and the Gold "oast& are still in a position to4ield a great amount of influen)e o*er the broad masses' !hese renegades esu)%ers ebodied men are used by the Go*ernment& for )onstru)tingroads& bridges and rail4ays' .ll the railroads of $est .fri)a are built& o4ned and operated by the

Go*ernment& 4hi)h pays its labourers on the a*erage of B )ents per day' 0esides these 4or%ers thereare some 3B&BBB miners employed by the #igerian Go*ernment in 4or%ing its )oal mines' !hey get )ents for underground 4or% and 1A )ents for surfa)e 4or%' #ati*e labour is also largely used for

porterage' It has been estimated that o*er A&BBB porters& as 4ell as B&BBB )oolie>labourers& are in theGo*ernments ser*i)e in (outhern #igeria' Large )ontingents of porters are also employed in theProte)torate of (ierra Leone& and Gambia& 4here railroad and motor transportation is still in a ba)%4ard)ondition' Porterage is one of the most de*italising forms of human e)o*ered roads'

-b/,rivate Use' !he follo4ing inter*ie4 of a #igerian mine>o4ner& 4hi)h appeared in the Dournal&E$est .fri)a& gi*es a )lear>)ut pi)ture of the poli)y of the 0ritish imperialists to4ards nati*e labour for

pri*ate use' E!hey -the nati*es/ are ta


17/94

produ)e' !he Go*ernment is )ertainly doing all it )an reasonably be eGore& formerParliamentary Under>(e)retary for the "olonies& 4ho& 4riting on the @uestion of for)ed labour in the0ritish $est .fri)an "olonies& states E!he supply of *oluntary labour for the latter purpose -road andrail4ay )onstru)tion/ has al4ays pro*ed inade@uate in #igeria& and re)ourse is had to )ompulsory orNenlisted = sometimes )alled politi)al = labour for these essential publi) 4or%s and ser*i)es' .ll the

rail4ays and most of the roads in #igeria ha*e in*ol*ed the use of this )ompulsory labour'


18/94

7omesti) sla*ery e)apital in agri)ulture& is )reatinguni*ersal pauperisation of the peasantry' !housands of peasant produ)ers ha*e already abandoned theirfarms 4ithout any means of li*elihood' If 4e ta%e the "onditions of the Gambian farmer to illustrate the

point& 4e at ,n)e see the desperate e)onomi) position of these .fri)ans' !he a*erage peasant )ulti*ates1 to tons of ground nuts per year& 4hi)h fet)h K per ton on the lo)al mar%et& thus ma%ing a totalin)ome K? 1Bs'& 4hile his li*ing e


19/94

peasant 4omen made an atta)% on the 0ritish ban% and trading )ompanies in the south>eastern pro*in)eof that )ountry'

IV. French Africa

!he Fren)h possessions in 0la)% .fri)a are:

-1/%rench 0=uatorial Africa& )ommonly %no4n as%rench Con$o' !his )omprises one of the largest)olonial possessions of Fren)h imperialism' It )o*ers an area of 9?&3 s@uare miles 4ith a populationof 3&1?&?B? -)ensus 19/' !he uropeans number about &B' !hese are largely politi)aladministrators& soldiers& missionaries and representati*es of mining& agri)ultural and other )ommer)ialinterests of the Fren)h bourgeoisie'

!he territory 4as di*ided into three )olonies up to 1919'

P,PUL.!I,#'

ColoniesArea

s=2 miles(en )omen Boys "irls Total

-1/ Middle "ongo 1B&331 1&B3 1&88? 11A&A 1B&8B9 9A&?3

-/ Ubangi>(hari B?&99? 3B&ABB 3??&98 1?8&389 13&?B1 1&B&888

-3/ Gabum 11&A93 1&A8B 11&3AA 1&8 89&18? 3AA&A99

In 19B the "had !erritory& 4hi)h 4as formerly a part of Ubangi>(hari& 4as made a separate )olony' It)o*ers an area of 89&818 s@uare miles and has a population of 93&11 nati*es& )omposed of thefollo4ing: men& 331&B11+ 4omen& 31?&9+ boys& 11&891+ and girls& 1A&AB'

!he prin)ipal to4ns of Fren)h @uatorial .fri)a are Libre*ille in Gabun& 0raa*ille in Middle "ongo&0angui in Ugangi>(hari and Fort>Lany in "had'

Administration' !he entire @uatorial region is under the administration of a Go*ernor>General& assistedby a se)retary>general and a )oun)il' !he Go*ernment has its head@uarters at 0raa*ille' a)h of thefour )olonies des)ribed abo*e is under the dire)t super*ision of a Lieutenant>Go*ernor& 4ho hasfinan)ial and administrati*e autonomy o*er the )olony of 4hi)h he is in )harge' !he Lieutenant>Go*ernors are all dire)tly responsible to the Go*ernor>General of the entire territory'

-/%rench 0ast Africa' !he Fren)h possessions of ast .fri)a are:

-a/ The sland of (ada$ascar& 4hi)h )o*ers an area of 81&B98 s@uare miles 4ith a population of3&1&8' !his in)ludes the inhabitants of the islands of Mayotte and "omoro& t4o other possessionsunder the domination of Fran)e' !he ra)ial )omposition of the population is made up as follo4s: 1A&B8BFren)h+ 11&39 uropeans other than Fren)h+ 3&91&983 Malagasy nati*es' ,f the nati*e population in19& 1&B8&1B9 4ere males+ 1&1??&? females+ 1&3?8& )hildren under the age of 1'

Administration'(ada$ascaris ruled by a Go*ernor>General& together 4ith an e)onomi) and finan)ial)oun)il& )omposed of 8 Fren)h and an e@ual number of nati*es' !he Fren)h members are therepresentati*es of )ommer)ial& agri)ultural and industrial )ompanies 4ith interest in the islands& 4hile

the nati*e members are the representati*es of the )hiefs of the *illages& 4ho ele)t them to the )oun)il'


20/94

-b/(ayotte and Camoro slands' !hese ha*e a )ombined population of 119&3B& in)luding AB8uropeans' Mayotte alone )o*ers an area of 18B s@uare miles and has a population of 1&?8 -"ensus19/'

-c/Reunion' !his island has been in the possession of Fran)e sin)e 183' It )o*ers an area of 9?B&BBB

s@uare miles and has a population of 1A&3?& of 4hi)h 1AB&98 are Fren)h& A ast Indians& 1&93nati*es of Madagas)ar& 1& "hinese and 811 #egroes'

!he administration is in the hands of a Go*ernor& assisted by a pri*y )oun)il and an ele)ted )ounsel>general' !he island is also represented in the Fren)h parliament by a senator and t4o deputies'

-d/%rench Somaliland' !his is on the .fri)an mainland bet4een the Italian )olony of ritrea and 0ritish(omaliland& in the north>east of the )ontinent' It has an area of &?9B s@uare miles and a population of&B9& the maDority of 4hom are #egroes' In 7Dibouti& the seat of Go*ernment& the population is A&3&of 4hom 38 are uropeans -19B Fren)h/ 3&8A 0la)% (omalis and 3A (udanese& 3 ast Indians& 1B9e4s& 3&33 .rabs and BA 7ona%ils' !he total non>uropean population is about A&B1'

Administration' !he territory is administrated by a Go*ernor& assisted by a )oun)il'

-3/%rench )est Africa' !he Fren)h $est .fri)an possessions are as follo4s:

P,PUL.!I,# 19

Area UR,P.#(

Colonies s=2 miles %rench %orei$n Natives Total

-a/ (enegal ?8&11 33B&B? 1&93 1&3B3&3? 1&?19&399

-b/ "uinea A9&83 1&13 1&1? &B93&? &1A&88

-c/ I*ory "oast 11&9B 1&81B B8 1&?&931 1&A8&13-d/ 7ahomey 81&3B ?3 18? 9?A&? 1&BB&911

-e/ Fren)h (udan B&331 1&83 33 &33&13 &99&A3

-f/ Upper 2olta 18&AB 3AA 3? 3&9&? 3&8B&9?

-$/ Mauritania 18&8BB 1?A 1B1 AA&9B 883&A8

-h/ #iger 83&BB 3 ? 1&1A&8? 1&A1&91?

-i/ 7a%ar and7ependen)ies

= &8AA ?1A 3&98 8B&1

!otal 1&8?&191 33A&B99 8&?B 13&&1 1&33&??

