A VlSlTOTc ll\i THE l-IOUSE,+kA £L.D OF EVERY PARI I... EhTAR hur~lds anot; cr occasions

-v-i uduiut.- up t*;c Ijiijfthy tc-xi.iiji yf ; U*.! * :*d. politicr l debits and .. i-'.aLpcratic liabilities inflicted on thjs South African pi ’pie* Otto Jw.ruly bothers to chcck the- assets side- ifc this logislatory account hw ioet these days. And 19^6 proves no exemption to this annual Ciad-*en‘ s rush zo political bankruptcy.

Oh the crcdit side there is littlo i: anything to be found. The ".’ill increased benefits bestowed ti ro^gh aaendaents to the '/orkaen1 C..- v.isation ^ct and the Pnounon- ic.-uiasis Kct brought the only re­lief t to an otherwise costly -ession.On the debit side the losses suff- di’wd by the South African people v.'ere severe. Their intensity aried according upon ’‘there one is -Icssified along the colour line.Tiero the Coloured people. They suffered heavily this year. The Nationalists at least established the "vclkswil" of their Party, by using the "packed Senate to re- "•ovc the Coloured voters froa the co _.ion roll. This "achieve -cnt" of the anti-denocrats was possible I; cause of the basically urideho- cr tic South Africa Act of 1909, ich gave little guarantee to any

rights at all. The Coloureds r-lso lost the right to sit in the Cape Provincial Council. Earlier in the s .ssion under the iniquitous I:-,us trial Conciliation net Coloured workers -,erc deprived of

right to serve on the Executive Co-i.itcees of thrir trade unions, if such *'nions include but 1J*•.‘hitcs in their total ae.ibership*-<‘u crowning Nat. achievoaent . / inst the Coloured people .’as •n aauidaont to the Population I. ,iatr?tion Act, vhich h s al-

*'/ cr u so lueh hua. n _dy, to impose the Nr.si-like

"appeara-ned? cast*

VERWOC-f^O'S D»OTATO£$M\Pi;.l:;avc it was the African noo le

;#-e Suffered he. viest of ail.‘Dr*.V - cord aest hov spoken over a-

□illion words this session, b'ith never ending enthusiasm he spoke for over 3 hours in the Toalinson debate and piloted through £ bills, which struck bio*■ after blow at the already u.ere rights of the Africans. The Ver oerds dictatorship was bolstered by the overall powers ranted over the Cepe by an anend.icnt to that old war-horse of reaction, the Native Adainis- tretion net; 500 local authorities were drawn right into the ”eb of the rule of terror and autocracy by the Native (Urban Areas) Aaendaent Act *-Jhich‘ gives these authorities cruel and arbitrary powers to banish and depot loaders of the people; the Natives (Prohibition of Inter­dicts) Bill took av ay the last v-scige of legal protection en­joyed by the Africans; aaendncnts to the Bantu Education and Group Areas Acts r.ade further inroads on the peoples* rights.

‘ s e c r » O N 7 7Vorkers lost drastically under the nuv; Industrial Conciliation Act. Workers of all races found thv-ir only safeguard — •lulti-raci^l solidarity, rudely stripped fron then.* Perhaps 1956 will be roseabered as "Section 77*' year by the workers, c yerr in which apartheid was

to drive another obstacle Vcf ore th- road to real unity of all vorkers.In all these aeasures the whites ce, find yet further threats to their Q\'ii security; further injuries to the people which, cannot fail v."little away the . illusions of a Nationalist "D^tocracy" r. longst white Soul Africans. (' -• •ft* oi-ii.'fe ll >

n-w m

® itfl § U fe @ 0(g ilJUNE 26, CAPE %IT h'AS Ui. DOUBT El

XOTfll-■ ■ V I ___^DLY T

NAT 101IAL CONFERENCEThis was apparent ?t the fir.it our delegates reported beck to oared.

:ET; AND> INSPIMP'natdhb of tne 7HTCH : ..IZED C.O.D. IN CkPE TOWN.

t.K ting after Conference when br nch. A new enthuisiasm apF-

fhao- wo immediately inwlvt; ourselves-in active work is the on - disputable reason for the continuing enthusiasm and the present strength of our branch.During the local bus boycott campaign COD aquitted itself well, swinging into action with SACP0 to get the campaign est­ablished before branching off onto our own particular task of taking the issue to the White section of the: populationThis sounds very fine tut let us not run away with the idea that ve have committed r.o er­rors.

MAJOR m O R .Perhaps our major error has been one of excessive”centra­lism ", At first we friled to draw every member actively into the taking of decisions affec­ting our work. This was par­ticularly so during the boy­cott campaign.In an organisation such •--? our? this "centralism" can have a veakening offoct in that ind­ividual members cease to th: rC: on ohe problems confronting The tendency is to lorv .1?. sueh decisions to the x ctrtivc ■which overloads it:-elf r. It;.’ ;< - tails of praticul o:’j;ani •Tho exec, tiy<. .Itl t- ly il'-'.-ti a rout in. method of .’crhi - l kcop the or.v'.r.isatioi v;c>i:. - but at the ~an< ti..r fails to take up the vital issues jhich confront it daily. AnanaEQfcflkd on7*achieved by membe r to

orranisntion isTiTi, “can only he •ncourgging* every ke m activ part

ir. the running of th- branch, T hi3 is nov; being done und the response of th-: branch to this approach JuctlfiLi it.

jSHXJiffiflOR LATE?The ever presont spectre of shortage of f^nds haunt3 our branch.While realising that there is no short cut to political success, and . thct nothing can replace door-U)-doorwork as the real basis on which our organisation can grow, it is never­theless important that r;e keep ur r steady stream of leaflets and pa phlets exposing the tyranny of our Nationalist oppressors, h'ith print­ing costs as nigh as they are v;c ar: virtuelly cripplcd by the lack of funds. V.'e have been extremely slack in not devoting more attention to the fundraising aspect of our work. As a result we have missed numerous i.i- portant issues such as new high levels of Provincial Taxation, the Prohibition • - Interdicts Act and the Urban Ar (<..vnJmont) Kct. V.'e have hop:s th: t

h-.vc at last found ways and r.ec...' tc r .rtially lay this spectre.C O.D. .'3 continued tc send speakers to tings organised by the Joint.oris, it' tivo Co-u'dttec, and to t frr-t rnal delegates to Conference ot

. -llvCongress Organisation.'.

. oil set. on t

.’re

tingmorer? p*r\

OV’ltl i] r .rec firs- ,’ca.";. P. rial ; up.sue

rtur

Johannesburg1s example :’oedom Charter sighatur occasions r ’.d more ar • t attempt was not very s' use in this glorious l;-.:v ..eh and dcr'socr-cy" - sc.v so - \.o rero ruivi

Branch within 20 riinjut On the second occasicn

cos..ful, .obtaining a numb* r s before be-in.-.: raided.

by

-•1 ;S.»i'-* d •ss—

thet-* • T»

of .

