THE NATIVES IN THE LARGER TOWNS. 609 



not enjoyed a wide circulation since the war — the missionary to 

 whom I have referred, who may or may not be a naturaHsed 

 British subject, published in June, 1917, an article entitled " Notes 

 on Natal," in which the following remarks were made : 



Thus far the Labour movement in Natal, and all of South Africa, has 

 neglected the Natives. It has been a mere conservative craft union move- 

 ment among the whites. Yet the Kaffirs are 93 per cent, of the working 

 class of the country. The International Socialist League, a new body of 

 Revolutionary Socialists, and industrial unionists, has at last started 

 to reach the Natives. . . 



The Natives are ready for the message of Socialism whenever we can 

 give it to them. Our great difficulty is that of language. Few of us 

 speak Zulu, Sesuto, Shangaan, or other Native language well enough to 

 propagandise in it. There is no Socialist literature in these tongues ; the 

 lirst pamphlet, " Wage- Labour and Capital," is only now in process of 

 translation into Zulu. 



Socialism and Syndicalism. 



The effort of the " New Body of Revolutionary' Socialists " 

 t3 reach the Natives was brought to the notice of the authorities 

 by me twelve months ago, and the opinion was expressed that the 

 preaching of Socialism and syndicalism amongst the Natives in 

 their present backward state is wholly undesirable. 



Those of us who assisted in controlling the Natives during 

 the Rand strikes of 1913-1914 were able to form an estimate of 

 the criminal folly of teaching the Natives to run riot. 



To countenance the propagation, in any shape or form, of the 

 doctrines of the new body of " Revolutionary Socialists " among 

 the Natives would be to hasten this country towards eventualities, 

 the nature of which, as a serious-minded man, I forbear to in- 

 dicate in words. 



Each citizen can do much for good citizenship if he will try 

 and understand something of the good or harmless purposes 

 which his Native employee has in view, and help him, not neces- 

 sarily on a familiar footing, towards their attainment — imparting 

 to him in the process such simple lessons as were in Livinfrstone's 

 mind when he said, " The true and honest discharge of everyday 

 life is a Divine service." 



Improvidence. 



It may be safely assumed that most of them come to ns to 

 earn money, but the improvidence of Natives of all ages is a 

 marked feature among those employed in the. towns, and the 

 authorities constantly receive appeals from the relatives of Natives 

 asking that they may be prevailed upon to recognise their obliga- 

 tions to their families or that they may ibe induced* to return to 

 their homes. It is stated with re.qard to the negroes of Jamaica 

 and Demerara that the "motive which was most relied on for 

 inducing them to work was their love of fine clothes and personal 

 ornaments." It cannot 'be said, however, that extravagance goes 

 hand in hand with industry amon^^ the South African Natives. 

 Usuallv the most thriftless are those of the idle and vicious class, 

 who never want to wort-. 



In Durban efforts have been mndp to enrourao-e thrift by 

 giving lantenT lprturp<^ -^^ ron\rpniAr,f ronfmc ^rir\ offering prizes 



