POLICE RAIDS IN HUNT “FOR EVIDENCE 'tOF TREASON” Premises searched - throughout Union 48 ORGANIZATIONS IN V O LV E D TEMBERS OF THE SPECIAL BRANCH of the M1C.I.D. in many parts of the Union today carried out faids on premises of numerous organizations to search for evidence of treason and of offences under the Suppression of Communism Act, said Maj. A. r.\ Spengler, chief of the Special Branch in Johannesburg The offices of the Transvaal Indian Con- , / ' gress, the Priory, Rosettenville, and the Central Indian High School, Fordsburg, were among the premises raided by the police in Johannes­ burg. Tables, desks and even parts of the floor were piled with documents when a squad of police, led by Lt. B. Buytendag, raided the basement premises of the Trans­ vaal Indian Congress in West Street. A search warrant authorized them to search for papers Home visited which would afford evidence Mr. Y. A. Cachalia, former “ as to the commission of the secretary of the S.A. Indian Con­ offence of treason or sedition.” gress, said that his home in Vrede- The warrant empowered the dorp was raided at 9 a.m. by two police to remove all documents Special Branch policemen who found on the premises relating to 4 took a typewriter, pamphlets, 48 organizations in the Union and books and other literature. other parts of the world. A number of homes had been . Among the organizations listed raided, he said, including that of were the South African Indian Dr. Y. M. Dadoo, former president Congress, the African National of the S.A. Indian Congress Congress, the Congress of Demo­ Reports of similar raids have crats, the Congress of the People, f so far been received from Pretoria, the Congress of Trade Unions and Durban. East London, Port Eliza­ the World Peace Council. beth, Cape Town, Maritzburg, Larysmith, Dundee and other Houses searched smaller towns. Offices of small ■ weekly newspapers in Natal were Mr. M. Harmel, principal of also visited. the Central Indian High School, Lilian Road, Fordsburg, a private school started by Indian parents, said that police afrived to search the school this morning. He dis­ missed the pupils. He said the police had already searched the houses of some members of his staff and were going to search his house. Father Trevor Huddleston, C.R. Provincial of the Community of the Resurrection in South Africa, gave tea to four members of the Special Branch when they arrived at his office in St. Peter’s Priory, Rosettenville, with a search warrant. Father Huddleston said the police were looking “ for apy goods or documents, cash books or invoices that would afford evi­ dence as to the commission of the offence of treason or sedition. They Raids for treason evidence” continued S hK today 13 AIDS by the Special Branch of the C.I.D., started yesterday i- to search for evidence of treason, sedition, offences under } the Suppression o f Communism Act and under the Riotous ’ Assemblies Act, continued today, said Maj. A. T. Spengler, head of the Witwa tersrand section of the branch. ----------------------- - Allegations that the police had removed personal possessions — apart from documents — were made today by Mr. J. D. Matlou, an executive member of the Sophiatown branch of the Afri­ can National Congress, whose house was raided at 7 a.m. today. Mr. Mhtlou said the police had removed furniture, including tables, and neckties from the office of the Congress of the People in Kliptown yesterday. ^ Raids by Special They took personal letters from many people. From Mr. Walter Sesulu, former secretary-general of the A.N.C. they took letters ^ Branch of from a Dutch professor and Mr. John Hatch, an official of the British Labour Party. A number of homes in Sophia­ May Continue town were raided today, including rjiHE head of the Witwatersrand union and the Transvaal Peace that of Mr. S. Tjiki, local chair­ section of the Special Branch Council were raided, as well as man of the A.N.C. several homes in Sophiatown. of the C.I.D., Major A. T. MR. DUNCAN VISITED Father Trevor Huddleston, Pro­ Spengler, said yesterday that it vincial of the Community of the A member of the special branch was not possible to say when the Resurrection in South Africa, said of the C.I.D. accompanied by raids by the branch would end. yesterday that 44 documents were regular police from Ladybrand, The branch was acting on taken away when his home was yesterday visited the home of Mr. information it received from day raided on Tuesday. It was difficult Patrick Duncan, on the Caledon to day, he said. to see why, he added. At least 40 River opposite Maseru. Mr. Yesterday the offices of a trade of them had already been pub- Duncan, who is the eldest son of