;#'£ jUFPORTERJ- FOR OUR AMONG THE ’•,‘lfITE POPULATION. . OPT AND FIND THEM. '

POLICIES■e :rsi SET

DURBAN writes to tell us that, al­though a small group, they have been active in the last few months participating with the other Con­gresses in the Anti-Pass Group Areas Campaign. The women hope to be represented oh the 9th August when the women go to Pretoria. We are sorry to hear that they have been discouraged by their first at empts to work for the Charter aoongst white people - one’s re­sults are not always observable and never, to our knowledge, spectac- ularl But, steady work even though it starts humbly., will always reap results - the least that accrues to us from our work is that the name and stand of the Con­gress of Democrats becomes known to white people. And, in the long run. we will be recognised as one of the partners of the foremost political force in South Africa, the Congresses.CAPE TOWN have sent us the follow­ing report on activity. The corning Peace Convention has re­ceived the attention of the branch in Cape Town and help has been promised to the Peace Council in their preparations.CHARTER TA3LES are continuing des­pite the attentions of the police force, and the response of the membership to this activity is good.There are regular LITERATURE SALES­MEN who work every week In their own areas, selling "We Are Many", ltYour Number Please", popularising the Charter and trying to win contacts and signatures.Ve are printing an article fron Cape Town here. The Editorial Board of C.A. suggests that it be road and discussed In other regions it seems to have a lesson or t.;o :ttached to itlJOKAnNESBl_______ _G Region has recoveredrom Its Election activities, and feels generally that the result of the Election (Lliss Hayman lost by just over 300 votes) was gratifying. A Regional General Meeting will discuss the election and the various issues which arise out of C.O.D's participation In it.

We are not pleased to report that thore were only 16 members present at the FREEDOM CHARTER ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS at Kliptown: the white members of the Special Branch far out­numbered the members of C.O.D. there. Some criticism is called for in the branches concerned. Permission to hold a meeting on the CITY HALL STEPS was refused: the meeting was to have pro­tested against the Urban Areas Amendment Act and the Deportation and Prohibition of Interdicts Acts. The Region has asked for the reasons for this refusal.Branches have been well in touch with the preparations for the PEACE CONVENTION, and speakers from the Peace Council have been addressing branch meetings.I&CjuTIOjlS,, JW TflE ‘

The "Locations In the Sky" leaf­let is roady for Il^HBDIATE DISTRIBUTION in all the flat areas of Johannesburg. Eranche3 are urged to collect their leaflets right now, especially since this issue is front-page news this week.

We think that the section "WHAT SHOULD WE DO" is good and the idea is one which makes a leaflet constructive.

P / i e s s S t a

The Congress of Democrats has issued a Press Stateuent about the ban on meetings in African areas. The following is an extract from the statement:-"■.7e feel that such a regulation will furtler prevent and restrict tha already confined rights of voteless Africans to express them­selves on subjects affecting then, such as the rent increases higher bus fares and other municipal matters. It would appear that the Non^European Affairs Department, like the S.A. Government, ... is afraid of criticism.

Jk ':

FIGHTING TALKThe highlight of the June number is "Treason"! by Hilda Y.’atts.Under the guise of a "drean" she wittily and forcefully exposes the true nature of Swartz threatened trials. The accused it becomes evident are really charged with conspiry for FTIE5D0M,-' not TREASON. I was reninded of the farcical trial in "Alice in .Vonderland" - the day will cone when we like Alice will be able to say "But they1re Only a Pack of Cards" and send the Nationalists flying like "dead leaves in the nind"

NE./S FROM A.E.M.This is the first number of the official bulletin of the African Education Movement, and is a MUST for all C.O.D. members, so no of whom know far too litilu about what is being done to com­bat Bantu education.Copies are obtainable from the Secretary, $4 Victoria Avenue, Sandringham."SECHABA"

- Co-operrtion with the other Congresses is helped by rcrdirig their literature. "Sechnba11 is the organ of the Transvaal A.N.C. and givos'&n insight to tho -wordings of our fraternal

( Congress. l

A VISITOR IN THE HOUSE (Cont.from page 1).How many people, though, spied the "unwanted visitor" who never

left the Houso of Assembly this year. Time after time, without so muchmas a murmur, he was rudely rejected by the House. Indomitable, he appeared with even greater strength after every rejection. When Parliament said "no right" of access to the courts" he said "All shill be equal before the Law". V.hen Parliament said "arbitrary banishment" he said "No one shall be imprisoned, deported or restricted without a fair trial". 7/hen Parliament said "more pass laws and racial testr ", he said "Pass Laws shall be abolished...All national groups shall hcvi equal rights". Tho voice of the Froedom Chartor, although still nows and inexperienced, was unmistakable. In every debate, from the farce of the Tomlinson report to the joint sitting, it alone enjoyed the vitality of a real alternative to apartheid and Nationalism. In Parliament It fell on deaf, though frightened ears, but outside - amongst the people who have grown tired of the annual harvest of oppression - the urgent task of making the meaning of the Charter ever -lore fully known becomes daily more pressing.

----------- 0 O 0 ------------

ON THE SPOT ROUND UPIn the next issue of CA. (July 15) an "on the spot" round up of Congress activity will appear when our columnist will visit all the major towns in the Union. He wi/11 discuss the problems affecting the congresses In the different centres and his comments are sure tc be of interest to Counter Attack readers.

HAVE YOU FULFILLED YOUR NE7 AGS___________ ELEfifig?___________Readers of Counter Attack will no doubt know that New Age Ins fallen far short of the sum that it hopes to colloct. A heavy responsibility rests upon Congressmen to keep New Ago going. That will not happen without acney. We must make personal sacrifices to keep 017:1 Paper alivol i

J U L Y >956

THE SAMI IE OLID STORY30MS ONE 0NC3 CALLED the United Party the party of "We too", "We too

hate the ........." 'We tpo fight the ........ ." "We too believe in........" Tear after year as the Nationalist machine roll* on tc its de­sired. goal, the Baaskaap Police-State, the timid Straus clique complain "d^n't do it that way, do it our way .... . we after all have finesse".Dr. Boris Wilson, the self styled "liberal" of the City Council, and hi*cronies on the Native Affairs Department, have proved that they can be as like Verwoerd as Swart. *

Their action in introducing a blanket bann on gatherings of more than ten Africans oould hardly have be>n betered by Dr. Wilsons col1eagues in the Cabinet. The Jn’ted Party's finesse is net even skin deep.

JCxST ACTION;Yet reaction did not have the

fields to itself on this occasion. Democratically minded people in the City of Johannesburg were quick to take up cudgels against the latest attack upon the already slender liberties of the People.An Action Ceramittee was immediately established to fight the measure.The Blaok Sash, the Liberal Party, the Labour J’arty, the Congress of Democrats and its fraternal Con­gresses, the A.N.C., T.I.C.,8.A.C.P.O. and S.A.C.T.U., the dis­sentient United Party members (Messrs. Harvey and Lewsin), all joined in to fight the legislation. By the beginning of last week the council had "temporarily withdrawn the measure".Round One to Democracy?Almost, but not quite.The bell is about to ring for Round two. What do our seoonds advise?

ORGANISE«It's the old, old story,

ORGANISE, ORGANISE, ORGANISE 1 We must not delude ourflelTea, the U.P.- Naticnalists are going to come baok with knuckleduster* beneath their glove*. We have only on* weapon with whioh to meet them, the

wrath of the People. Yet how are we to gain the use of this trump card? We must act quickly, area meetings must be oalled by the Congress of Democrats and its friends. Prior to this an inten­sive canvas must ?>e launched.Every Citizen ef Johan..esburg must have this legislation explained to him so that he may Demonstrate hie oppostion to tyranny. Citizens must be asked to lobby their Councillors to demand report-baok meetings, to see that the measure is not re-introduced.

