May, 1956 FIGHTING TALK Page Thirteen FAITH OF A PARTISAN " IM PA RT IA LIT Y is either a delu- from amongst the White supremacists of allies, some of the members of the sion of the simple minded, a all parties, where better documented, Congress movement. “He is defeatist,” banner of the opportunist, or a boast more scholarly but less pertinent they say of Huddleston’s conclusion of the dishonest.” treatises have slid by unnoticed. “He that he sees little immediate hope for Professor Gaetano Salvemini. does not tell his readers or his audi­ the salvation of South Africa except ences what has been done, and is by pressure exerted from abroad. “He 'TREVOR HUDDLESTON is a man being done for the Bantu in the way underestimates the potentiality of the of many gifts. But none so impres­ of education, social and medical ser­ Congresses,” they say. Perhaps so. But sive as his ability to slice through vices and agricultural training,” Huddleston is not a politician; he is a unessentials, to brush away side issues, accuses Eric Louw in a public out­ priest who is not afraid to pursue truth and come directly to grips with the burst. But this is precisely the point of into the political meeting-houses. heart of a problem. It is this gift which Father Huddleston’s message to South Others — politicians — have writ­ he has used with such devastating Africa. “What I shall try to avoid,” ten and will write more profound effect in “Naught for your Comfort,” he writes in his opening chapter, “is analyses of the trends and perspectives the book which has set South Africa that most common and persistent error for political struggles of South Africa. talking about itself and its future as ■— the attempt to be impartial. By Politicians will write the treatises that never before. There IS a central core this I mean that I shall write this will rear a generation of great political to the problem of this country’s book as a partisan ” And then again: campaigners against race-discrimination future; unlike so many other well- “It is always possible, I suppose, even and apartheid. But Huddleston and meaning writers about our country and in the most vicious enactments of the “Naught for Your Comfort” will do its people, Father Huddleston puts his most vicious governments to see ele­ more to batter down the ingrained finger—better, his two fists—squarely ments of potential good. But Wilber- layers of prejudice amongst the White on that core: citizenship! “As a force would never have succeeded in citizens of this country, to shake them Christian, I cannot believe either in abolishing slavery if he had listened out of the dead unthinking accept­ the right or the possibility of a to the arguments of kind-hearted but ance of apartheid and injustice, than Government (particularly when that wrong-headed slave-owners.” Father any political treatise yet written. Government is a minority group in its Huddleston is not interested in an “Between the Christian view and that own country) directing and planning impartial, scholarly weighing up of of the totalitarian — racialist — the destiny of a whole people and the good and the bad of South Africa. nationalist, there is an unbridgeable enforcing a pattern of life upon them He is engaged in a campaign against gulf,” he writes. There is. And no for all their years.” This is the heart slavery; there is in him neither the one will read his book and fail to be and core of the Huddleston attack on opportunism, the dishonesty nor the aware of it. It is written not for the laws and customs of South Africa, simple-mindedness to raise in his own the politicians, but for the ordinary, just as it is the heart of the Freedom defence the banner of “impartiality.” decent citizen, who up to now, has Charter— “The People Shall Govern.” His book is the testimony of a partisan stood by while “politics” has built the It is not to be wondered at that this who has taken sides. police state. It is a powerful plea for book has drawn such fire and outcry And in sparing no punches, them to act; it is a call to battle, written Father Huddleston has understandably with all the power and faith of a aroused the ire and condemnation of man whose name has become a house­ (Continued from previous page) the most pig-headed and self-righteous hold word in the good fight for the the police have ‘interfered with even of the White supremacists. rights of men. the peoples’ social activities. The But it must be said that his book “Naught for Your Comfort,” by decree had not been thirty days old has also disappointed some of those Trevor Huddleston. (Published by when the police in their hunting ex­ who are his stoutest protagonists and Collins, 15/-.) L. Bernstein. peditions