Administration' .ll of the abo*e territories are administrated as a single politi)al unit under a Go*ernor>General& assisted by a )oun)il' !he Go*ernment has its head@uarters at 7a%ar' a)h of the )olonies isunder the dire)t super*ision of a Lieutenant>Go*ernor& 4ho is responsible to the Go*ernor>General'(trong military for)es are maintained throughout the territory' .t present there are about 1&BBB nati*esand 3&BBB uropean soldiers& together 4ith an armed poli)e for)e of &BBB'

-8/ Mandated !erritories' !he former German )olonies in "entral and ast .fri)a 4hi)h 4ere )apturedduring the 4ar and pla)ed under "lass " mandates by the League of #ations ga*e Fran)e the larger

portions of !ogoland and "ameroon' !he other portions of these )olonies 4ere assigned to Great0ritain'

-a/%rench To$olandlies bet4een the 0ritish )olony of Gold "oast on the $est and the Fren)h )olonyof I*ory "oast on the ast' !he total area of the entire territory of !ogoland is 33&?BB s@uare miles'


21/94

Fran)e administers t4o>thirds or 1&A93 s@uare miles of this territory' !he entire population is about?&BA& of 4hi)h number 8 are uropeans'

-b/%rench Cameroon' !he Fren)h portion of "ameroon )o*ers an area 1&8A9 s@uare miles' !hepopulation is 1&A?8&A3& of 4hom 8?&381 are men& 9B&A 4omen& and 8A&AA )hildren' !he

uropeans number 1&?B of 4hom 1&33 are Fren)h )itiens'

Labour Conditions

#o4 that 4e ha*e des)ribed the distribution of the Fren)h )olonial empire in .fri)a& it is ne)essary forus to eprodu)ed )ommodities of the Fren)h industries -/ the )reation ofgreater opportunities for the in*estments of Fren)h finan)e>)apital& and -3/ to in)rease the )ulti*ation of)ertain agrarian produ)ts in order to ma%e Fran)e independent of other ra4 produ)ing )ountries'"oupled 4ith this e)onomi) fa)tor& is the military' $e shall attempt to sho4 that in both these respe)ts =e)onomi) and politi)al = Fren)h imperialism has subDe)ted the bla)% population in its territories in themost brutal form'

Land Robbery and Taxation

In order to )arry out its E)i*ilising mission t4o methods are applied by Fren)h imperialism: -1/eto pro*ide these plantations 4ith )heap labour'

!he 4or%ers that are assigned to the plantations are organised into s@uads and sent into the forest to)olle)t rubber& monio) and other produ)e& for 4hi)h they are paid at the rate of four and fi*e fran)s permonth' a)h 4or%er is allotted a )ertain tas% and failure to a))omplish this 4ithin a spe)ified period oftime means flogging and sometimes death& for the li*es of the .fri)ans ar) entirely in the hands of theuropean o*erseers'

In those regions of $est .fri)a 4here the )limate ser*es as a barrier for permanent )olonisation of theagents of Fren)h imperialism& the plantation system gi*es 4ay to peasant produ)tion' !his& ho4e*er&

does not pre*ent the Fren)h imperialists from robbing the nati*es' !his is a))omplished throughta


22/94

thousands of nati*es toiling under the most de*italising tropi)al 4eather& hot sun or hea*y rains& andstanding o*er them armed guards 4ith 4hips made of animal hide'

Economic Exploitation

It has been estimated that the Fren)h )olonial mining )ompanies produ)e minerals *alued at more than1BB million fran)s a year' Fran)e gets from her )olonial mines about 1B per )ent' of her 4hole

produ)tion' 9B per )ent' of this amount )omes from #orth .fri)a and Indo>"hina' Fren)h $est .fri)ane*ertheless possesses a tremendous abundan)e of mineral 4ealth' (o in order to de*elop theseresour)es the Fren)h Minister for the "olonies has embar%ed upon a ne4 poli)y in $est .fri)a' In orderto indu)e the Fren)h ban%ers to in*est their money in the de*elopment of the mineral resour)es of the@uatorial region the Go*ernment has pledged itself to underta%e the re)ruiting of labour by its o4nagents so as to supply the *arious )on)essions held by the Fren)h )ompanies' ,n an a*erage bet4eenABB and 1&BBB 4or%ers are deli*ered to the )ompanies e*ery month' !han%s to this assistan)e by the(tate the Fren)h )ompanies& despite the present 4orld )risis& are able to de)lare millions of fran)s profite*ery year' For e)apital is rapidly pouring into the de*elopment of railroad )onstru)tion in Fren)h @uatorialand $est .fri)a' !he railroad de*elopment in these )ountries is being pushed for4ard 4ith phenomenalrapidity' !he e)onomi) reasons for this ha*e already been enumerated abo*e' 6o4e*er& it is ne)essary toemphasise the military aspe)t of these underta%ings& be)ause it sho4s the 4or%ers in Fran)e& as 4ell asthe bla)%s in .fri)a and the entire international proletariat& the imminen)e of another imperialist 4ar&and a 4ar against the (o*iet Union' $hat do the a)ts in .fri)a sho4; Four missions ha*e re)ently

)arried out in*estigations on the possibilities of )onstru)ting a great railroad a)ross the (ahara& from.lgeria on the Mediterranean to the #iger Ri*er in @uatorial .fri)a' $ith the )ompletion of su)h arailroad the report submitted to the Minister for the "olonies points out that half a million bla)% soldiers)ould be transported @ui)%ly to the Mediterranean for ser*i)e in urope in the e*ent of 4ar or a

proletarian re*olution in Fran)e' !he "ommission further pointed out that the route to be underta%enshould be o*er the 4estern route be)ause it 4as )heaper than the )entral and eastern s)hemes earlier

proposed' !he )ost 4ill be from 3&1AB million to 8&1A million Fren)h fran)s' !he rail4ay should bebuilt and 4or%ed by the "onipagnie #ationale du "hemin de fer E!rans>(aharien& of 4hi)h the Fren)h(tate& the Fren)h .fri)an )olonies& the Fren)h rail4ay and steamship )ompanies& the #orth .fri)anRail4ays should be the shareholders for one>third& and the publi) the remainder' !he "ompanys )apitalshould amount to 1B million fran)s and 8 per )ent' bonds should be issued& guaranteed by the Fren)h

(tate'


23/94

.))ording to the Paris!epeche Coloniale et (aritime& M' 7oumergue& the Fren)h President -and aformer "olonial Minister/ deli*ered at .lgiers& during his *isit in 193B& a spee)h foreshado4ing the)onstru)tion of the E!rans>(ahara Rail4ay in the near future'

The !epeche Coloniale et (aritimeEatta)hes mu)h importan)e to this statement'

Furthermore& it is no a))ident that this !rans>(ahara railroad proDe)t 4as inaugurated by !ardieu at thetime 4hen he 4as Minister of Publi) $or%s' !oday this fas)ist minister o))upies the Premiership& in4hi)h )apa)ity he has assured his imperialist masters that no stone 4ill be left unturned to push for4ardthe railroad plans'

.nother important railroad proDe)t re)ently )arried out by Fren)h imperialism is the building of the"ongo>.tlanti) railroad from 0raa*ille to Pointe #oire' In order to a))omplish this proDe)t thousandsof nati*es are being for)ed into ser*i)e& hundreds of miles a4ay from their homes' !he line is B%ilometres and 4ill "ost 1 milliard fran)s'

!his is one of the most disintegrating influen)es on the tribal institutions of the nati*es' 0et4een theyears of 191 and 19 the territory of the Upper 2olta furnished the rail4ays 4ith nearly 89&BBBlabourers' In 198 the Upper 2olta )olony in addition employed 31&A18 nati*es for other purposes'0e)ause of the great diffi)ulties 4hi)h the Go*ernment elorry& the )rane' .nd4ere it only possible he 4ould be used instead of ethey told the missionaries> Nthat 4e mustnot )ommit sui)ide& but to go on the Ema)hine means death' !hey sought refuge in the forests of the"had "oast in the 0elgian "ongo' In distri)ts that 4ere on)e inhabited by man the re)ruiting agentsfound only the )himpanee' "an you build the rail4ay 4ith mon%eys; $e started to hunt the #egroes',ur men )aught them as best they )ould 4ith the help of lassoes& et)' $e put N)ollars on them& as theyare )alled here' !he human material re)ruited in this 4ay 4as not of the best'''!he death>rate in)reased =N$e must re)%on 4ith a loss of si< or eight thousand people& said Go*ernor General .ntonette& Nor gi*eup the railroad' 0ut the number of *i)tims 4as greater' !oday it already e


24/94

$or% a4ay from home is one of the most disintegrating influen)es on the tribal institutions of thenati*es' 0et4een the years of 191 and 19 the territory of the Upper /oltafurnished the rail4ays 4ithnearly 89&BBB labourers' In 198 the Upper 2olta )olony in addition employed 31&A18 nati*es for other

purposes' 0e)ause of the great diffi)ulties 4hi)h the Go*ernment ebeing& to ad*an)e s)ien)e and edu)ation& spread the"hristian religion& abolish sla*ery and the sla*e trade' Let us see to 4hat e


25/94

died out li%e flies' !his situation be)ame so disgra)eful that other imperialist po4ers& see%ing anopportunity of gaining some of the .fri)an spoils& demanded Leopold to let them share in theeorganisation of the "ongo' It 4as pla)edunder the administration of a Go*ernor>General and the super*ision of a Minister for the "olonies and a)oun)il of 1& !he minister and A members of the )oun)il are the spe)ial appointees of the ing' !heGo*ernor>General is assisted by a number of 2i)e>Go*ernor>Generals 4ho administer *arious se)tionsof the "ongo' For administrati*e purposes the 0elgian "ongo is di*ided into four pro*in)es: -1/

9atan$a-)apital liabeth*ille/+ -/ Con$o 9assai-)apital Leopold*ille/+ -3/ @uator -)apital"o@uilhat*ille/+ and -8/0astern-)apital (tanley*ille/'