•

REAL VICTORY:This can be a real victory for

Progressive forces if they act QUICKLY. Many of the opponents of reaction have been disheartened in the past because the fight against Nationalism seemed to be beyond their resource*. The City Counoil is closer to the people than a remote Parliament. This time we can look forward to a victory not in distant future, but right NOW. We must involve the People for it is they who must learn the lessons of political action. No amount of Propaganda will serve as a substi­tute for experience. If we can win this first small victory, striking at the WEAK point of the state, we can, at the same time, begin to give the lead, the only lead that i* possible in South Africa, THE FREEDOM CHARTER.

cod m m m m cap£ m e.p&o//es

On his arrival in London recently, Mr. Strydom was re­ported as saying:* *

"Do not believe all those stupid stories you have read about a police state. You can come to South Africa without fear, and I can assure you that in our streets you wi^ be n» m r ^ stalked arcund corners by police­men than you will be in your own country (England)".

It is a great pity that Mr. otrydom iid not expand his statement, He could well have referred to such common occurences in South Africa as Police raids on the h^mes and offices of hundreds of our citizens, the banning of trade union and •ther leaders, the banning of thousands of bocks, the tampering with Liberal Party mail, the witholding of passports from the Chairman of the Labour Party and others, the refusal to allow Coloured Soccer officials to represent "heir Federation at Lisbon, the banishment of African women from urban areas and the consequent breakup of their families, the Prevention of Interdicts Act, the banishment of "agitators" under the Urban areas tcts, the refusal to allow Doris Lessing, noted Rhodesian authoress to enter South Africa. To Mr. Strydom, this might be just routine Government policy. To the vast majority •! ^outh iifricans, Black and >hite, it all savours of the Police State.

On no less than three occasions during the past few weaks, members of the Congress cf "em^crats have b e n raided by the Special (Political) Police while collecting Freedom Charter signatures with full City ’’ouncil permission. One of our members was taken to ciararoont Police Station, searched, and persona] papers removed, others subjected to qnestioning.

There must be many members of the public whs are not sure whether i£r. Strydsra is correct or not. We cordially invite them to contact us to enable them to see for themselves the truth *f our ac usations against the Government. One thing is clear. In the Polica State set up by the Nationalists, all are threatened. Possession of a white 3kin dees not give .ne immunity from the plain clo+hss police whA do indded stalk our citizens.

ky PET£R ABELARDLIBERATION : June 1956 tells the story of the Only Weapon that Democrats have in their fight against the rising fascist tide. ORGANISATION . This is a historic time for the peoples organisation and they must react quickly to the needs of the new situation.Yet old habits die hard and the mere reviewing of past weaknesses does n t correct them. The writer of this article calls upon the A.N.C. to critically r e ­evaluate its organisational weak­nesses in terms of "the scope cf the discussions must be extended beyond the present emphasis on constitutional changes", and the "leadership must ensure that the rank and file participate ful y in the discussion".

The former point is beyond the experience of this reviewer and has no bearing on Organisational methods in the Congress of Democrats. The latter point is of dynamic important rto our organisation. At the last national conference of the C.O.D. the criticism was made that the leadership was remote from the regional organisations. *9 have gone along way to correcting this error and this has not bean a one-sided effort on the part of the leadership. The Johannesburg- region has had no less than four general me tings within a short period of three months. In the Johannesburg region the rank ani file have taken it upon them­selves to participate in the cre­ation «f policy. This car. or.ly be a healthy manifestation.

--- 0O0---- *This reviewer was extremely

impressed by the well thought out article of Bernard Shaw written *y Micheal Harrow 1 in this months Fighting Talk.

There ha3 b«en a tendancy to regard social realism as a "worker" in a "steal mill" fighting the "boss". If v* is artistically created it might well be social realism. If it is not it is drive11. This

artiole on Shaw appreciates him for what he was, not for what he would like him to have been.

Shaw was first and foremost a Socialist, his great humanism stemmed from his socialism. To late in life he deserted the isolation of Fabianism and his great contri­bution to humanity comes only in the field of the publicist. Yet the cause of deoency was brought forward a step when he declared of the Im­perialist "When he wants a thing, he never tells himself that he wants it. He waits patiently until there comes into his mind, no one knows how, a burning conviction that it 13 his moral and religous duty to con­quer those who possess the thinrs he w'inta. "

If one thing does jar in this article it is the sudden appearance of slang. We are told that aftor Shaw had had a car accident ha was "laid up, crocked, at Knysna for five weks." Yet this is a very minor criticism that pales into ir.signi - ficance beaiie the stimulating re- evaluation of Shaw.

F«r myself, I am grateful for the writer crystallising my debt to •'l.b.S. For "He liberated us from triviality, from being egocentric little pn*rs. He made decent human beiru’s - that is to say, if we had enough nits and ir.tel iganoe, socialists cf us. And for that we must forgive him all his sins and 'pay homage to the memory #f his tem- ptuous spirit "

The N.GG Submits For D iscussion:

A .REPORT OF THE FREEDOM

CHARTER CAMPAIGNAfter the adoption of the Freedom

Charter in Kliptown on June 26, 1955, the Congresses initiated a nation-wide campaign for the endorsement cf the Charter by the people of South Africa. A target was set of one million sig­natures by June 26th, 1956. Consul­tative Committees were established on National, Provincial and Local levels to direct this campaign. But by June 26th this year, we had net achieved our goal.

WHY DID WE FAIL?There are a number of reasons

which led tj the failure to achieve our target. But the most important of all, is that we failed to link up the Freedom Charter to the very pro­blems that surround the people in their every day life. There has bejn a tendency on our part to treat the Freedom Charter as a noble dream - an abstract idea of Freedom to be achieved in the future. We made the mistake also of treating the campaign for the endorsement of the Charter as a separate campaign unrelated to other campaigns.FREEDOM CHARTER MUST BE ’!ADE TO LIVE

If we are to succeed in making the Freedom Charter a dynamic living lecumer.t we must apnly it to every aspect of our struggle for freedom anl democracy in our country. Ve must link up the endorsement ^f the Charter with our fight against the vicious Section 1 0 of the Urban- Areas Act, under which our people are being hounded, against the Prohibi­tion of Interdicts Act which makes it possible, for Africans to be deported and banished without recourse to the

'courts of law, against the threat of increased rent in municipal town-_ ships and many other opi^ressive laws of the Nationalist Government. (Sir immediate task therefore is to con­tinue the campaign for the endorse­ment of the Freedom Charter, for the last twelve months have proved that the masses of the people of South Afrioa are prepared to support the Charter.'WHAT NEXT:

The militant and spontaneous de­termination of the African women to reject the passes opens up a new phase of the struggle against the whole pass system. The Pass Laws, the Population Registration Act, leading to the vicious re-classification of

the Coloured people constitute a fundamental part of the machinery or oppression. The whole congress movement must play its part in the struggle a^inst these laws.