ished. a former Governor-General of the Union, the late Sir Patrick Every time a raid was made, the Duncan, said that the police police claimed that they were pre­ searched his files and took away paring a case of treason, he said. printed material including docu­ The raids were a combination of ments of the Capricorn Society, 'McCarthyism and Fascism at an organization which advocates their worst." race co-operation and had its JOINT PROTEST headquarters in Rhodesia, as well A joint statement protesting as private letters. against the Union-wide raids was Police headquarters said today issued yesterday by the African that the special branch police and Indian National Congresses, officers searched a number of the South African Congress of houses in the non-European areas Democrats and the South African of Pretoria yesterday. No Euro­ Coloured Peoples’ Organisations. peans were visited. Inquiries made The raids were intended “ to re­ here today suggest that the police strict the legal right of the people searches in Pretoria were mainly to carry on legitimate opposition of individuals who are or may to the Nationalist Party Govern­ have been connected with the ment,” said the statement. African and Indian congresses. I enclose the sum of > v ‘ DETECTIVES RAID 300 I PREMISES ON RAND, IN CAPE AND NATAL " S t o p . People Taken Many Papers Aim to Find to H.Q. for and Books Proof of Red Questioning Seized Activities ROUPS of Special Branch detectives raided It was Chinese offices, private homes and other premises throughout the Union yesterday in efforts to find to Him proof of Communist activity. It was the biggest AT the home in Parktown, police raid in the history of the country. Johannesburg, of a Euro­ pean woman teacher on the On the Rand more then 100 premises staff of the Central Indian High School, detectives took were searched and many docuhients were away, among other articles, a seized. A number of persons were taken copy of "The Way of a Transgressor,” by N e g 1 e y to Special Branch headquarters for Farson. questioning, but no arrests were made. Behind a door they found a Chinese dressing gown which The Special Branch states that the result of its the teacher had obtained from China 18 years ago. It is inquiries may not be known for some time. About 100 premises in the Cape covered with dragons and The search warrants authorising figures. Peninsula and a similar number in Natal were searched. There were the detectives to take action in She said that one of the the city listed 48 organisations— detectives commented: “You also raids in Pretoria, Port Eliza­ beth, East London, and Bloemfon­ including some no longer in exist­ never know what all these ence—and the “Chesa Chesa symbols mean. We had better tein. Lieut.-Colonel W. C. E. Prinsloo, Army,” about which information take that thing away.” was required. The dressing gown was Head of the Union’s Special seized. Branch, told the “Rand Daily Mail” 'yesterday that the aim was “ CONSIDERATE ” to search for evidence and investi­ gate allegations of treason or Father Huddleston said that the violations of the Suppression 'of detectives were most considerate “ WE REGARD THE Communism Act. during the raid. Consecrated premises were not entered, and RAID EXCl|.SE SINCE 1935 only his office, bedroom and the rooms housing the printing press AS NONSENSE” Although Colonel Prinsloo re­ of the Community of the Resur­ rection were searched. CAPE TOWN, Tuesday. — Mr fused to admit the fact, it is known that the raids were the At the Priory a photographer R. September, general secretary result of an accumulation of representing a magazine was held of the. South African Coloured statements collected by the special by the police after he had taken a People’s Organisation, said the Branch ever since it came into: picture of detectives going through C.I.D. had raided the homes of existence in about 1935. documents in Father Huddleston’s many members of the organisa­ The main effort of the police was concentrated on the Rand. tion’s executive and had removed There the Security Branch—the office. His film was confiscated books, newsletters, correspondence, name adopted in this area, and he was released. membership forms, ties, banners although in Pretoria the corres­ Among 44 items taken from and rubber stamps. ponding section is still known as the Priory were a letter Father “ We regard as absolute nonsense Huddleston had written to Canon the excuse that the search was an . the Special Branch—set out from, Collins in England, and a copy of attempt to, produce evidence in various vantage points from 9 a.m. a speech made by Mr. Alan Paton. support of a charge of sedition onwards.