. military for)e of o*er B&BBB nati*e soldiers under 19A uropean offi)ers and A uropean non>)ommissioned offi)ers are stationed throughout the "ongo' #ati*es are made to ser*e in the army forse*en years' !he Go*ernment also maintains an armed territorial for)e of 1B&BBB men' In this 4ay&4hene*er the toiling masses re*olt against the brutal oppression imposed upon them& the military for)esare )alled in to suppress the uprisings' !he poli)y of the 0elgian Go*ernment in the "ongo is one ofarmed imperialist di)tatorship'

!he se)ond stage of einfested sha)%s& they soon be)ome infe)ted 4ith disease& to 4hi)h

large numbers of them su))umb' 0e)ause of the terribly lo4 4ages for 4hi)h these miners 4or%& therepresentati*es of the )ompany of the re)ent "opper "onferen)e held in .meri)a in 193B 4ere able to


26/94

assure the delegates that& despite the tremendous fall in the pri)e for )opper& the 0elgian "ompany )an)ontinue to defy 4orld )ompetition and ma%e money' !he profits of this )ompany in)reased K&?BB&BBBin 199 as )ompared 4ithin K&B&BBB 19A' 0i%ama railroad& o*er 4hi)h a large

per)entage of "ongo )opper is transported to its uropean mar%et& has a staff of B 4hites and &BBBnati*es' !here are at present A&BBB nati*es employed in the )onstru)tion of a ne4 line on the Matadi>Leopold*ille railroad'

6undreds of nati*es are also employed on the do)%s as ste*edores& sailors& boatmen& 4hile the maDorityof the labour for the ele)tri)al and po4er stations in the "ongo are #egroes' .s a result there is @uite alarge body of s%illed nati*e labour in the basi) industries of the )ountry'

In the sphere of agri)ulture& 0elgian and other foreign )ompanies ha*e in*ested millions of pounds' For

e


27/94

-a/ "ape 2erde Islands 1&8AB 189&?A3

-b/ Guinea 13&98B A9&BBB

-c/ Prin)ipe and (t' !homOIslands

3B 9&BB

-d/ .ngola 8A8&ABB 8&119&9BB

-e/ Moambi@ue 8&?1 3&1B&BBB

-1/(ilitary Rule' Moambi@ue& or Portuguese ast .fri)a& is di*ided into three politi)al units: -1/ thePro*in)e of Moambi@ue& -/ the territory under the Moambi@ue "ompany& and -3/ the territory underthe #yassa "ompany' a)h of these pro*in)es or di*isions has its o4n Go*ernor& together 4ith a )oun)il)omposed of Go*ernment offi)ials and representati*es of *arious )ommer)ial and agri)ultural interests'"ape 2erde and the other islands are administered by Go*ernors assisted by lo)al )oun)ils'

Portugal maintains military for)es in ea)h of her )olonies' !here are about 8&BBB nati*e and Portuguesesoldiers in Moambi@ue+ &BBB in .ngola& of 4hi)h 3&B are nati*es+ 13 nati*es soldiers and B 4hite

offi)ers are stationed in (t' !homO& 4hile 8? soldiers& of 4hom 183 are nati*es& are garrisoned inGuinea' $ith the aid of these military for)es Portugal ensla*es the bla)% population in her )olonies'

-/ Slavery on Cocoa ,lantations' 6istori)ally spea%ing& the Portuguese imperialists 4ere among thefirst sla*e traders in .fri)a' !rue to their traditional o))upation& they are still the *ilest ,ppressors of

#egroes in .fri)a' !he 4orse forms of sla*ery e%no4n fa)t that Portuguese offi)ials *ie 4ith ea)hother to go out to .ngola in order to enri)h themsel*es on the spoils of the sla*e trade of the #egroes'

Professor ' .' Ross& an outstanding .meri)an so)iologist at the Uni*ersity of $is)onsin& 4hoin*estigated )onditions in the Portuguese territories& des)ribes the )orruption among the uropean


28/94

offi)ials in the follo4ing 4ay: E!he "olonial ser*i)e is far less a )areer than formerly and the offi)ial ismu)h %eener to ma%e money @ui)%ly' !his latter obser*ation is emphati)ally )onfirmed by a thoughtfulmer)hant in one of the to4ns' In his Dudgment none of the Portuguese offi)e>holders )ome out 4ith anyother thoughts than gain' #either offi)ials nor traders )reate anything+ they only s@ueee'''$hy shouldthey loo% ahead and plan to promote the e)onomi) upbuilding of the )ountry; !hey do not )are for the

)ountry& they ne*er ebed& 4here 4e stayed to rest& a fe4 yards from 4here4e sat& and under the side of an o*erhanging ro)%& 4e sa4 the de)omposing )orpse of a man' 6ard>bylay a small bas%et& a large 4ooden spoon& a nati*e mat& a fe4 filthy )lothes' !he dead man lay on his

ba)%& 4ith his limbs spread out& probably as he had died& left hopelessly 4ea% by a gang going do4n tothe )oast' .nother s%eleton lay 4ithin a fe4 yards& ma%ing fi*e 4e had seen in a fe4 hours mar)h'

Mr' 6' $' #e*inson& another in*estigator& 4rites: E!he path is stre4n 4ith dead mens bones' 5ou seethe 4hite thigh>bones lying in front of your feet& and at one side& amongst the undergro4th& you 4ill findthe s%ull' !hese are the s%eletons of sla*es 4ho ha*e been unable to %eep up 4ith the mar)h& and so4ere murdered or left to die'

(ome years before the 4ar a *ery interesting )ase %no4n as Cadbury a$ainst Standard Ne&spapersCompany Ltd2& in 4hi)h "adbury brought an a)tion for libel against the ne4spaper )ompany& )ame up


29/94

before the 0irmingham .ssies' In the )ourse of the trial e*iden)e 4as gi*en to the effe)t that the"adbury "ompany 4as offered the sale of a )o)oa plantation in (t' !homO and among the assetsin)luded in the property 4ere EBB bla)% labourers& for K3&' !his glaring fa)t again indi)ts thePortuguese imperialists and their apologists' !hey 4ere selling human beings at K1A per headH

Lord "arson& one of the la4yers engaged in the )ase& in des)ribing the situation in the Portuguese)olonies& said: E(la*eryH 6a*e you e*er heard at any time of the 4orlds history -and that is a broadstatement/ of 4orse )onditions of sla*ery& ha*e you e*er heard of )onditions more re*olting& more )ruel&more tyrannous and more horrible than 4hat has been deposed to as regards the sla*ery in (an !homO;Men re)ruited in .ngola& 4omen re)ruited in .ngola& )hildren re)ruited in .ngola& torn a4ay againsttheir 4ill from their homes in the interior& mar)hed li%e dro*es of beasts through the hungry )ountry&and 4hen they are unable to 4al% along for a thousand miles to the )oast& shot do4n li%e useless dogs oruseless animals& and the others brought do4n to be labelled li%e )attle and brought o*er to (an !homOand Prin)ipe& ne*er again to return to their homes' !hree and a half years life at the start until they area))limatised is an a*erage life of these people& and 4hen their )hildren are born& Dust as the )al*es of a)o4 or the lambs of the sheep& they be)ome the property& not of their parents& but of the o4ners'

An$ola' $hat efour personsand forty>four from the people of the adDa)ent )hiefs' #othing has been heard from them nor of them' 6e

supposes that they are at (an !homO' .fter three years the t4o )hiefs 4ere )alled by the lo)al authorities


30/94

and told to be patient' N$e 4ill send for these men and ha*e them brought ba)%' 0ut none ha*e e*er)ome ba)%'

-8/ EFour years ago a large number 4ho 4ere ta< delin@uents 4ere sent to (an !homO and ha*e ne*erreturned'

-/ E!hey -the nati*es in 2illage #o' / state that si< years ago fi*e re@uisitioned by the Go*ernmentfrom this *illage 4ere ta%en to (an !homO and ne*er )ame ba)%'

-/ E$e met here the )hief of fi*e *illages& in)luding this one& 4ith a total population of about &BB'(i< years ago a hundred of them 4ere ta%en a4ay to (an !homO and none e*er )ame ba)%'

T!e "o#ambi$ue Con%ention

(imilar )onditions as those on the 4est )oast e


31/94

VII. Spanish and Italian Africa

-a/ Spanish' !he area and population of the (panish )olonies in 0la)% .fri)a are as follo4s:

Colonies2 Area2 ,opulation2

-1/ (panish Guinea 1B&B3 18B&BBB

-/ Fernando Po and .nnobon

-3/ "orsi)o& Great and Littlelobey

?9 &A8

!he population of Fernando Po alone& the most important of the islands& is B&A?3& of 4hom 3BB areuropeans& in)luding 3B 0ritish' !he administration of the (panish )olonies is under a Go*ernor Generalassisted by sub>go*ernors for *arious politi)al units'

-b/talian'


32/94

he )ould utilise these 4hite )olonists together 4ith the nati*e population as a )olonial army for uropeanor .fri)an )ampaigns'