The nation-wide op.i®sition of all women to passes for African women will be canalised in a national protest to the Prime Minister, Mr. J.G. Strijdom on Aug­ust 9th when 2 0 ,0 0 0 women cf all races from al’ provinces of the Union are expected to march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria.

The National Consultative Committee c a T s upon all Provin cial Regional and Local Commit ees to give' full active and unqualified support to the women in this campaign against the passes.

1. All available forces of the con­gresses should be mobilised to make the National Pretest the majcr activity cf the next five weeks so that large numbers of women may be sent to Pretoria frorr every place in the Union.

2. It is of vital importance that on the sane day, August 9th, the many thousands of women who cannot gr to Pretoria must be organised to carry out local mass demonstration to Native Commissioners, sc that throughout South Africa, women of all races will be protesting at th same time against this humiliation

3. The Freedom Charter must be closel linked up with this campaign. Special ~-ignature forms on the 1 in of the attached form should be use to focus the attention on the cam­paign against passes and at the same time to set the. campaign wi*h in the framework of the Freedom Charter campaign.

4. All C«mmitte;s are required to sen full reports of the participation in the campaign for national and local demonst«ations. These shoul

.not reach the Secretariat }ater th July 31st.

We thank all those Committees who orga nised mass meetings on June «-4th and 6th to celebrate our National Day Jun

^6th and to commemorate the first anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter.

FORWARD TO THE FREEDOM CHARTER:

I

OONGRESS ROUND UP • •

In this issue of Counter attack we present a special.feature of CONGRESS ROUND UP with an "on the spot" comment of Congress activity,written by a member of the team which visited scores of towns and villages throughout the Union of South Africa, • f

JhQ Anti -Pass Campaign.The determination of the women to reject the passes and the whole

fabric of the permit system has brought tho campaign against the pass laws to a new level of activity and militancy among women through** out the Union,

jfca&stIn every centre we visited, no matter how small, the threatened

extension of the pass system to African women and stringent permit regulations have roused tho women into active opposition to the Nationalist Government, expressing itself in mass demonstrations to Native Commissioners and lately, with the news of the Pretoria campaign] overwhelming support for tho protest on August 9th.National GatheringFor the first time WOMEN will come from every corner of the c*nintry «

from UmzImk?J.u In East Griqualand; from Matatiele and Umtata In tho Transkei; from the Free State and Natal; from Cape Eastern and Capo Wostern « in a word - from the scores of places we visited and the .nany others where the message of tho protest must surely by now have rcached. m or. Bulldir.esThe women will take their protests to the amphi-theatre of the

Union Buildings as they did on October 27th last year.but on this occasion they will be addressed to Mb Strijdom and not Dr Venwoerd.On tho same day thousands of other women will carry their protests to their local Native Commissioners so that August 9th will bo a national day of protest against Pass Laws and Permits and regulations restrict­ing the freedom of movement of the majority of people of this country*

******** **************:;. *****

■ V meeting with John Alv;vn.A month in gaol at Worcester and twelve and a half endless months

at Rocland Street have done nothing to dampen the militant spirit of iohn Alwyn. Coloured peoples leader at Worcester who was convicted and sentenced under the Suppression of Communism Act to 18 months imprisonment, Alwyn served 12 months In prison and was released on June 26th when celebrations v.<,re being held throughout the country to mark the first anniversary of the adoption of the Freedom Charter.In singling out John Alwyn for its bitter attack on human rights.

tho Nationalist Government have chosen a freedom fighter whoso spirit could not be ext inguished by any prison sentence -n# matter how vicious ol* protratced.His message to us was that ho would carry on tho strugg!Vc with all the fight that he had In him and that he was proud to tie part of the movement against Nationalist tyranny and oppression - of which he was well qualified to speakl

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

foxv^rd lo .the Freedom. Char tar; • ‘ •............:1Tho Freedom Charter was the challenge of millions of people to the . ■ to' 'i. What South Africans wanted was equality not Baasskapj democratic rights and not White SupremacyI"

This was the message of on<>,Qf the visiting delegates to the people at Langa Location where nearly four hundred people came to hear speQchos on the Freedom Charter and tho Anti Pass Campaign.The Western Cape experienced a spate of activity during the three days of our stay there. Apart from meetings with groups of women in Paarl Myangetj Elsies River, Worcester and Cape Town, mass meetings were held

at the Grand Parade and the Langa Market Hall, A spccial conference of branches of the A.N.C. was held on Sunday July 3rd followed by a public meeting on the Sunday afternoon which was attended by well over a thousand people*Bgttrcacj

Blauwvlei is not merely a si tun* It is a sand strewn village of so.i- houclosat people living from day to day in shacks which would appoar ■fto ci'Onuie at a single turn of the wind.

Members of the African education movement together with other interested individuals waded their way through the soft sand,over a foot deep and damp from heavy rains.to one of the houses there,A cultural club had been started and twelve children had t en with­drawn from the Government school where Bantu Education was tcing applied.

Assistance for the club was being arranged by members of the C.O.D. in Cape Town and a group of students had boon drawn in to assist the Club Leader.."Jjantil Education1* 35 11-No Education"Site and Service is the term used to describe African housing

schemes and Tree Planting and Soil Conservation is the descriptive term for six hours work in the garden digging up black jacks and Khaki Weeds.This has been the expereicnce of children attending Bantu Education

Schools along the North Coast of Natal where three school days in each week are utilised in this engaging manneriQa &s. -femrA private school has been established at Cato Manor in Durban with

an enrolment of 103 children. The school has received assistance from ■Congress although by far tho most active support has come from the parents who have provided furniture blackboards.books and equipment . The parents were interviewed by members of the African Education ' Movement and looked forward to practical help from them in the future.Eastern Caro Club Leaders Discuss Club Activities;

Tho Eastern Cape has still the' largest number of children who have been withdrawn from Government Schools. Twenty eight club leaders from New Brighton, Korston. Uitenhaguo and eight other clubs eagerly discussod their problems with members of the A.E.M. and appreciatively received new programme material prepared for the clubs by the African Education Movement. Nearly 4000 children are enrolled in Cultural Clubs in the Eastern Cape,

Xh? Isaasfcsl*-Hore tho tradgedy of the last season’s crop failure is still hanging

over the pooplo. The full impact of the crop famine will only be felt from September onwards although there is evidence of acute famine in some areas already, where due to the severity of the drought,no crops wore sown at the beginning of tho season,

A Relief Organisation is being mooted but much will have to bo done to help the large numbers of peasants, who despite the present famine, have for a long time suffered from tho effects of Malnutrition and Tubercular diseases.New Consultative Committee: Back to Johannesburg and news of theformation of a Johannesburg Consultative Committee, This will undoubted]bring about a new level of congress co-operation but it is up to theCongresses to pull its weight and give effect to tho plans of.this Committee., Let us go forward together to the Freedom CharterI

PROUST AtAMT- *>ASS£S___fimprlfc * • * .'• " ‘ ■■ . •?• '*. ' Sv t ■ . -i J’ ",I1

On Adgcuit 9thw women of South Africg Kill go to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to make their protest against the Pats

* Laws. Prom the preliminary reports ,‘ it would appear that as many as 20*000 women may make their nay to Pretoria on that dajH This is a magnificent example of the opposition to the passes and the determination of the women not to willingly accept the extension of this oppressive system. Out of this campaign there arise several important points of general and organisational . importance to both COD and the other Congresses.

