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The voices of Europe Milton mair American lecturer and broadcaster author and professor of social research from the University of Frankfurt has been traveling throughout many of the countries of Western Europe recording the voices of ordinary people on a great variety of subjects. These are Europeans who are alive and sensitive to the tragedy in the LEM of the conditions that surround them. People who can speak directly and candidly of their own feelings and their own aspirations. These are citizens of other countries who speak to the American people unimpeded by the artificial screen of high cable costs and scarce newsprint a representative sample of the hundreds of thousands of voices of Europe some of which are being heard now for the first time. Not all of the problems facing Europeans today are to be found in Europe. Europeans have learned that they are closely linked and bound to things which are happening in Asia in Africa and even in the western hemisphere. Today's interview is with one of these Europeans.
The Reverend Michael Scott interviewed by Milton mayor in London enjoys the peculiar status of prohibited inhabitant of his beloved country of South Africa although he was born an Englishman the son and grandson of village clergyman of the Anglican church and is himself a clergyman and still a British citizen. He is prohibited by the government of the Union of South Africa from returning to the land which he went to first when he was 19 years old to work in a church mission for the rehabilitation of South African native is recovering from leprosy. The reason he is a prohibited inhabitant of South Africa is that he has represented the South West African tribes before the United Nations assemblies carrying the tribes men's petitions against their incorporation into the new racially segregated state of the Union of South Africa. The ailing Reverend Mr. Scott is now no longer a missionary from the civilized world to the Dark Continent. The Reverend Mr. Scott is a missionary from the Dark Continent to the civilized world. Mr. Scott I wish that you
would tell an American audience just what South Africa is how it got to be that way and what it means to European civilization and to the world. But I must tell you that many of you who are listening have not much firsthand knowledge of Africa. Oh I'm probably even less so out of it. But it has become both feel important what happens in you know South Africa. And because of the fact that all bad. Relationships.
People of different race throughout the continent of Africa what happens to Africa in the context of the world of today is becoming increasingly a bore. We in the West cannot afford to make many more major mistakes. They show bodies. We in the West not mean it's because there's a cesspool. And the question that has arisen in the minds of many Africans. What kind of civilization is being brought in to be
one in which you go to war races can have can contribute to the pool of skills and talents. And those arts and graces they can share orders into being a civilization. There's a new survey of the members of the white race. I disagree that one thing I'm quite sure it is that it's impossible to build in that continent stables of what I say on the basis of a doctrine of
racial supremacy. Nevertheless there is that danger to the Union of South Africa that is coming into existence. The homos Take system. Of racial discrimination denies opportunity. Oh groups of people and the right to exercise skills and the type of cause can and strangely enough that the system was first talk often was first applied to the many far
distant southwestern corner called again strangely enough we've got an organized by Germany and one of the principal organizers doctrine of the of course not other than the part of the good. It was poor about the drug I'm going to love it's perhaps first enunciated this theory and practice of beheading for later devastated Europe twice in our generation by the doctrine of the heroin folk. Mr Scott you mean the German expression meaning
the superior race the master race. Yes that's what I mean it was enunciated in Africa. 40 years before it was forced on people who are all about money and who wrote. In about 1890 decision to colonize in Southwest Africa could after all be nothing else but this named it the native tribes would have to give up the land on which they had previously raised the stock in order that the white man might have the land for the grain of his time. When this attitude is questioned from the moral law standpoint the answer is that the nations of the culture or position of the South African natives. The loss of the African National barbarism and their development into a class of laborers and service all of them dependent on the white people is primarily a lot of
existence in the eyes do you believe. But I do have to remind you the new study that in history what the terrible consequences of the application of this stereo practice of racial supremacy meant there was in that pedantry in heaven by the people to whom I spoke at the United Nations you heard of people not of people otherwise called Cotton balls. But a lot of. These people refused to have editors and selves from 80000 15000 men women and children in one of those terrible episodes in the hood history of the life that colonized nation of Africa not of the