2. Black Slaves in the New World

0esides the BB million #egroes estimated inhabiting the "ontinent of .fri)a& there are bet4een 8B toB million #egroes s)attered throughout the #e4 $orld = the United (tates& the $est Indies and Latin

.meri)a' !hey are the des)endents of the sla*es 4ho 4ere brought from .fri)a to 4or% upon theplantations and the mines in the territories 4hi)h they no4 o))upy' !herefore& unli%e their bla)% brother


33/94

in .fri)a& the #egroes in the #e4 $orld ha*e had )enturies of )onta)t 4ith the 4hite )apitalist)i*ilisation' 0ut li%e the #egroes in .fri)a& they are subDe)ted to the same barbarous methods ofimperialist plunder and e


34/94

(outh& are )ompelled to do the hardest and dirtiest 4or% for the lo4est 4ages and in periods ofe)onomi) depression su)h as the present they are al4ays the first to be dis)harged from their Dobs' $iththe se*en million unemployed in the United (tates today& the #egroes are feeling its effe)ts morese*erely than any other se)tion of the 4or%ing )lass' Millions of them are no4 4al%ing the streets ofe*ery big )ity of the #orth and the rural distri)ts of the (outh fa)ed 4ith the spe)tre of star*ation and

death'

!he only trade unions of .meri)a 4hi)h admit #egro 4or%ers on the basis offull political7 economicand social e=ualityare the re*olutionary unions affiliated 4ith the !rade Union Unity League& the.meri)an (e)tion of the Red International of Labour Unions' !hese unions are under the influen)e of"ommunist leadership and )ondu)t intensi*e national )ampaigns )alling upon the bla)% and 4hite4or%ers to unite against the .meri)an bourgeoisie& and their labour agents& the reformist trade unionleaders of the .meri)an Federation of Labour& as 4ell as the so)ialists& 4hose poli)y it is to di*ide the4or%ers on the basis of )olour in order that they may be e


35/94

him 4ith an a))ount of ABB dollars for supplies alleged to ha*e been rendered during the year& so e*en ifthe #egro paid the BB dollars he 4ould still o4e the landlord BB dollars& 4hi)h he 4ould be)ompelled to pay off by planting another )rop under similar )onditions as before' !his is repeated yearafter year' *en if the #egro too% the landlord to )ourt his statement of the fa)ts 4ould not be belie*ed&

be)ause the 4ord of a 4hite man )annot be refuted by a bla)%' Furthermore& the (outhern landlords are

not only the o*erseers& boo%%eepers of their plantations& but are the politi)al di)tators of the )ommunityas 4ell& and 4hen they ma%e a statement it be)omes the la4 of the )ourt' It has al4ays been the

prerogati*e of the ruling )lass of the (outh to de)ide 4hen the #egro 4or%ers should lea*e their ser*i)e&or under 4hat )onditions they are bound' #egroes 4ho rebel against these outrages and run a4ay arehunted do4n by the poli)e and other uniformed thugs& 4ith the aid of bloodhounds 4hi)h are espe)iallyemployed for this purpose' !hey are brought ba)% to the plantations and turned o*er to the landlordseither as *agrants or as runa4ays'

.nother method by 4hi)h labour is re)ruited is through the )hain gang' $hene*er the landlords needlabour they simply go to the lo)al Dudge and arrange that the poli)e be ordered to arrest the re@uirednumber of 4or%ers' In this 4ay 4hole )ommunities of able>bodied bla)%s are )ommonly apprehended'

.ll %inds of frame>up )harges are made against them' $hen fined in )ourt they ha*e to agree to enterthe ser*i)e of the landlords& 4ho pay a small fine for the opportunity to redu)e the #egroes to ser*itude'In this 4ay the Dudges and the poli)e get the )ourt fees& and the landlords )heap labour'

. brief a))ount from one of the peonage distri)ts is suffi)ient to illustrate this point' Passing along thestreet 4here a #egro had been mistreated by his 4hite master& an obser*er in@uired of the 4or%er: E$hydo you stand this; E!hat is Dust the damned trouble do4n here responded the bla)%& EI on)e)omplained to the )ourt 4hen another 4hite man beat me' !he man denied it and the Dudge& 4ho

belie*ed his story& imposed upon me a fine 4hi)h I )ould not pay& so I ha*e to 4or% out in the ser*i)e ofthis man 4ho 4as present in the )ourt at the time and paid it in order to get the opportunity to for)e meto 4or% for him'

$hene*er there is a shortage of labour the (outhern )apitalists do not only resort to these repressi*emeasures& but also )ommandeer the use of )hild labour' For erooms and pla)ed in )otton fields during the season of 193B' !he E)ottonre)esses affe)t only #egro students' "oloured s)hools are al4ays )losed until after the )otton )rops aregathered' #egro rural s)hools in the (outh are run for an a*erage of si< months& 4ith t4o suspensions&one for the planting and the se)ond for the pi)%ing of )otton' $hite s)hools are open for the usual nine>month term' "ompulsory )hild labour is 4idespread throughout the (outh'

-b/ Slavery' !housands of bla)%s are still being held as sla*es in the )oal mines and on road )onstru)tion4or% in the (tates of .labama& Mississippi& !e


36/94

4or%ers and had )hartered t4o freight tru)%s for their transportation to Green4ood 4hen the businessmen and plantation o4ners in Mo4ire)ompounds' 6undreds of bla)%s die annually from star*ation and e


37/94

4at)hed the flames )limb higher and higher& en)ir)ling him 4ithout mer)y' I heard his )ry of agony asthe flames rea)hed him and set his )lothes on fire'

E,h& GodH he shouted' NI didnt do it' 6a*e mer)yH !he blae leaped higher' !he #egro struggled' 6e%i)%ed the )hain loose from his an%les& but it held his 4aist and ne)% together against the iron that 4as

be)oming red 4ith intense heat' N6a*e mer)y& I didnt do it>I didnt do itH he shouted again and again'

E(oon he be)ame @uiet' !here 4as no doubt that he 4as dead' !he flames Dumped and leaped about hishead' .n odour of burning flesh rea)hed my nostrils' I felt suddenly si)%ened' !hrough the leaping blaeI )ould see the #egro sagging and supported by the )hains'

E$hen the first odour of the ba%ing flesh rea)hed the mob& there 4as a slight stir' (e*eral men mo*edner*ously'

ELets finish it up& someone said' Instantly about t4el*e men stepped from the )ro4d' !hey piled4ood on the fire that 4as already blaing high' !he #egro 4as dead& but more 4ood 4as piled on the

flames' !hey Dumped higher and higher' #othing )ould be seen no4 for the blae en)ir)led e*erything'

E!hen the )ro4d 4al%ed a4ay' In the *anguard of the mob I noti)ed a 4oman' (he seemed to be ratheryoung& but it is hard to tell about a 4oman of her type& strong and healthy& apparently a 4oman of the)ountry' (he 4al%ed 4ith a firm e*en stride' (he 4as beautiful in a 4ay'

E!he )ro4d 4al%ed slo4ly a4ay'

EI am hungry& someone )omplained& Nlets get something to eat'

!hus ended another a)t of the great drama of .meri)an )i*ilisationH

,f the ten lyn)hings 4hi)h o))urred in 199& the last one too% pla)e in the (tate of entu)%y on"hristmas 7ay>the o))asion on 4hi)h the bishops and priests and the other Eholy men of God& 4ho)arry on a )ampaign of lies and slander against the (o*iet Union& 4ere )hanting their hymns to theirGod and shouting E,eace on 0arth7 "ood&ill to (en@

(in)e the beginning of 193B& 3 lyn)hings ha*e already ta%en pla)e' ,ne of the *i)tims 4as a #egro4omen about si


38/94

the youth into an automobile and too% him to the outs%irts of the )ity 4here he 4as pla)ed underanaestheti)s and )astrated by do)tors 4ho 4ere part of the mob' !he hooligans then returned to the )ityand ordered an ambulan)e to go to the spot 4here the *i)tim 4as left and remo*e him to a #egrohospital' .s usual the (tate offi)ials& many of 4hom parti)ipated in the outrage& made no attempt todis)o*er the )ulprits& gi*ing as the ein their determination to pre*ent any relationship bet4een the 4hite and bla)% 4or%ers& resortedto the most barbarous and sa*age assaults upon #egro men suspe)ted of ha*ing any personalrelationship 4ith 4hite 4omen'

-d/ Se$re$ation& better %no4n in .meri)a as im>"ro4ism is the most 4idespread form of so)ialoppression in the United (tates' $here*er #egroes li*e& 4hether in the #orth or (outh& they aresegregated in their so)ial relationships from the 4hites' !his applies most generally in publi) utility

ser*i)e& s)hools& hospitals& re)reation )entres and other pla)es of amusement& et)' In some (tates#egroes are not e*en allo4ed to ride in the same )oa)hes 4ith the 4hites' $here*er railroad )ompaniesagreed to permit them to ride they are pro*ided 4ith small dirty 4ooden )ompartments for 4hi)h theyha*e to pay the same fare as the 4hite passengers& 4ho enDoy the most up>to>date railroad )on*enien)es',n (outhern street>)ars& #egroes get in and off from the rear 4hile the 4hites enter from the front andha*e priority to the best seats' In those pla)es 4here #egroes are admitted to the theatres they are for)edto enter through ba)% doors& and inside the theatres are huddled together in filthy bal)onies far remo*edfrom the stage'