Firstly, and most obvious of all the principle arises that the organisations organise the protest, NOT that the protest is some­thing extraneous to the organisations. By this we mean that each Congress t<orking with the others must wherever possible use this paticular stage of the anti-pass campaign to build Congress units in every area and through the popular campaign, draw in the support of, ( all those who in the past have stood aloof rrom Congress,The demonstration to Pretoria is the climax at this stage of the national campaign. It is most definitely NOT the climax of the organisation of these militant women, it is NOC the end of their re­vitalised militance and opposition to the apartheid structure of South Africa* It must be the lever which accelerates their political Consciousness and their ability, within the Congress framework, to organise not only other vocon, but all men and women in their various areas.Which leads us to another important point. Why were men not included in this present campaign ? , They too should have been targets of activity, and this would have greatly assisted in preventing a certain degree of isolation of this women's demonstration campaign from the whole anti-pass campaign, which is an-issue affecting people every­where arid always. Often the organising for Pretoria has made the protest appear the central issue in a self-sufficient campaign. It is, however, not too late to rectify this mistake. The Congresses must make it their immediate duty to organise all these women into their respective Congress units in their areas so thfet they may become active Congressites, capable of extending to ojther people the exper­ience they have received through participation in the mass demonstrat­ion. For this is a popular campaign in the ifeal sense of the word, and we must avail ourselves of it. If we organise around this suffic­iently, we can build strong and active units of Congress throughout the country.AND WHAT OF SACOD AND THE PROTEST ? , Women members of COD in all centres are expected by the other Congresses to 3how their political solidarity with the African women by going to Pretoria on the 9th, We must not separate their struggle against passes from all other apart­heid ’legislation which has led to the strife and tension of the past ronths. Women members must attend all the Regional meetings called to discuss the event. AND WAHT APPEAL CAN COD MAKE TO WHITES ? . Firstly we must try as far as possible to make whites know the nature of the event taking place on the 9th. so that they will not be confused by adverse press propaganda. A leaflet on the subject is ready and should be distributed as widely and as soon as possible. Socondlyf.wo aro

id T»i1tp o r ' t ^ W ^ M l tie for this i

of obtaining '* froc white •

_ _ Julies a • deeper problem - that of establi- • sning tno COD amongst white people* as an organisation recognised for V its basic principle of proclaiming, oqual rights fot all people, and * as one of tho Congrossos. .only • when vio are thus rocognisod will • WQ begin to gain wido and consis- * tent support for our policios » «/. and only through constant and • . untiring work as tho S.A. Congress, of Deoocrais will wo become known • and capablo of winning their con- • fidence. This problem is a very • urgent and serious one, which must, nect with our attention, r

CM

LET US ALL JOIN TOGETHER OH 9th AUGUST AND GO TO PRETORIA!LET US MAKE OUR PROTEST TOGETHER .1 AGAINST COLOUR DISCRIMINATION AND OPPRESSION!LET US- SAY THAT:

* All shall bo free to travel > without restriction frofci countryside to town, from provice to province, and from South Africa abroad;

* Pass laws, permits and nil other laws roftrie.ting these freodoms shall bo abolished.

t

*

• As nany representatives as-possibleLITERATURE 3ALES.Literature groups arc functioning in 2 suburbs. This work is of great value as it bring- us into direct contact with tho views of the white population ar.d -ill serve as a guide for future work.

Capo Town, - x 22nd July,‘••6.

ACTIVITY IS NECESSARY FOR THE GROWTH AND CORRECT DEVELOPMENT OF OUR ORGANISATION. It is activity which perpetuates:spirit in our ranks and which provides us with a clearer understanding of our problems.In Cqpe JXqjhx a^prescnt .t .arc. is

. a sc-ar-e-ity of worlc* due to poor Congress organisation in general, Tho level of cUr activity is also restricted by the over-^ros cnt insufficiency of FINANCE.PASSES FOR V.'OMEN:- owing to the belated nature, in Cape Town, of the campaign again­st passes for1 wo non, COD has decided to throw itc full weight behind tho campaign for the next few weeks.To this end wo are .taking a concentrated effort to collect J funds and intend bringing out a leaflet to count: ruct any discroditory press r< r.orts the demonstration*on August-9th mi^ht receive, or to brinr the event to the notice qf the public i J it is ignored by the drily press, will attend the protest on th vth.

ZjO .hose people aho have signed the

Charter are now bein,; ■ visited by the branch members and they are- being sold litcratteo. The ahphasit is boin1-; placed on tho Population Registration Act and Passes for Tfomcn, in relation to the Charter.)(C * * ♦ * * * * * <: -(t * >:. W :r * V %

II 3ENEHAL, COD IV CaPE HAS LV.INT..INED CONTACT V.lXH THE OTHER CONGRESSES. \7o have identified ourselves with tl struggle against the Group Aroas Act and have sent repres­entatives to the meetings which nave opposed it.Our './OMEff arc faking an active part in the campaign against passes for women,GOOD ' 'ORK, CAPE T07K!

70.T ARE YOU READING..• • . ■ ,

liow V/von" is Huddleston ?'n y J c Yro. scv progressives vhc lv.-fusa & -_*y-. ’ to '"s written

b* Ovbplw they cltfs? ~s iva- tien-ries. This is mistake, f >?.tw/reasons. Fisrstly, one must know the arguments brought forward i,; s opponents, no matter tec./ wrong they may ..be, so that one can- answer successfully tho doubts and difficulties of people one is trying to bring into the progressive carjp. Secondly, fcho statement. • and arguments of one’s opponent’s nra not always wron and the progressive must beware of rj lowing wi3hful thinking 10 blind hi.’. t>.unpalatable truths. - * \In tho case of Alnxaij en* £0***4* s book, "You A :*o .,roug, Frxnor

p1

J U Ithe J1rst rof?on «lvon fibove is the cogent one. The i consists mostly of the usual arguments put forward by

MailtlM ofraD«the?S ?nld ?? a iaaa.ifiia policy, and of course the- Of apartheid in action are ignored, denied or minimized. No‘ Ju«t"fcSSd?^«^J!Qn4^ S d P°ssibly bc deceived - but unfortunately, HnwLSto i Jnterest aroused by "Naught for your Comfort",overdo** fly 1,111 be read by tho general public,especiallycnn^M^A**. i-pDay 3®rvou * ° lul1 to sleep again the newly*wakened -

P00?1? iaagittfc that-an English-spoaking SouthAfrican, born in Zululand" and with wider knowlodge of urban and rural ?ns , }s m * * llk0ly to bc correct in- his judgenont the an adnittoly biassed and parochial priest, and that such a nan would not

ShJ^hn K T JSt D0llcir "erG noi really justifiable. That iswhy tho book is dangerous. What we need urgently in tcdIv is aJhfi”?1!! d®cufcnt;d work. ’’Tho Case Against Aparthoid", putting forward the full facts of tho situation in South Africa, together with

tho true Congress position, aims and policy. Who will write it ?

