125.8245/12–452
The Consul General at Salisbury ( Hoover ) to the Department of State
No. 96
Ref:
Subject:
- Government at First Suspicious of Consulate General’s Efforts to Establish Direct Contacts with Africans, but is Now Helping.
Believing that it is necessary and in our interest to have direct contact with Africans in order to be able to appraise their feelings, attitudes and opinions, I have endeavored to establish some direct contacts during the past several weeks. From the beginning, however, [Page 316] I was aware that I would have to proceed cautiously and with the utmost discretion if I was not to impair the Consulate General’s standing with the local government authorities.
. . . . . . .
About four weeks ago, when seated next to Brigadier J. A. Appleby, commanding officer of the British South African Police, at dinner in Government House I spoke to him of my interest in establishing direct contact with the Africans. Appleby bristled: “For what purpose?” I explained that it would be for the purpose of having first-hand sources of information, on the basis of which I could accurately appraise African opinion. Appleby then said that if I wanted to know what the Africans were thinking, he could tell me exactly and at any time. But, if I wanted to have direct contact with them—well, he thought he’d have to consult the Prime Minister.
Some days later I called on Mr. Lionel Powys-Jones, Secretary for Native Affairs, and, during the course of a sociable chat, mentioned again my desire to have direct contact with Africans. Mr. Powys-Jones was both surprised and suspicious. I explained in some detail why I wanted to talk directly with Africans and he thought it would be a matter both difficult and delicate. Difficult because there were no real leaders of African opinion—“They speak only for themselves, not for masses of followers,” he said. And delicate because he was afraid the Africans with whom I talked would misinterpret my purpose, or would think that they had found an ally to help them fight against imagined grievances. However, he said Southern Rhodesia was a free country and if I wanted to go out and talk to people—anyone I chose, including Africans—he supposed there was nothing to prevent my doing so, though he hoped I’d be cautious and discreet.
When I pointed out that it was because I realized that the matter was of some delicacy that I had consulted him before doing anything about my desire, he asked for a few days to “think it over”. “This is the first time that any foreign government official has ever asked such a thing of me,” he said.
A few days later, Mr. Powys-Jones called me to say that he had thought the matter over and wanted to know if he couldn’t arrange for me to visit some of the “Native” areas to talk to some of the Africans. He said I would be perfectly free to discuss any subject with them—though he was confident I’d be discreet and not give the Africans any false ideas. When I accepted his offer, he arranged my trip to the Muda area, and a later one to the Goromonzi School.
I have permitted Mr. Powys-Jones to read the unclassified despatches reporting on the foregoing two trips. He expressed the view that the observations and judgments were “very fair”, and offered to arrange another trip (for next Tuesday) to a Native Reserve.
[Page 317]I have made a point to try to convince Mr. Powys-Jones that I think Southern Rhodesia’s record in dealing with the Africans is a good one and that it is to Southern Rhodesia’s interest to see that the United States Government is correctly informed. He appears to be convinced and is now planning various ways and means of helping the Consulate General accomplish its purpose.
[Here follows a discussion of the objectivity of an American researcher.]
- Not printed; it discussed a visit to a “Native Purchase Area” in Southern Rhodesia. (123 Hoover, John P.)↩
- Not printed; it described a visit to Goromonzi School. (123 Hoover, John P.)↩
- Not printed; it included additions to and corrections in the abovementioned despatches 87 and 90. (123 Hoover, John P.)↩