0la)% 4or%ers are not permitted to patronise restaurants 4hi)h )ater to 4hites& neither are they allo4edto use the same publi) bathing bea)hes or entran)es to buildings as other people' #egroes are debarredfrom libraries& museums& art galleries& and other )entres of )ulture' 2ery limited edu)ational and )ulturalopportunities are offered to them' In most pla)es they are )ompelled to send their )hildren to separates)hools& and& as is to be e


39/94

-e/!isfranchisement' Politi)ally& #egroes in the (outh are )ompletely fran)hised+ this is done 4ith open*iolen)e and terror' ,n ele)tion days there are armed 4hite mobs& agents paid by the )apitalist

politi)ians to %eep the #egroes a4ay from the polls in the (outhern (tates' Furthermore& )ertainena)tments& %no4n as the E0la)% La4s& ha*e been in)orporated in the (tatutes of some (tates in orderto more effe)ti*ely depri*e the #egroes of their politi)al rights' !hese la4s are )hiefly based on

property and edu)ational @ualifi)ations' .s the *ast maDority of #egroes are propertyless& and theirstandard of litera)y is a matter to be determined by the politi)ians -Republi)ans and 7emo)rats/& it

be)omes *ery easy for them to be ruled off the ballot' 7uring e*ery ele)tion )ampaign in .meri)aegro 4or%ers 4ho attempt to *ote are openly shot do4n before the polling stations by armed thugs andgangsters& spe)ially hired by the *arious )apitalist parties to pre*ent the bla)%s from ta%ing part in theele)tions' !heRepublican&!emocraticand ESocialist parties are all hostile to the #egroes' ,nly the"ommunist Party fights for their full e)onomi)& so)ial and politi)al e@uality& and )hampions the right ofself>determination for the #egro masses 4ho inhabit theBlack Belt'

-f/ "hetto Life' $here*er one goes in .meri)a one sees a stri%ing similarity in the appearan)e of bla)%)ommunities derisi*ely )alled ENi$$er To&ns' !he outstanding feature of these ghettos are their *ery

unsanitary )onditions' For the bourgeois politi)ians& although they )ompel the #egroes to pay the sameamount of ta


40/94

-d/American' !he "aribbean possessions of .meri)an imperialism are Porto Ri)o and the 2irginIslands' -1/ Porto Ri)o )o*ers an area of 3&83 s@uare miles' !he population is about 1&99&AB9& of4hi)h number 31&B are #egroes& -/ !he 2irgin Islands& formerly %no4n as the 7anish $est Indies&ha*e an area of 13 s@uare miles& and a population of &B1' ,f this number 8&8A are #egroes'

"d#inistration

-a/ !he 0ritish )olonies are administered under the "ro4n "olony (ystem' In ea)h politi)al unit there isa Go*ernor assisted by a Legislati*e and


41/94

!he #egro masses in the $est Indies are Dust as *i)iously e


42/94

!he oil industry& )ontrolled by the Royal 7ut)h (hell and Pearsons interests& is )entred in the (outhernse)tion of the island' !he *ast maDority of 4or%ers employed in the *arious oil>fields are #egroes'6o4e*er& 4ithin re)ent years 6indu 4or%ers ha*e been attra)ted to the industry'

.part from the industries des)ribed& the marine 4or%ers form an important se)tion of the $est Indian

4or%ing )lass' !he bul% of sailors& longshoremen& boatmen& et)'& in the $est Indian ports are #egroes'!he internal transportation system& su)h as railroads& streets>)ars& buses and ta

produ)ing )olonies are being redu)ed by the present )risis in the sugar industry' In *ie4 of the eority of the labourin$ classes' !hat statement applied to other sugar )olonies besides (t' itts& andin many pla)es little or nothing had been done sin)e 1A9? to impro*e these )onditions Eof s@ualor and

degradation' E!heir food 4as insuffi)ient in @uantity and @uality& )onsidering the nature of the 4or%they had to do' . @uite )onsiderable proportion of these people of all ages and both se


43/94

malnutrition' In the )ountry distri)t for the most part no baths or other sanitary )on*enien)es 4erepro*ided' !his applied uni*ersally to estate *illages and 4as largely true of other *illages as 4ell'

In )onse@uen)e of this deplorable state of affairs& diseases pre*ailed 4hi)h 4ere pre*entable and)urable& and 4ere sapping the energy and effi)ien)y of the population' 0esides the Unsanitary

)onditions pre*ailing among #egro labourers in the *illages& the ,li*ier Report )alled attention to theunsatisfa)tory )ondition of fa)tories Efrom the point of *ie4 of the health and safety of the 4or%ersemployed in them'

!hese )onditions 4ould be made mu)h 4orse unless something 4as done by 6is MaDestys Go*ernmentto put the sugar industry on a basis of permanent stability' !he deputation 4ished to ma%e its o4n@uotation from the 1A9? report& 4hi)h 4as repeated in the ,li*ier Report: E!he bla)% population ofthese )olonies 4as originally pla)ed in them by for)e as sla*es+ the ra)e 4as %ept up and in)reased underartifi)ial )onditions maintained by the authority of the 0ritish Go*ernment'

!he deputation also supported all those statements of the ,li*ier Report 4hi)h dire)t the attention of the

Go*ernment to the ine*itable effe)t of the present )risis of the sugar industry upon the )ondition of the#egro labourers+ as& for instan)e: E!here 4ould ine*itably be pressure to redu)e 4ages& 4hi)h arealready hardly suffi)ient to maintain more than a bare subsisten)e& and the added effe)t of this 4ouldfurther 4orsen the already unsatisfa)tory standard of health+ and& they 4ould add& the general badso)ial and e)onomi) )onditions pre*ailing' !his result had already been produ)ed' $ages had been)onsiderably redu)ed& and the )ommuni)ation from the 7ean of .ntigua stated that the labouring peoplein the island of .ntigua are fa)ed 4ith star*ation'

!he deputation therefore urged 4ith all respe)t to the adoption of the re)ommendations of the ,li*ierReport& sin)e it 4as )onfident that any other method of tiding o*er the result of the present )risis as itaffe)ted the #egro labourers 4ould produ)e a *ery serious disorganisation of the 4hole labour situation&from 4hi)h the $est Indian )olonies 4ould ta%e generations to re)o*er'

.))ording to the latest reports& the situation has be)ome so deplorable that the ELabour Go*ernment& inorder to a*oid a general uprising of the toiling population& has been for)ed to appropriate a sum ofmoney from the imperial treasury in order to pro*ide 4or% for the population in 0arbados and 0ritishGuiana' !his )an only be a temporary measure& for the situation )annot be remedied by su)h artifi)ialmethods' !he so)ial>fas)ist politi)ian& Lord ,li*ier& is again *isiting these )olonies& in order personallyto aid the nati*e labour misleaders and national reformists to %eep the masses in submission by ma%ingthem promises of establishing Eprosperous )onditions in the near future'

Forced Labour

!he same )onditions 4hi)h e


44/94

ne)essary labour' #early all the publi) roads ha*e been )onstru)ted by for)ed labour gangs under themilitary super*ision of the United (tates marines' In the 0ritish islands all %inds of repressi*elegislation& su)h as *agran)y la4s& are ena)ted in order to enable the imperialist rulers to find a preteborn #egroes throughout all the )ountries of Latin .meri)a drag out this miserable e


45/94

subDe)ted to most )ruel e)lass population' !hey are loo%ed upon as )attle and are treated a))ordingly'

6o4e*er& the national bourgeoisie and 5an%ee imperialists do not limit themsel*es to these )riminala)tions' !hey )ons)iously foster the feeling of national )hau*inism and ra)e preDudi)e among the nati*e

#egro and 4hite 4or%ers against the #egroes from 6aiti and amai)a' "ases are not rare 4hen theseforeign bla)% sla*es be)ome the *i)tims of most brutal )hau*inisti) perse)ution on the part of the nati*e4or%ers themsel*es& 4ho are made to belie*e that by doing so they are defending their o4n e)onomi)interests'

$ith respe)t to 4ages& both the nati*e and foreign #egroes al4ays re)ei*e less 4ages for the sameamount of 4or% as the 4hite 4or%ers& 4hile the imported bla)%s get e*en less than the nati*e #egroes'!hrough this method of 4age dis)rimination the imperialists and the nati*e )apitalists are able to split upthe )lass interest of the 4or%ers into different parts and play one off against the other'

!he *ast maDority of #egro 4or%ers in Latin .meri)a are plantation labourers' !his is espe)ially so in

0rail& the "entral .meri)an republi)s& "uba and "olombia' !housands of them& espe)ially $estIndians& are also employed in the oil industry in Mara)aribo& 2eneuela'

(in)e the 4orld )apitalist )risis 4hi)h has greatly affe)ted the agrarian industries = banana& )offee&)o)oa& rubber = as 4ell as oil& there is great unemployment among the 4or%ers throughout Latin.meri)a' !his has had spe)ial effe)ts upon the bla)% 4or%ers& 4ho are al4ays dis)harged before the4hites'