tho tvnn nfIn^a 0t-«rGHi2t g iXing a couPic of ludicrous oxanples of tho type of "reasoning”. Howard is sometines driven to employ:-P46. "Britain believes, and South Africa agrees, that dependent doodI s must bo given opportunities for increasing their political self-expresslon ..... India. Pakistan and the Gold Coast, to take throe exannfos -have progressed to self-government: but has this involved direct * political, representation for thoir hundreds of nillions of people hero in London, in Westminster ? No, certainly not I And could tho ®ritish

Jh?!; r?fsonab:Ly hGV° be°n asked to grant such representation ? % ^ uos f?n ^swers itself, so does the question of the practicab­ility of granting equal and direct representation to the Bantu in Parlianont at Capo Town." o w ij m xn

P. 101 "Tho nain criticisnCof tho possibility of implementinghere rest on two broad foundations: the first is that the Bantu areas

2ni+iarg° °5ough> or.ri?b enough, to servo as a national hone f^r j m? 7” reply to the first criticisn, these arc some obscrv- ions:The Bantu population nunbers some nine niilion. The sizo of J I’ Bantu araa is 50,000 square nlles(Englrn1d,5o“ 27 sqSaro SiiJs)" '% f? England supports a population of 44 niilion. Fc -vhv4° tho niilion white people in South Africa need 413,000 square :’iloa (nroa of Union loss area of Reserves) for their own use? In 3n“land they jould occupy only 2,830 square niles J Under South African conditions, according to Steward's standard, they need &,500 Square} J r, than hclf tho arGa of Natal -of fertile land with a ’oq.i rainfall, provided it is properly used and nanaged. What a nltv the

author doesn't follow his ideas to their-logical cineiSKon, Ps ^ gChristian^ S apartheid is,in principle, ooral, ethical nr.

t\ ■ T o It U l ■)' < (_ m

I***

To the Editor, Counter Attack.5ear Comrade,

It is very cncourag- to note that at last the National Consultative Connittee(NCC) has issued MA Report of tho Froodon Chapter Campaign". Just over one year since the Freedom Charter was drawn up and adopted by the Congr­ess of the People, the highest organs of the liberatory and domo- cratic novonent should review the year’s progressj and draw fron the year’s work lessons, mistakes not to be repeated and enthusiasm for a heightened struggle in tho com­ing year.

All this tho NCC report accomplishes in EIGHT(8) sentences That is fulfilling one’s obligat­ions with tho aim of efficiency 1

This report is completely inadequate A detailed instructive analysis v.uld have been an object lesson for us.A detailed discussion of our past year’s work must wait on a sorious attempt on tho part of tho NCC. The NCC should have demonstrated in detial just how tho struggle for Liberation and Democtacy in South Africa is one integral war, not many isolated incidomts. We must integrate our forces and our ba ttles by moans of living reality and tho Freedom Charter. But this must not be merely asserted as I do it h.rot it must be concretely demonstrated in detail by means of realistic, accurate, dctailod, studied, descriptions of South African life- 8ociul. political and ocononic. An understanding of the integrity of South African coldur,national!ty end

In conclusion a serious,conprohen^- ivo and roalistic survey of th^ first year of tho Freedom Charter is a necessity. In drawing up such a sorious^Rcport of tho Frccdon Charter canpaign" attention should

__ bo paid to past errors, so that wocan~Ioarn from then. In particular-the NCC shoui; nut'into such a roport searching self-criticism of its part in one year’s history of the people of South Africa.

..class oppression must becono the social consciousness of

the people. Perhaps the NCC will roply - we have no money ? But is . not ixney merely rosources? Have wo then no rosources in our battle for liberation and democracy ?

With Freedom Greetings, otc. RANK AND FILER. «***********

This articlc and tho organisational suggestions contrinod in it arise iron a discussion led hy the Bellevue representative on tho Johannesburg Regional Committee. We feci that these r.ro most important suggestions oik\ that thoir incorporation will nako for mere efficient and more branch work. But it is nccessary first to explain why this discussion arose. Tag representative focls that over the last year there has been a doclinc in the interest of tho branches in practical v.'ork, and furthermore, a decline of tho'active membership. On this point, there was agroonont on the - Regional Committee. What are tho reasons for this? The usual answer is it Police intimidation" but this reason applies only to a very small rur.b.r of people. Perhaps, suggests tho representative, tho answer is that the “rank and file arc bored to tears by the type of work they're continually being called upon to do. No one can pretend that an almost incessant round of jumble-sales and other forms of fund-raising, leaflet distribution, and pamphlet sales is tho most inspiring form of work ever invented. All these are recognised os being most noccssary and indeed essontial forms of work, but they do tend to bocomo tedious. \/hat is tfto .solutions ?Here are some valuable practical suggestions1. Every pamphlet, every leaflet

produced by COD should be discuss ed at Branch meetings, the argu­ments contained therein should be thrashed out thoroughly and the importance of the particular campaign stressed.

‘ 2. “Each branch should continually TJT FORWARD CONGRESS ATTITUDE to whatever political controvers­ies are present amongst whites.ALL C/MPAIGNS onbar.-ied upon by the Pe.lori SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY

discussed AND CRITICISED by each . Branch, before they are initiated, so that each member may have the opportunity to criticise and make suggestions.

4,ALL DSICUS3I0N AND ARGUIENT3 IN BRANCHES HJST BE HELD ON THE BASIS OF POLITICAL PRINCIPLES, not on the basis of individual personal diff­erences. Discussion which is carr­ied out on political bases is constructive, whereas discussion which is based on personalities is always destructive.

On the problem of running more stimulating Branch meetings, there are several very useful corner.ts offered.1.Unimportant details should not 2,ALL these arrange:xntsj!ill_bo_rend occupy time at branch mootings.DETAILS of subs.donations, pledges canvassing arrangements znz so onshould bo fixed by the officials concerned with the individuals concerned before or after meetings. The practical details such as nir. utes and reports of activity should be prepared beforehand to ensure brief and accurate presentation. This will leave enough time for discussion,which.too,must bo woll-

ored quite useloss if RJNCTUkLITY is not observed. There is also tho very.Important problem of the way in which now members arc introduced to the Branch. They should all be given practical work to do with tho other members, and at tho same ti.io the aims,policy,and tactics of the Congress movement should bo dis­cussed with then by more experienced mombors of the Branch.

TircDared and topical. > 1< IF ALL THESE ORGANISATIONAL POINTS ARE ACCEPTED AND PUT INTO

PRACTICE, THERE WILL SOON COME ABOUT A FAR BETTER SPIRIT OF ENTHUSIASMAND A HIGHER LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY IN COD.

and the membership generally are invited to

!Other regions, branches, and the membc comment, criticise, and discuss ttyis carticle*

m

tt7* as *< .f*a

_

£ iX ± lU - .£ t^ Tm £ TrHAA/Ai'iltifc C i i r W fiL

— IT H £ A il T-._XsLC /*■■!>'-£u tin fie fiivS

Sir Malcolm r...and...a Bun Feast

Johannesburg is shortly to celebrate its 70th birthday. To mark the occasion in a manner be­fitting a city of its size and woalth. the Johannesburg City Council is to omorso its Citizens' in culture. . %

A Planetarium had been arranged but this had to be abandoned, and a certain sum paid to the contract­ors - somewhere in West Germany -

: X think - to comgi^Sate them for the breach of contract. The sum anountod to a few thousand of the funds which had been allocated to the City’s Festival Committee. Subsequently the University offer­ed to "buy" the thing and there

r tho matter rests for the present* Apart from the apalling in­

eptitude of the Festival Committee a programme has been arranged - and one cannot be too sure that these arrangements will stand - in which Sir Malcolm Sargeant will conduct tho London Symphony Orches tra$ Margot Fonteyn, fresh from Covent Gardens, will load a troupe of ballet dancers, and soloists of the calibre of Menhuin and

! Arrau will entertain tho people of Johannesburg. Beethoven’s 9th Symphony rill be part of tho fare and the La Scala opera stars will thrill audiences with Mozart’s opcrotto "Cosi fan Tutti"«

But tho theatres nnd halls \;hcro the so artists will p. rform arc barred to tho majority of the people over whose backs Johannes burg has boon made into what it is: whose contribution to the *ity is by far the greatest and one made with the utmost sacrifice. Thoy will neither hoar the London Symphony Orchestra, or catch a glimpse of tho ballet or the other events.