for illegal meetings and processions shot Nangoza Jebe dead and wounded several others. This unfortunate incident gave the people an opportunity to demonstrate on the EXPLOSIVE EPISODE one hand their disgust at the fascist horror, and on the other their deter­ 'VTEVER was the sobering lack of Harry Bloom tells it well. His mination to march relentlessly forward real writing talent more apparent Episode breaks through the spider’s to freedom. As over 30,000 men and than in recent years when South Africa web of mediocrity like a well-aimed women, old and young, marched slowly hit the literary limelight; when good, punch. Admirably, he has managed ,nd silently behind the tricolour ban- earnest people were sending carefully- to concentrate the whole complex '?r of the Congress at half mast, for folded manuscripts to overseas publish­ machine of South African race politics time one forgot about the young ing houses in an effort to extract the into half-a-dozen streets of a Native Volunteer who lay mute in a coffin most saleable picture from a country Location in a little Transvaal dorp draped in Congress colours. The brimming over with dramatic situa­ he calls Nelspoort. All the national mood of the people was not sorrow­ tions. Our modern novelist has still ingredients we know so well — apart­ ful, but reflected a studied determina­ to learn that for his novel to be good, heid, oppression, political double-talk, tion to carry on Nangoza’s fight so he not only has to tell the truth — hatred, resistance and the fear that that ‘The People Shall Govern.” he has to tell it well. turns men into beasts — all these are Page Fourteen FIGHTING TALK Mayt 1956 reflected in their correct proportions by the characters who inhabit the story. LETTERS from READERS Ther are’ many such characters. The European administrators, the municipal intriguers, the police, the location lackeys, Three readers answer Patrick Duncan’s article (Fighting Talk, April the “good-boys,” the Congress people, the ordinary people, all play their parts in the issue) which argued that the Liberal Party was the only organi­ episode, the race riot, either actively or sation which has: (1) made no concession to the colour-bar; (2) passively. Mr. Bloom, who is no stranger to these situations, avoids the double-dyed not “ aligned itself with the Russians and Chinese in the Cotd War; villain and the cardboard revolutionary. (3) “ no desire or plan to get control of the A.N.C.; and (4) is D u Toit, the sensitive superintendent, Ngubeni, the “good-boy,” Nkomo, the “absolutely opposed to discrimination of any kind.” fearless schoolteacher, Swanepoel, the police officer, Sarah, the shebeen queen, and, above all, Andries Gwebu, the inter­ preter, with his poker face and educated Sir, malice, are all robust characters whose are supposed to have on some Con­ existence is undeniable. The last-named, Patrick Duncan displays confusion gress men. But if this influence is a incidentally, provides the book’s only of thought. He criticises Congress for fact, why should not Africans learn humour, the dearth of which I found an siding against America. Surely it is unfortunate and unnecessary shortcoming. from White socialists as from White natural for Africans to look with admi­ liberals? Surely Mr. Duncan does not The role of Walter Mabaso, the central ration to Russia and China where racial character, is less satisfactory. He has un­ want to keep educated Africans apart doubted qualities of leadership and moments equality is complete in practice as well from anyone they choose to consult. of real greatness, but as the instrument for as in theory. Is it merely “anti-Ameri­ Really, Mr. Duncan should think linking the Location riots with the nation­ can” to support China’s claim to a twice before starting a red witch­ wide defiance campaign he is ineffectual seat in UN? Is it anti-American to and rather pathetic. In the subsequent hunt. This is a dangerous game for violence, he is merely a helpless spectator demand that Portugal leave Goa, or Liberals to play. Our common enemy, and his end at the hands of the police must we agree with Mr. Dulles that the Nationalists, do not distinguish is somewhat theatrical. Goa is “a Province of Portugal” ? liberals from socialists or even from At the other end of the dramatic scale, The weakness of the Liberal Party militant Christians When the Liberal Du Toit is a curious mixture of hard­ lies in its complete failure to make Party was formed certain Nationalist hearted officialdom and a highly-developed, almost naive set of scruples. It is pre­ any effort to formulate a policy on M.P.s believed that it was only the cisely these contradictions that make him world affairs.