people or the use by oh it was a war of extermination that was carried on a bunch of proto and other against the people who had accepted Christian base in all custom Coppens that Christ was the savior of the Prince of Peace. Having widened confidence. In the name of Christ. He proceeded to private right. And that. And when there is a vote for a vote and that was the result. And yet I suppose it is true to say that there is people certainly that are cheap. That's not not the case. I didn't hear religion or investments that I was Asian
but that pay has been maintained as evidenced by the repeated appeals from the United Nations against. He had his back still applied today. In fact as I was saying. The greatest danger is that in Africa which will kind of recruit guest. Of that doctrine with it and you see it. In the laws which are being enacted. Under the regime of the present time. The news growing up against the resistance movement of Africans went on that about eight or nine million. People the number about 1
million Indians a number about Horton. Pardon me Mr. Scott. The colored Indian and you have population of South Africa has about 10 or between 10 and 10 and a half million. And the white population is what two and a half million know about 60 percent of those Afrikaners people have done a lot of them. About 40 percent of English. That approximately three quarters of the population of Africa. And this movement is a movement of what is known as passive resistance
against laws to consider to be discriminated on the grounds of race although not into the station or in which station by this thing. But in terms of do you buy the ticket except you must travel in certain Redway compartments for Zocor not your hear him sort of kept for white people who do not sit on seeds for your everywhere they go in fact in South Africa. The nodding out of here made fuel of an indifference and do you feel you others in the race and now there's beginning of a movement of the resistance to it and I think it's a
fore and significant this movement was initiated many years ago. None other than Gandhi and subsequent. Movement in India did so good for the emancipation of the Indian people and I think they say it was in part responsible for the freedom which you know well for the good relation which exists today between the British and the Indian people. Mr. Scott the government of Dr. Marline in the Union of South Africa is as I understand it a government of the Afrikaners or the that Dutch are the
descendants of the original Dutch settlers who fled from persecution in Europe and the union itself however is still a member of the British Commonwealth is it that has certain guards what is called Dominion status or self-government within the British government of the franchise rights for the most part of the state in the name to the European people. The present government is mandated Afrikaner the economy nationalist movement in power. Now preceding the coming to power of this Afrikaner or Dutch descended of white people what was the racial situation in South Africa. Was it
considerably better than it is now or are we just more conscious of it now. I think it has west by reason of the enactment of additional racial rules such as the Group Areas Act and the imposition of compulsory floggings was a crime and what is the Group Areas Act in fact. The Group Areas Act able to. Delineate certain areas which will be occupied by people with one or another so-called Esmee group. One has to be set or a set apart for habitation by asian african will have another area like people is to have another idea. This is in the application of the policy which has come
to be known as that of a punt. Or separation of racial groups. Is this separation of racial groups possible. Is it possible I want to ask if it is possible and Christian are in moral terms I think your answer is obvious to that. Is it possible economically anybody if that isn't possible. South Africa's own economic and social system to that nothing has grown up on the basis of need you later need to be able to is essential to the gold mining industry as it is also to the problems. When Mr. Scott you speak of native labor
exactly what do you mean and showings and hands. We're live in Southwest Africa when I first read for yourself. Africa mega cultural label those with earning like you have a nine shillings a month over slightly over nine shillings a month that would be about a dollar twenty five cents in American money because it would yes. And the decision that they would be given the food and they might if they're lucky get some quarter in which to do many of them would have to build their own cups. But I believe since that appeal to the United Nations this week has been almost double
rooms as a consequence of United Nations but also on account of the increased cost of doing that up. That is the native African laborer in Southwest Africa or Southwest Africa both on the farm and in the mine would be getting about today would be getting about $2 50 cents a month wages. And he would be given food. In addition possibly some sort of housing you know. The wages on the gold mines and you had a right to more of that. Now it is this national a new national legislation of them our government. Is it constitutional is it.
Has it been held constitutional by the South African courts. Is the legislature or the parliament a divided parliament on the issue. And what does the United Kingdom of Mother Country say or do about this situation. But in addition to the passive resistance movement on the part of the non Europeans and out of reverting to. That is also a strong movement which originated among us the war veterans for the defense of the Constitution. Docked in the US in addition to defying the United Nations in the requests of softness Africa and also to fight in turn Supreme Court.