For thorn a Bun Feast has been arranged, and one or two halls - to bo used on %hnic linos - have boon orected. A Sports Stadium will bo built in Orlando and this will mark the occasion of tho Festival for "jDhannosburg' s loss privileged citizens". But the majority of tho events will be barred to Non-Europeans and they will for the most part, not participate in the cultural side of tho Festival. The Transvaal

Consultative Committee have objected to tho arrangements of the Festival Comr.iittee which have debarred Non- Europeans from participating in most of tnc functions wh Lch have boon arranged.

The.T.C.C. have written to th.,artists and asked them to cone \;.u sco Johannesburg - the other side that is - and know what the real position is. In addition a photo­graphic exhibition will be arrr.n>d in which the artists will be shovn the houses and amenities which cxi^t for the 618,700, Non-wh tcs who \ in Johannesburg.

Tho following is an extract of the letter" As you are coming to Johannesbu^ for the Festival wo would like to tell you something about our city, which you nay be visiting for the first time..........We have no representation on th Johannesburg Ciyt Council, nor

, are wo allowed to vote ... inMunicipal elections. Johannesburg ‘ s fine Municipal library whero nr interesting exhibitions are hoi;." and the museum, ore for Europe, .n, only. Tho largo cinonrs and theatres ... arc for Europeans only. Most of our people have never had the opportunity of ing a play, an opera or ballet..

You will no doubt be told o' Johannesburg’s achievements.. /u. t the entertainments organised on yotfr behalf will be for Europeans only. You will not find in ycur hotels, at your dinner and cock­tail parties ...any Non-r/hite, oxceat in the capacity of servants

It is for this reason that .0 extend to you an invitation to meet the Non-lhito people of Johannesburg ... on a basis

other than that of Mast> r- Sorvant. lc would also like to take you on a tour of some of tve important places in Johannesbur that your official itinory is not likely to includo. Yes we wart tu show you our short-conings as 1 _ as our achievements, so that \1. v you leave Johannesburg you will have a true picture in your mine, of what our city has accomplished in the past - and what it stil has to taoklo in tho futuro ...'* * * * % * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * V * * *

’’That for which we labour..is a South Africa, not mighty in wealth nor innumbers, but great in freedom.... whicfa give* every man an! every woman in the land, irrespective of race or sax, or speech or colour, the largest am­ount of liberty and Justice accorded to men and w^men anywhere”•

from a letter by Olive Schreiner.

^.A.^.Q*^. ONDEMNS SAVAGEIMPLEMENTATION OF POPULATION REGISTRATION ACT - PRESS STATEMENT.

” THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONGRESS OF DEMOCRATS CONDEMNS THE SAVAGFI, ELEMENT AT I ON OF THE POPULATION REGISTRATION whereby innocent Coloured persons going peace fully about their business are accosted with a demand for a "pass" and subjected to humi­liating interrogaticn and examination by ci­vil sernants, through whose decisions the whole future of a human being may be arbit­rarily and agonisingly changed. The whole civilised world has already condemned the vicious racial'oppression practised by the Nationalist government, which has intensi­fied. extended and perpetuated indignities and injustices'towards the African people which make their conditions of life intole-I* 3RESULT BEGGARS IMAGINATION.

Through the Pop .ulation Registration Act, these inhuman conditions are now to be imposed upon whatever Coloured persons may fail to satisfy the bureaucratic self­set standards of a Population Registration official; the result beggars imagination for such mental suffering cannot be gras­ped <ave by those who are in danger of being uprooted from-their community, from their very families, by those from whom skilled employment may be removed, by those who may be evicted from their homes, by those whose children's future is threa­tened.UNBRIDLEP S W AGED-

The South African Congress of Democrats calls upon the people of South Africa .to protest against this inhumanity of man to man, to defend the few meagre rights that are left to the Coloured people, to pro­tect innocent individuals from this un­bridled savagery, this arbitrary crystalli­sing of human beings into a rigid colour bound caste system, from which no man may escave.END, r rtSCIST REGIME - A CALL TO DEMOCRATS

We oall upon the people of a. Africa to end this racialistic regime of the Nationa­lists before it destrots our country. The sufferings of the African people are to be ex­tended to the Coloured people - and where will this end? Shall this evil not be spread throughout the land, throughout the people? "Never more seek to know for whom the Bell tolls. It tolls for thee".

M3T,

EMERGENCY CONFERENCE TOUNDRepresentatives of

the African National Congress, the S.A. Con­gress of Democrats, the S.A. Women's Federatior Transvaal Indian Con­gress and the S.A. Con­gress of Trade Unions strongly condemned the inhuman implementation of the Population Reg­istration Act amongst the Coloured People, at a monster gathering ifi the Trades Hall last week. jThfe meeting which waa

called by S.A.Cl.P.O. welcomed the expresBlMC of solidarity from ill democratically minded people and called upon democrats'of all shad** of opinion to resist- tna savage attacks of the Nationalists on tho democratic rights of all S.Africans, and end the Nazi-like race testjs which were being con­ducted by the N.A.D* Speakers called upon the people to root out racial poison, abolish the pass system and to demand the repeal Af the 9.R. Act. The meeM ing issued a call for an Emetgen#/ Conference to fialt the attacks ot the Coloureds under th« Act.i Thd conferec- is to take flace on Sept.3rd

i

*«

C T

COULD YOU FEED YOUH FAMILY ON £1 PER '..'ONTH?

■

-asks Cape Town C.:O.D. in a^leaflet issued and distributed by the Clsrpaont Branch of SACOD." KLonge Tembeni, a farm labourer,

a father of six children, has been sentenced to nine months'imprison­ment for stealing three Sheep.

" He stole tfte sheep because, in his own simple moving wdrds:- ’ IF iOUR WIFE AND CHILDREN STARVE, YOU WOULD' DO ANYTHING I '

" Why were they starving?BECAUSE HE V.AS PAID ONLY £1 PER llONTHJ And one month he received only ten shillings because 10/- was deducted for taking his wife to hospital". »

The leaflet continues, pointing out that this is not an isolated example of the conditions of farm- ' labourers in S.Africa, there being tens and tens of thousands 6f Temtenis. suffering the same exploi­tation. The big farmers grow rich nn their labour, while we townsmen pay exorbitant prices for our food","CHEAB LABOUR AND INHUMAN CONDITIONS: THAT IS THE BASIS AND ESSENCE OF APARTHEID.OF THE RACIAL DISCRIMINATE ION IN OUR COUNTRY." •

White South Africans are called ipen not to allow racial propaganda and prejudice to blind them to the elementary principles of humanity and democracy. "It is our duty to bold out a hand of friendship to those who are struggling for their

equal human treatment in ;thia,land of oura*0nly in this u y can we jointly bu^ld a South AfriX r in which all men may walk, proud and free". * • * • vw »

In conclusion, people are askedto:Ulster of Justice: DEMAND CLEMENCY FOR EEJEENII *

Write to your Member of Parliament: Request him to intercede.