In 2eneuela the Gome di)tatorship& supported by the so)ial>fas)ist labour agents of the United (tates&has prohibited immigration from the $est Indies' $or%ers 4ho lea*e the )ountry to try to se)ure 4or%else4here 4ill not be permitted to return'

!he situation in the banana industry in "olombia and 6onduras is most deplorable' !housands of bla)%4or%ers are simply star*ing in these )ountries& 4here the banana industry has been ruined by the 4orld)risis of )apitalism'

!he same state of affairs e


46/94

$. %nder the &oke of &ankee I#!erialis#


47/94

)ountries 4e see that they either are& or are fast be)oming& finan)ial )olonies of 5an%ee imperialism' Forinstan)e& 6aiti& Liberia and (an 7omingo are already )ompletely under the domination of .meri)anfinan)e>)apital& 4hile .byssinia is rapidly being dra4n into the orbit of $all (treet di)tatorship'

!he )onditions of the bla)% toilers& 4or%ers and peasants in these )ountries are e@ually as intolerable as

those 4e ha*e already des)ribed in the )olonies of imperialism' !his is espe)ially so in Liberia& 4herethe toiling masses are eLiberians& ha*e redu)ed the indigenous population to the status of )hattel sla*es in their o4ninterests as 4ell as of .meri)an imperialists -Firestone "ompany/'

I. aiti

For o*er 1 years 6aiti has been under the politi)al domination of the United (tates& 4hi)h maintains amilitary di)tatorship o*er the island' 7uring these years se*eral re*olts against .meri)an imperialismha*e bro%en out among the 6aitian 4or%ers and peasants& but these ha*e all been ruthlessly suppressed'It has been estimated that o*er 3&BBB 6aitians ha*e been murdered by the United (tates marines duringtheir o))upation of the )ountry'

0e)ause of the position of 6aiti proper& 4hi)h o*erloo%s the Panama "anal and the proposed )analthrough #i)aragua& the island is )onsidered the most *aluable strategi) base for the United (tates na*yin the "aribbean& as 4ell as a fertile field for the in*estment of finan)e>)apital in the de*elopment oftropi)al produ)ts& su)h as )offee& )otton& toba))o& )o)oa& sugar& et)'& et)' !hese are the prin)ipal fa)tors4hi)h di)tated the military anne


48/94

(o intense has been the poli)y of e


49/94

longer absorb the surplus labour of 6aiti' 7uring the years of migration the 6aitian Go*ernment& byimposing a head ta< on those lea*ing the )ountry& 4as able to raise thousands of dollars annually'

!he migration of bla)%s to the (panish spea%ing islands has )reated a ne4 problem for the "aribbeanlabour mo*ement' Formerly there 4as no )oloured problem in the $est Indies su)h as ehanded methods of imperialist e


50/94

II. Li!eria

!his republi)& li%e 6aiti& is a typi)al )olonial )ountry' It is situated on the 4est )oast of .fri)a bet4eenthe 0ritish )olony of (ierra Leone and the Fren)h )olony of I*ory "oast' !he )ountry )o*ers an area of83&BBB s@uare miles& 4ith a )oast line of 3B miles' !he population is about &BB&BBB' ,f this number

B&BBB are E.meri)o>Liberians& #egroes 4hose an)estors 4ere on)e sla*es in .meri)a& but returnedand settled in the )ountry during tile early days of its )olonisation' !here are also BB #egro 0ritishsubDe)ts& and 8BB uropeans and 4hite .meri)ans' !he great bul% of the population )onsists of *ariousindigenous peoples'

Firestone Dictators!ip

.fter the great 4ar .meri)a found herself )onfronted 4ith the ne)essity of )ompeting against the 0ritishrubber monopoly' .s rubber is an indispensable produ)t in the automobile industry of the United (tates&a )onferen)e 4as )alled by the rubber manufa)turers in 4hi)h the United (tates Go*ernment

parti)ipated' .t this )onferen)e it 4as agreed that the United (tates Go*ernment 4ould a)ti*ely )o>operate 4ith the industrialists in produ)ing a tropi)al sphere of interest in order that they might produ)etheir o4n rubber' !his plan )reated an outlet for the )apitalists to in*est more finan)e>)apital in .fri)a'President 6oo*er& the then (e)retary of "ommer)e& 4as the offi)ial spo%esman of the Go*ernment inthis imperialisti) proDe)t'

In uly& 19& the Firestone Rubber "orporation& one of the biggest rubber trusts in the 4orld& enteredinto negotiations 4ith the Liberian Go*ernment for a lease on rubber produ)ing lands' !he )ompanyse)ured the )on)ession of a million a)res of land at the )ost of si< )ents per a)re' .fter the negotiations4ere )ompleted the Firestone "ompany demanded that the Liberian Go*ernment a))ept a loan of&BBB&BBB at the rate of ? per )ent' interest& failing 4hi)h they -Firestone/ 4ould not )arry through the

proposed de*elopment s)heme' !he Liberian people 4ere relu)tant to a))ept this hea*y finan)ialobligation& but finally su))umbed to the )oer)ion of the great )olossus of the #orth'

,ne of the greatest obsta)les 4hi)h ha*e stood in the 4ay of the e)onomi) de*elopment of the republi)has been the la)% of transportation' In this respe)t Liberia is mediae*al 4hen )ompared 4ith the 0ritishand Fren)h )olonies on the 4est )oast of .fri)a' !here are no railroads in the )ountry& 4hile roadssuitable for *ehi)ular traffi) only e


51/94

forms of tribal& so)ial and politi)al institutions' #o4 that the Liberian legislature has e

bodied #egroes are )ons)ripted into labour battalions and shipped off to the plantations' !heGo*ernment also re)ei*es a )ommission for ea)h man supplied' !he 4or%ers get about three )ents a day&and are )ompelled to labour 18 and 1 hours under the most brutal and demoralising )onditions'

In some parts of the Republi) a)tual sla*ery eo4ning and sla*e>trading

pre*ail o*er 4ide areas of the )ountry' ,pen )harges against the Liberian Go*ernment for promotingthe sla*e>trade ha*e been made by 7r' 0uell in .meri)a& and Mr' ohn 6' 6arris of ngland& before theLeague of #ations& and more re)ently by Mr' Roland Faul%ner& a Liberian (enator'

Mr' $' G' Gibson& the Liberian (e)retary of (tate& in a letter in reply to the allegation of Faul%ner&published in the ELiberian !imes& admitted that thousands of nati*es are re)ruited in the interior andbrought to the ports of the )ountry and shipped to the (panish Islands of Fernando Po and other .fri)an)olonies' Mr' Gibson said: E.ll of us -Liberian offi)ials/ %no4 that it is a transa)tion authorised by la4and sealed by )ontra)t and agreement' $hether 4e agree 4ith the la4 or not is another @uestion'

!his statement sho4s that the Go*ernment not only %no4s of the etribe domesti) sla*ery ema%ing& ere)ting publi) buildings and porterage'!his system has also been largely abused by many offi)ials of the Go*ernment& as 4ell as soldiers& 4house these sla*es to )ulti*ate their o4n farms' $ith respe)t to the e


52/94

.s 4as to be e


53/94

III. San "omingo

(an 7omingo is one of the t4o #egro republi)s in the $est Indies' Geographi)ally it forms part of theisland of 6aiti& to 4hi)h it 4as politi)ally subordinated until 1A88' !he republi) o))upies the eastern

portion of the island& and is estimated to be o*er 19&BBB s@uare miles 4ith a population of AoB&BBB' (an

7omingo has a rather )osmopolitan population' 0ut the *ast maDority of the people are #egroid' Unli%e6aiti& 4hi)h largely refle)ts Fren)h )i*ilisation& the people of (an 7omingo are (panish in language and)ulture' (an 7omingo 4as the first )ountry in the "aribbean to be brought under the domination of.meri)an imperialism& 4hi)h established a military di)tatorship o*er the republi)' (in)e 1918 thefinan)es of the )ountry ha*e been under the )ontrol of .meri)an ban%ers' !he first foreign loan made to(an 7omingo by the #ational "ity 0an% 4as to the e


54/94

!his petty>bourgeois coup d.?tathas not relie*ed the misery of the 4or%ers of (an 7omingo' ,na))ount of the agrarian "risis& 4hi)h has greatly affe)ted the e)onomi) life of the )ountry& absolutelydependent upon agri)ulture& 4idespread misery has seied the )ountry' !his has gi*en rise to atremendous 4a*e of (tri%es among the agri)ultural 4or%ers and general unrest throughout the entire)ountry' !he imperialists 4ho )ontrol the sugar industry are trying to find a solution for the )risis by

laun)hing a most *iolent offensi*e against the 4or%ers' !he *ast sugar plantations are )utting e


55/94

des)endant& Meneli%& one of the greatest rulers of the )ountry& the present monar)h& Ras !afari& )laimsdes)ent'

.byssinia )o*ers an area of about 3B&BBB s@uare miles and is situated in the north>eastern part of

.fri)a' !he population is estimated at about 1B millions& mostly bla)%s of #egro sto)% added 4ith mu)h

