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9/27/1954 - African National Congress President by Peter Bird Martin

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIRS PBM J M Pennngton African National Im Street Congress President Houghton Johannesburg September Nr Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Mr Rogers It getting dingy little ladian street Stanger I tired looking sides drink cases piled against tired reading again South Africa Lion Country Lion Beer advertising calendar I sitting three quarters compound fractured chair definitely straight It II I arranged supposed arrived I close police check movements would force essential business quickly could The indian stuck around corner He should shortly pacifying tones Perhaps would something drink I drinks No thank I answered It would would whatever thought wanted although served contact fellow I information I wanted Re I alone again But In front babble buying selling I heard respectful salutation footsteps comir Through himself Even though before I couldn feeling surprised again No reputation could appear unsinister I myself He curly ponderous smile fitted golng As entered looked quickly glanced around This Oo I I turned walked through again When r4ached front poked looked first right Then walking quickly where parked When I started engine Better straight I place where About pointed bounced zrass grown ravel stopped I engine listened minute peered around anyone lurking nearby We overrown quarry Well satisfied couldn hezrd I cloak dagger business intentionally dramatized emphasize atmosphere built American IICWA associate keeps appointment P J Lituli president African National Congress Lituli father seven children educated Adams Collee American supported teachers training school Africans Me describes himself peasant farmer politician erchsnt I first serving latter capacity pushin packets Su uliht Soap Bears Silver Cloud smokin tobacco across counter Nondhlevu frading Store Actual ownership store which ative eserve close sugar mystery athered Lituli there several partners I store winking because I District partners The significant Lituli ordered Minister Justice Swart confine movements Lower Tugela isterial District avoid public meetings according provisions Kiotous Assemblies Acct He served previous notice prohibiting entering larger African cities limits movements further The Lower Tugela 4agisterial District north south along coast Indian Ocean miles rtuas inland miles shore widest point It north Durban spread around largish village S tanger In ttempts Lituli causing trouble expected African National Congress presidents Special Branch 0riminal Investigation Depart keeps checkin where enters correspondence According Lituli telephone examine means strong lights receives As result appointments through Lituli Indian friend wearlng confectionary manager takes telephone messages passes eetings arranged All throu quarry Lituli olancin about evidently expecting followed He sharply passed about yards where parked He explained I would because business before weekend Wednesday would forced because Zulu ceebration Stan Sth anniversary death Tshaka great warrior Zulus explained close watch would during celebrations because there would about Zulus neighborhood presumably elated condlton brought memory Tshaka bloodthirsty impis regiments Stanger middle heavy sugar growing there destructive incendiary fires District months The C I D Special Branch quick blame fires Shisa Shisa Burn Burn secret arson organization which supposedly sponsored African National Co ngress Many planters believe there fires Lower Tugela Magisterial District elsewhere because presence president African National Congress capable proof My first question naturally concerned limits Lituli world miles miles How about I asked Lituli smiled It could worse At least I named Communist If happened I would forced resign president I could attended meetings public private As I attend public gatherings I committee meetings conferences AC It expensive committee meetings Lower Tugela Magisterial District But I remain president I fortunate Just Oongress I Are working votes everyone regardless education property qualificatio Or tryin start another defiance campaign Just wantS Lituli closed began answer conversational device several times during I think trying convey acute concentration It ective first times tried novelty migraine headache We votes agitati closed opened quickly though check impression again We being called agitators It policy ANC believe African people intelliently though reached matrlc graduation school Of course almost every European United Party Nationalist traditional African dictatorship under chief average Bantu cannot understand votes This nonsense Even Tshaka tyrant think rulin without council chiefs advise We mioht settle universal adult franchise opening grinning slyly there Europeans among United Party Nationalists willing about So policy rigid votes Africans How stron AC I asked Lituli thought moment It When conducted defiance campaign years active members But membership renewed membership issued causes total But strength active members You remember NC organized African political group South Africa It United States I there everyone actual member epubllcans Democrats people strongly favor other I think Africans knowledge politics support How about claim represent Africans Garden cutters those educated Like mournful expression dropped Lituli He closed wearily rubbed We become tired accusa It always visitors Europeans minimize desire Africans voice government I represent Africans To because leaders educated foolish Im United Party believes represents lorry drivers locomotive firemen thouKh there lorry drivers locomotive firemen U P executive Many Africans reserves politically conscious require voice government We represent though aware If Africans control country I asked would before Europeans would country European lines What question Lituli looking closely I Even wanted return couldn benefits western civilization return And tribal custom The would tribal western civilization Do misunderstand I trappings western civilization European clothi ballroom dancing I rights dignity individual And I point wrong Euzopeans claim western civili zation their andzefuse share It belongs people We would Europeans Perhaps after years repression there might European legislation passed African parliament first would I1m Could manage country Europeans As I about another question Lituli broke abruptly You realize means nothing We haven chance achieving these things claim rights The Nationalists getting stronger United Party getting weaker It something revolu tionary completely unexpected unpopular serious depression Nationalists power about possibility trouble Nationalist Party retires I believe And United would ranch change African Only reason happy Professor Fourie talked about economic integration Of course talking about anything forced Strauss think about United Party Native policy I Pzofessor Fourie telegram congratulate I feeling nothing November Bloemfontein They Stunts policy strictly limited African representation through African Representative Council cannot accept I believe count United Party liberal about other methods I prompted Lituli looked sharply What other methods I mentioned strong economic position South African Natives We could vewell along those lines allowed organize there dozens which prohibit organizing You strike would successful organized strikers against force hunger To organize strike would impossible We would ourselves short There Africans armed rebellion And armed conflict began I would people though I revolution would The Europeans would hesitation using poison tanks bombs I pacifist I clearly would accomplish nothing destruc To thing passive resistance It would tremendous discipline strong leaders organization develop develop better having United Party resorting force At continue educa fricans reserves being deprived rights The achieve spite apartheid PBM As drove Stanger quarry Lituli talked opposition African National Congress You things about ANC while South Africa You Oommu nists supported Indians behind secret organizations Shisa Shisa We Communists There Europeans Communists It because naturally talists It because Europeans treat equals fight Communists It Europeans willing teach Bantu schools Communists The surprising thing there African Communists there And although cooperated Indian organizations particular paigs supported Indians We support ourselves membership public donations From I solicitin trips president So African Indian Congress support prozrams which interested jointly defiance campaign I grinning Shisa Shisa exists The first I heard C I D Special Branch anything I member fires ecept local workers grievance aainst European farmer We parked front Indian confectionary Many times couraged asked myself whether I accomplishing anything The answer Someday strong enough accomplish something I passive resistance racial gunswdbe suicidal brutal I think Africans united But organizing teaching change situation We shook hands looked cautiously street Me quickly slammed hurried without looking I could wondering I drove Lituli dreams votes political power passive resistance would accomplish presses forward swiftly there might bloody conflict which would powerless control If moves slowly there chance entire organization falling pieces through sheer inertia other Native organi zations It seemed steady progress seizing opportunities advancement arise curbin young heads keeping enthusiasm possible called No whether African National Congress later African organization which eventually South African Natives respon sible place overnment Whichever I remember quarry Lituli talking about movement which could turned Sincerely Received New York I0 Peter Bird Martin