Depriving the cut of the people of the Cape and the right to be on the common row to enjoy a common franchise. OK probably right. They had enjoyed all the new generation since the Union. And it was what was called one of the entrenched clauses of the Act of Union. There was another train call for the use of the English language and the Dutch language and you will be given the second. One doctor that are by his recent legislation has removed to cut a bit of a common road and post them on a separate road but are there a direct separate members who
must of course be like none of them like people who sit in Parliament of that country. I should perhaps mention that there are in or about 100 just over a hundred and fifty seats in the union's House of Assembly. Three quarters of the population of Africa they are represented by three white house said. From this you can imagine how difficult it is for the half of them to express themselves much less secure any redress or form and it is because of this inability to articulate what we did in the political structure of the country that they're
forced either into passive resistance against these unjust laws or to make that appeal to other civilized nations to cover the risk of them. And Mr. Scott. I'm interested in your present situation as I understand it. For the last several assemblies of the United Nations you have represented the Southwest African tribal chiefs carrying their petitions to the United Nations assemblies in an effort on their behalf to persuade the United Nations to take
up this violation of their rights or alleged violation of their rights. And you have said that you are now forbidden to return to Africa which means of course if I infer correctly that you cannot bring petitions to the United Nations and you petitions and the chiefs themselves are not permitted to leave South Africa. Do I understand correctly even at the invitation of the United Nations. Yes there was a resolution passed by the trusteeship committee the fourth Committee of the United Nations and this was communicated to the chiefs who voted present it
but up to but as head of the trusteeship division this cable was sent to them and they waited for two or three months for permission to be that a tree and that is session. They were denied passports could put us to attend United Nations General Assembly and it was because the inability to come that I was granted a hearing on their behalf. Course this raises the question of. How the changes can be brought about in a situation which is deteriorating very rapidly. You'd need the city to wait to the country is reduced to a shambles
before the civil and into being what are British historians Webb said. I think it was the best bedroom but the anything we learn from history is that we never heard anything from history. Well it seems to me that we have to better this lesson from history particularly It has to mean by we will serve all Anglo-Saxon people the British and the Americans. Because the world has come to depend so much upon of leadership and we are but it would show the civilization we are trying to build in America than Africa uses it I think for people of all races.
We've got build up that I'm out of here racial society and that confronts us with many objects of economic and political problem got worked up because it will enable people to live together in peace and to build up a civilization that can win the temptation but us on account of our history not of us to assume us very audit you know at least rather rigid be a signal that of us and proselytization
we cannot afford to make. The rest or the Christian PS misses have a can of mace simply go to become intoxicated. I dismiss some scientists but all is able to analyze. So is it just something you got a nice read. This is with us history. We cannot afford not to. Thank you Mr Scott Milton Mayer has been interviewing the Rev. Mr. Michael Scott. The program you have just heard is made possible under a
grant from the fund for adult education an independent organization established by the Ford Foundation. These programs are prepared and distributed by the National Association of educational broadcasters. This program was introduced by Norman McKee and this is the end AB tape network.
Series
Voices of Europe
Episode
Reverend Michael Scott
Producing Organization
National Association of Educational Broadcasters
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-wd3q1042
If you have more information about this item than what is given here, or if you have concerns about this record, we want to know! Contact us, indicating the AAPB ID (cpb-aacip/500-wd3q1042).
Description
Episode Description
An interview with Reverend Michael Scott, focused on issues in South Africa.
Series Description
Interviews with noted Europeans on a variety of subjects, conducted by Milton Mayer, American author and broadcaster, lecturer and professor in the Institute of Social Research at Frankfurt University.
Broadcast Date
1953-01-01
Topics
Global Affairs
Subjects
Afrikaners
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:38
Embed Code
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Credits
Interviewee: Scott, Michael, 1907-1983
Interviewer: Mayer, Milton, 1908-1986
Producing Organization: National Association of Educational Broadcasters
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 52-37-19 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:16
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Citations
Chicago: “Voices of Europe; Reverend Michael Scott,” 1953-01-01, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 28, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-wd3q1042.
MLA: “Voices of Europe; Reverend Michael Scott.” 1953-01-01. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 28, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-wd3q1042>.
APA: Voices of Europe; Reverend Michael Scott. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-wd3q1042