(emiti) blood' !he e)onomi) )hara)ter of the )ountry is )hiefly agri)ultural& based upon a feudalsystem' . religious hierar)hy of the "opti) )hur)h plays a dominant role in the politi)al life of the%ingdom' !he )hur)h o4ns about a third of all the land' !he remainder is under the so*ereignty of theemperor& at 4hose 4ill po4erful )hieftains enDoy the right to )ulti*ate the lands' .byssinia& li%e !ibet&Mongolia& .fghanistan& et)'& has been for )enturies isolated from the 4estern 4orld& 4hi)h a))ounts forits industrial and )ultural ba)%4ardness' !here are no industries in the )ountry& 4hi)h is entirelydependent upon pre>)apitalist produ)tion' ,utside the priesthood and the higher offi)ials *ery fe4.byssinians )an read and 4rite' 0e)ause of the dominant role 4hi)h the )hur)h plays as the bul4ar% offeudalism& e*ery attempt by the young generation of .byssinians to brea% the stranglehold 4hi)h the)hur)h 4ields& in modernising the )ountry by means of industrialisation& meets 4ith tremendousopposition 6o4e*er& 4ithin re)ent years& .byssinia has begun to be dra4n into the orbit of .meri)an

imperialism' In 193B an .meri)an engineering )ompany& the2 "2 )hite 0n$ineerin$ Corporation ofNe& 1ork City& )ompleted negotiations and se)ured a )ontra)t for the building of a dam on the 0lue#ile& 4hi)h has its sour)e in .byssinia' !he proDe)t 4ill )ost about million dollars' For rears.meri)an )apitalists met 4ith mu)h opposition from the 0ritish imperialists& 4ho are afraid& that& if.meri)ans are permitted to )onstru)t the dam& it 4ill pla)e them in a position to )ontrol the 4aters of the

#ile upon 4hi)h the 0ritish )otton gro4ers in the (udan depend' In this struggle bet4een 0ritish and.meri)an imperialism for the subDugation of .byssinia the United (tates& by se)uring this )on)ession&4ill soon be in a position to more firmly entren)h herself in )ontrol o*er the e)onomi)al and politi)alaffairs of the %ingdom' .t present .byssinia has a spe)ial mission in the United (tates soli)iting the )o>operation of the U'(' (tate 7epartment in sending te)hni)al ad*isers to .fri)a' Medi)al& sanitary andfinan)ial ad*isers ha*e already been despat)hed to .byssinia'

Ras !afari& the ne4 emperor& is said to be more sympatheti)ally in)lined to .meri)an )apitalists& 4hoare in a better finan)ial position than the 0ritish to underta%e the industrialisation of the )ountry'Furthermore& Great 0ritain& Fran)e and Italy are the three histori) enemies of .byssinia& ha*ing enteredinto se)ret treaties for the )on@uest and di*iding up of the )ountry' !han%s to the )omplete *i)tory of the.byssinian troops under Meneli% o*er Italian imperialism in 1A9& .byssinia has been able to maintainher so*ereignty' ,ne of the greatest obsta)les in the de*elopment of the )ountry is the e


56/94

N$hy dont you in*ite foreign )apital to )ome to your )ountry& offering thirty to fifty year leases upontra)ts of land for the gro4ing of )offee& the raising of )attle& mules& horses& and for mining; 5ou )ouldguarantee foreign )on)essions& large amounts of sla*e labour and ma%e an arrangement 4hereby the bigsla*e>o4ners = some of the Rasses o4n as many as 1&BBB sla*es = )ould lease their sla*es to 4or%upon su)h )on)essions at a fair 4age' ,ne half )ould be gi*en to the sla*e>o4ner and the other half

retained in a Go*ernment fund to pur)hase the sla*es freedom'

It is stated that the ne4 mperor is strongly in fa*our of 0rauns suggestion& 4hi)h is Dust 4hat $all(treet 4ants' *ents 4ill pro*e before long that the .byssinian masses 4ill )hange their present statusof )hattel sla*es for that of 4age sla*ery under the iron heels of foreign )apitalists' !he only 4ay in4hi)h the sla*es )an hope to free themsel*es is by first stri%ing a death>blo4 to the rea)tionary religioushierar)hy and the feudal system'

Part 2.


57/94

4. The Awakening of Negro Toilers

#o4 that 4e ha*e des)ribed some of the )onditions under 4hi)h #egro toilers li*e in *arious parts ofthe 4orld& all of 4hi)h glaringly e0oer imperialism the struggles bet4een the nati*es and the )apitalistoppressors are daily be)oming more and more a)ute' $ithin re)ent years se*eral armed )lashes ha*eo))urred bet4een the bla)% 4or%ers and their )lass>)ons)ious 4hite allies& under the leadership of the"ommunist Party& against the employers and the armed for)es of the (outh .fri)an Fas)ist Go*ernment'

!he bourgeoisie& fearing the gro4ing unrest of the nati*es& than%s to the a)ti*ities of the (outh .fri)an"ommunist Party and the #on>uropean Federation of !rade Unions affiliated to the R'I'L'U'& the onlyreal )hampions for aBlack South African Republic& )ondu)ted a series of E)arist raids upon the nati*e@uarters in 7urban in 199' (pe)ial s@uads of poli)e and soldiers 4ere transported from ohannesburg to)arry out these offensi*es' !hese armed for)es 4ere augmented by spe)ial fas)ist bands of hooligans'

.dded to the general oppressi*e la4s of the (outh .fri)an ruling )lass& the Go*ernment attempted to

pre*ent the nati*es from bre4ing their o4n beer in order to for)e them to maintain the muni)ipal beerhouses' !his the nati*es refused to do and organised a general boy)ott on the Go*ernment shops' !he4omen too% an a)ti*e part in this )ampaign& be)ause they 4ere dire)tly affe)ted' 7ue to thes)andalously small 4ages paid the men& the 4omen and girls are for)ed to manufa)ture and sell nati*e

beer in order to get money to help augment the family budget and pay their o4n taimperialist role these ar)h>hypo)rites& 4hoglibly tal% about,a- Britannica& had no 4ord of protest and )ondemnation to offer to 6ertog and hisgang of murderers' 0ut the blood of these .fri)an martyrs 4as not shed in *ain' !he nati*es& instead of

be)oming )o4ed and intimidated& began to organise their for)es under the leadership of the "ommunistParty and to 4age a )ounter>offensi*e against their fas)ist oppressors' .lthough 4ithout arms -(outh.fri)an )apitalists 4ill not sell #egroes guns nor does the la4 permit them to bear arms/& they too%

possession of the streets not only in 7urban& but in other )ities& espe)ially,otchefstroomin the

!rans*aal& 4here demonstrations and meetings 4ere held as protests against the 6ertog Go*ernment'


58/94

.t some of these meetings the nati*es not only pledged themsel*es to )arry on the fight against 4hiteterror& but burned the effigies of,iro&7 +ert'o$7 Smutsand other representati*es of the bourgeoisie'7uring one of the demonstrations held in "ape !o4n the authorities attempted to prohibit a pro)essionof the nati*es' !he 4or%ers be)ame more defiant& ignored the poli)e orders and refused to gi*e up

possession of the streets' . fe4 days later a )lash o))urred bet4een the nati*es and the fas)ists at

Pot)hefstroom& 4here four nati*es and a number of uropeans 4ere 4ounded'

!he demonstrations against fas)ism rea)hed a )lima< on!in$aan.s7ay in 199& the o))asion on 4hi)hthe (outh .fri)an bourgeoisie )elebrated the anni*ersary of their E*i)tory o*er the Sulus led by )hief7ingaan' In former years this 4as an edemonstration against their o*erlords' !housands of nati*es parti)ipated' !hefas)ists made an atta)% upon the bla)% 4or%ers 4hi)h de*eloped into a free fight& during 4hi)h a #egro4or%er& one of the most outstanding re*olutionary fighters& 4as shot' ,n the o))asion of his funeral thenati*es& disregarding the attempts of the poli)e to brea% up their pro)ession& mar)hed through the main)entres of 7urban 4ith banners bearing re*olutionary slogans' !he pro)ession stopped at inter*als torene4 their pledges of )arrying on the fight in re*enge for the )o4ardly death of their )omrade'

!he pro*o)ati*e a)tions of the Go*ernment in order to pro*ide some pretethreeof those 4ho su))eeded in es)aping 4ere after4ards arrested and thro4n into Dail' !he re*olutionaryleader&Abe Simpi& 4ho organised a sho)% troop of nati*es and led the )ounter>offensi*e against theGo*ernments troops& 4as hunted do4n by spe)ial armed bands of hooligans 4ho dis)o*ered his4hereabouts in the mountains 4here he had fled' .fter a brutal assault this re*olutionary fighter 4asthro4n into one of the filthy dungeons of (outh .fri)an )apitalism to rot a4ay the remainder of his life'