Wl*npMAMn A^r^iHis^r of Labour:DEMAND A DECENT MINIMUM WAGE AND THE EXTENSION OF »LAB0UF. LEGISLATION TO ALL FARM LABOURERS I"

P

N ational chaismah replies to awiBT. //The Editor, ' /'The Star,Johannesburg. ' JDear Sir,

The statement by the Minister of Justiae(reported in the"Star" of 20/8/55) disparaging the " big fuss" about the convik- tion of Tembeni for the theft of 3 sheep, shows an almost uneeliev- able indifferenoe to the suffering of a man who had to feed, clothe and educate a family of eight, two of. them twin babies, on a miserable wage of £1 per month.

According to your report,. Mr. Swart said “ One should not sym­pathise with a person who stole a sheep because he was hungry",

Tembeni, a victim of the pernicious farm-labour system, deserved every iota of sympathy he received from the public wf S. Afr ica, and Mr Swart1s contempt for this feeling < which he dismissed as false sentiment) Is a revealing indication of how far the National ists have become brutalised by their policy of Apartheid.

Unfortunately, the Tem­beni case is by< no means an isolate ed example of the near-slavery that is practised under the farm labour system. The official yearbook revea .Is that cash wages in some areas *t are even lower than that received by Tembeni - 16/2 per month* While thousands of Tembenis llva and V. hover on the brink of starvation, the. big farmers grow rich on their labour while we townsmen pat exor­bitant prioes for food* ;

... It is Inhuman practices like these which are the essence of apartheid and the logieal r*sulfc~af racial diactimination Jn our coun­try. It is practices H ie this and the support they receive frdm the Government which is blackening S. Africa's name in the eyes-of the. wcrld.• But the blame lies not only on the shoulders of the Govern ment. If Tembeni waa guilty of theft, many of us are guilty of a greater crime - that of tolerating governments which rob the Bembenis of their rights ancf force them into crime, of allowing ourselves to be indifferent to the sufferings of our fellow human being’s*.

All too many Euifopeans have allowed themselves to be blinded to the elementray principles of democracy and humanity by the white supremacist policy of tha Govt.The result is that little thought is^iven to the Indignities* mise­ries and social Injustices suffered daily by. those off our countryman ^iose only crime happens to f>e that their sKint are tolaek.

1

editorial1 z:sue r; th,e h tllbbcv; bye-elbcttcn.(T

*i!E rJf IL?£,RIr,G fcr.Gi TicS oi the United Party during the Senate Sill campaign has left the talk of the an|i-NationllisteLitorate whose

Jr.: ted -arty has traditionally enjoyed, with s'sonse of disillusionment and betrayal. '■nr, * sense or

ihG U*'?* 'S atte*rts to ’defeat' the Act, read Ilk* the srri-t rf a conic opera. Tn t!* coarse of th. past fe* norths, it has:- ‘~ ~ f r fn aa^dnent to helf the Nats, out of their diffi- Senate°I!iIl?a * ‘StSl *l8V' *'lS discov red in original

Li, the j.orch Oonsitando r.i actively iiseoura^^d th*3, ?“"* « ? ;•" J : otaef c.xtra-rarliaser.tary orposition , roup s'."ajrV-lfv ur‘-<'!- * a.?t*on with the. 4ther r 'irli aifiehtarv rfcr* ie~ who opposed the Bill. * •* JC-~ T-° -eafMrm its fledges to th# -.oloured -voters.

THESE ACTS have ripped the mask off the U.F.’s tret-rsions to vf .r' r~:'0 ' "' h<y '- T • " &»« « ? eyes 01 the a u of w-u» Europeans whc oppose the :: tionalists.

- LOWLY the realisation is dawning on the anti-Nati vili-ts that f*rJ 2 ? / ? £ the/‘ati 3nalists’ th« - instead been siphoning-offt..eir indignation into politict-lly ineffective channels.

’t -hatter etLOsiticr

ThevPar28sM?^h?nil?K l 0T bettor W2>'s of combating the Nats.IS ttd S g a hetter alternative pMiey to that propounded8 tetter and to

isli'thatitheift?i-*n 0W th °ii alle*iances to the UP are disintegrating isa the l ^ e s t l S H a n y l e ^ . ^ C° ngr*” ln the Transvaal last%ocK

tue^Defend^rd^f" ^ ^ u however is the emergence of the Covenanters '*Aoart frnm^hoiT. « constitution League and the Anti-Republican League.Ch!MCtMisJ?!ifn0SJ50ffltl05uiS ^ NatS‘ the3€ Part1eS ^ Vital

rjM W Ta.Msssamovement-alwavc; ^ g e course which the Congress

g°raent from th£ f * an;i roust justifiably derive eneoura-co^irms to tho m h "^i tr'nd towards extra-p^rliamentarianism ON THE O'fHE HANfl h ^ analysis of the liuropean situation.Eurotear n V t S ? ’, ?«»ever. we must remember that this '’new look" in b“i££ tho'iii . ^ w 15 “ :‘red by 'ertsln ^ave defeats, thie chief one harS and Jhl? ! ?E Ci J^S? trusteeship. Old patterns’of thought die 5re {h“ - native c ^ r ' r l * V“K 1 Jd’ » » « cations

‘ r. *• r'°t one the subjects being r^ass^ssed. There is nntMne c- ot~ "»vths.and the A n t i * P p f s: ”or thp ~**dmans, tithe Covenanters.,„.l ?fr'^1tcaTls ar'’ •■i.l .ainR attention on thi <ron.?<T.utional>&e^lllenfronehlser*°- ~ ~ ~ ^Union, are not 'ciri T»' ii F*°ri?> «r-*h',ln9<3 ir, the .*et ofrat^ na<; m * i 1 this reason that the mind of the rfliesto-question of our day77r"9 “0T-ards a reassessment of. the most presf*,ng

9

and anti-Sats, hi-h ^ ea? ^ Prriatl?II3hlps betw‘>en :iats*are in danger of "onta'nir. J J *u °u h" Present flow of ideas’thesis ^ * 1 1 «>* i o n ' f i y 'roveLnt I t l S i T o r ^ " * ' * Ch* V“ry “ tltW

1 IONS b “ :-OKe ' t H£ H U L L r V ''f I F^ ' , « V ^ ' I T)i I 1 0N C tfl P 0 5 E THE-E q f E c -

( see Page 4)

Collection Number: AD1812

RECORDS RELATING TO THE 'TREASON TRIAL' (REGINA vs F. ADAMS AND OTHERS ON CHARGE OF HIGH TREASON, ETC.), 1956 1961 TREASON TRIAL, 1956 1961

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