16 president's address. 



work along these lines is needed and in the direction of experi- 

 mental psychology. It is greatly to be desired that the members 

 of the Native Affairs Commission will fully realise the opportuni- 

 ties of research before them. Without data as to what are the 

 real potentialities of the Bantu how can they advise as to the 

 policy to be pursued ? 



Racial Solidarity. 



To anyone who reflects upon the sociological problems of 

 South Africa the question will continually recur, how are the 

 various constituents of the population likely to arrange them- 

 selves in the future? Though perhaps at first sight the matter 

 is not very relevant to ourselves, it yet makes a strong appeal 

 when we contemplate what may be the conditions for our descend - 

 ents. We can only predict the future with any assurance from 

 a study of the present and from the tendencies it reveals. Three 

 courses at least are possible: (a) Each racial group may separate 

 itself from the others, retain all its distinctive characteristics, and 

 lead its life apart and independently, (b) All the groups may 

 intermingle and blend, lose their individuality, and form a more 

 or less homogeneous people, an approximate uniformity of all the 

 diverse elements as regards colour and other physical attributes, 

 as well as of the higher mental and spiritual faculties, (c) The 

 present arrangement may continue and each group retain its 

 primary racial distinctness, and yet intermingle for the everyday 

 affairs of life. 



The adoption of the first possibility, that of complete isola- 

 tion or segregation of each race, makes a strong: appeal to the 

 superficial view, but is not feasible in practice. There are obliga- 

 tions which can not be put aside. With modern humanitarian 

 ideas of the obligations of peoples to one another the white could 

 not leave the native isolated in his lowly condition, with all his 

 barbarous customs and practices ; nor is a continuance of inter- 

 tribal warfare possible in contact with a civilised people. The 

 latter have now to help the native towards something in lieu of 

 these discarded practices, to provide him with interests, and to 

 assist him to a life in conformity with a fixed and settled social 

 organisation. Having come into |pntact with the white man and 

 realised the amenities which civilisation confers, the native himself 

 does not desire a detached existence and resents enforced segrega- 

 tion. His leaders especially call for education, and help and guid- 

 ance towards a life more like that of the white. The European 

 must respond to his obligations and in matters of education, of 

 agriculture, and of existence generally, the condition of the 

 native both within and outside the Reserves is rapidly improving- 



The case of the Maori may be instanced as an example of 

 successful segregation of coloured and white apart. But the New 

 Zealand native is of an altogether different nature from the native 

 of South Africa. He is self-contained and can lead his own life 

 successfullv within a limited area, without interference from the 

 white, and yet in harmony with humane ideals. The Negro apart 

 has not the innate power to maintain such a life. The results in 