59/94

ust a fe4 4ee%s before the $or)ester massa)re the Go*ernment )arried out an atta)% by means ofbombing planes& 4ith tear gas& on the nati*e tribes in the #orthern !rans*aal 4ho had gone out on re*oltagainst )ertain )hiefs 4ho 4ere the hand>pi)%ed agents of the Go*ernment& aiding in the era)ial and labourstatutes 4hi)h go to ma%e up the (outh .fri)an sla*e )ode& the fas)ists hope to be able to )arry on theirgo*ernment in the name ofAlmi$hty "od7 the 9in$ and !emocracyH 0ut e*ery a)t of Piro4& 6ertog&(muts and "ompany merely in)reases the re*olutionary mood of the masses' For ereferred>to 0ills -Riotous .ssemblies .)t& and Masters and (er*ants .)t/ 4ere being*oted upon& the nati*es& led by the "ommunists& organised demonstrations before the Parliament


60/94

buildings during 4hi)h a number of the members of the Go*ernment& in)luding Piro4& 4ere assaulted asthey attempted to lea*e Parliament' !his they su))eeded in doing only after a s@uad of BB soldiers 4ho4ere stationed in the basement of the building had opened fire on the demonstrators& %illing a fe4 and4ounding many others'

!he storm )ontinues to gather fury from day to day& for the latest e*ents in (outh .fri)a sho4 that"ommunism is gaining great influen)e o*er the broad toiling masses 4ho are rallying to the banner ofthe "ommunists& the only re*olutionary party in the )ountry that is a)ti*ely fighting for the o*erthro4 of)apitalism and the establishing of a nati*e republi)' !he "ommunist Party has )alled upon the 4or%ersto ma%e preparations for a nation>4ide 7ingaans 7ay )elebration under the re*olutionary slogans: .llout on the streets on 7ingaans 7ayH oin in the Pass>burning )ampaignH Refuse to pay Poll !asu)%ers to sit up' If 4e )annot demonstrate no4 4e ar) not 4orthy to

be free men 4ho died on the battlefield' Let us go for4ard in the spirit of 7ingaan& Ma%ana andMoshesh Tnati*e re*olutionary leaders& to free our )ountry from 4hite imperialism' 7o4n 4ith the Poll!a< and Pass la4sH !o hell 4ith the #ati*e (er*i)e "ontra)t 0illH

6o4 did the demonstrations pass off;

!he EMan)hester Guardian of 1?>1>3B& @uoting Reuters )orrespondent in 7urban& states that:

E. serious nati*e riot bro%e out in 7urban follo4ing a meeting of nati*es to )ommemorate 7ingaans7ay& held in the )entre of the to4n'

E!he nati*es formed into a pro)ession headed by one of their number bearing a red flag' !he poli)eordered it to brea% up& as pro)essions are prohibited by the by>la4s' !he nati*es responded by peltingthe poli)e and uropeans generally 4ith stones'


61/94

EFinally& nati*e poli)e& hea*ily armed and )arrying sti)%s and %nob%erries& )harged the pro)ession'()enes of 4ild )onfusion ensued& ending in the general flight of the nati*es' (e*enteen nati*es 4ereta%en to hospital 4ith inDuries& and one 4as found to be dead on arri*al' (e*eral of the inDured are in aserious )ondition'

EIt is understood that one of the nati*es is suffering from a bullet 4ound& and it is learned that this 4asfired by a uropean )i*ilian' 0efore the pro)ession 4as formed the nati*es burned o*er &BBB nati*es

passes as 4ell as numerous hut& dog and poll>ta< re)eipts'

E!he Minister of usti)e& Mr' Piro4& 4as burned in effigy at a meeting of nati*es at Pretoria yesterday'!his demonstration 4as the result of the strong a)tion ta%en by the Minister against the unrest of nati*elabour )onne)ted 4ith the )olour bar'

#e4s of e*ents in other industrial )entres of (outh .fri)a had not yet rea)hed the outside 4orld at thetime of 4riting& but 4e )an rest assured that the struggles of the nati*es against the sla*e la4s of the(outh .fri)an bourgeoisie ha*e been and 4ill )ontinue to be militantly )ondu)ted until the bloody

regime of the .nglo>0oers is o*erthro4n and refle)ted by aNative Toilers. "overnment& 4ithsafeguards for the toiling minorities of other ra)es'

II. East Africa

In enya& Uganda& !anganyi%a& the 0ritish imperialists& through in)reased measures of ta


62/94

struggle )ontinued it too% on more and more of a politi)al )hara)ter& 4ith the result that the Go*ernorordered the )ommander of the military for)es of enya to mobilise the ings .fri)an Rifles& a nati*eregiment under 0ritish offi)ers& in order to suppress the mass re*olt' !he imperialists first attempted todo this by arresting !hu%u& but due to the tremendous mass follo4ing and the la)% of faith& e*en amongthe soldiers& 4ho ha*e e)onomi) and so)ial ties 4ith the toiling population& they dared not adopt this

method' !he Go*ernment then resorted to tri)%ery and )unning' !he distri)t )ommissions& under 4homthe )hiefs and headmen fun)tion& 4hi)h is %no4n as the method of Indire)t Rule& 4ere instru)ted to )allthese nati*e la)%eys together and inform them that !hu%u 4as a dangerous man& that his re*olt 4as notonly dire)ted at the Go*ernment but that he 4anted to )reate a republi) and ma%e himself the president'.nd furthermore& if he su))eeded& he 4ould ta%e a4ay the positions from the )hiefs and headmen' Inorder to a*oid this and thereby maintain their position their duty 4as to disasso)iate themsel*es from!hu%u and the nationalist mo*ement' .s 4as to be e


63/94

.ll asso)iations ha*e sin)e been de)lared illegal' .ll forms of agitation and organisation among thenati*es of enya meet 4ith the most brutal reprisals' (in)e the dissolution of the i%uyu organisationthe )hiefs ha*e been en)ouraged to form their o4n& 4hi)h are merely pa4ns in the hands of the offi)ialsthrough 4hi)h the Go*ernment is able to )arry out its bloody rule'

6o4e*er& despite all these attempts of 0ritish imperialism to %eep the nati*es in a )ondition of sla*ery&the *ery )onditions under 4hi)h they li*e for)e them to find 4ays and means to )arry on the struggle'

In #o*ember& 199& (ir d4ard Grigg& the Go*ernor of enya& 4as )ompelled to admit in a dispat)h tothe 0ritish "olonial ,ffi)e that the situation in enya 4as again assuming alarming proportions' Fore


64/94

dilemma& attempted to thro4 the 4hole burden upon the toiling masses& espe)ially the peasants& byin)reasing dire)t ta(e)retary of (tate for the "olonies& in ans4er to a @uestion put tohim in the 6ouse of "ommons in )onne)tion 4ith the shooting& e)alled in*estigation into the )ir)umstan)es of the uprising they issued a report 4hi)h 4aspla)ed before the Legislati*e "oun)il and appro*ed by the Go*ernments maDority'

!his infamous do)ument des)ribed the heroi) struggle of the nati*es as an attempt at mob>la4& andDustified the firing of the troops in order to prote)t the property of the 0ritish )apitalists'

!he publi)ation of this report merely added fuel to the fire' !he nati*es held mass meetings in *ariousse)tions of the )ountry at 4hi)h resolutions 4ere dra4n up denoun)ing the report' !he 4or%ers also

protested against ta


65/94

!he "ommission immediately began its 4or% by *isiting the disturbed areas& 4here 4itnesses 4eree


66/94

also being ruined' .ll of 4hi)h is ma%ing for the radi)alisation of broader and broader masses of the#igerian population'

*ambia

. number of stri%es of a politi)al )hara)ter ha*e ta%en pla)e in $est .fri)a sin)e the 4ar' !han%s to theindustrialisation and the emembers of the (eamens(o)iety>engaged on the )oastal steamers 4hi)h are mostly o4ned by the )ombine& 4ent on stri%e againsthea*y redu)tion of 4ages' !heir )ase 4as that sin)e 19B>1 there had been a systemati) redu)tion oftheir 4ages' Up to 19B>1 the rates of pay had *aried a))ording to the sie of the boat on 4hi)h thesailor 4as employed& and the maboat engineers& greasers& firemen and

bla)%smiths& on a))ount of redu)tions of 4ages from 1Bs' to 8s' a day' In those trades& as 4ith theseamen& if not more so& the *ast maDority are employed for some three or four months of the year+ duringthe remaining eight or nine months they ha*e to subsist on 4hat they )an earn in those months' !he"hamber of "ommer)e& representing the bul% of the employers affe)ted& refused to )ome to an offi)ialunderstanding 4ith the men& or to set up a )ourt of arbitration as re@uested by the Union'


67/94

EIn the middle of ,)tober Messrs' Palmine entered the fray& their 7anish lo)al manager ha*ing gi*enthree days noti)e to all those of their employees 4ho 4ere members of the 0athurst !rade Union to @uitthe union or be dismissed' In the 4ee%s ending ,)tober 1th and ,)tober 19th Messrs' Palmine& Ltd'&and Messrs' United .fri)a& Ltd'& issued lo)%out noti)es to all their employees 4ith a *ie4 to a redu)tionof 4ages' !he result of all this 4as that 4hen the 4ithdra4al noti)es and the lo)%out noti)es er

The Life and Struggles of Negro Toilers

Documents

Transcript of The Life and Struggles of Negro Toilers