The Evening Star (January 21, 1946)
Moley: A United States of Africa
By Raymond Moley
Foreign Secretary Bevin’s suggestion that his government is willing to turn over to the UNO certain African mandates opens the way to one of the most daring and brilliantly promising projects in the world’s history. The territories in question are Tanganyika, formerly German East Africa, and the Cameroons and Togoland, on the east coast. It is understood that Belgium is willing to turn over, as a UNO trusteeship, Ruanda-Urundi, which is west of Tanganyika. Next in order should be Southwest Africa, now held by the Union of South Africa, possibly French Equatorial Africa and the Belgian Congo. These latter are not now likely to be given up.
The British move offers the promise that a big beginning can be made on a UNO-trusteed United States of Africa. Such a federation of new states stretching across Africa would offer the world a vast new home for millions of stricken people. Its climate would run from equatorial heat to temperate climate in certain altitudes. It would have broad access to two oceans. And it would have undeveloped resources of almost boundless value.
Much of the pain of the world in past time has been eased by the opening of new living space under more liberal conditions of government and economic life. Minorities have found new and congenial homes. The Pilgrim Fathers, the Huguenots of France, Jews, Poles, Armenians and other impoverished people found in America a new life.
But now, as the world is closing, we have new millions of unhappy Europeans seeking relief. The necessity is not, by any means, solely a Jewish problem. Jews themselves would rightly resent the suggestion that an African home should be opened as an alternative to Palestine. In fact, they refused a home in Tanganyika a few years ago. Nevertheless, the problem of Palestine would be relieved by the opening of a great new nation-in-the-making In Africa.
Meanwhile, Ibn Saud of Arabia and Farouk of Egypt have asserted their firm intention to keep Palestine as an Arab state. Mr. Bevin declares that he does not want to propose for Palestine the same trusteeship as that suggested for the three African territories. He says, further, that Trans-Jordan should be set up as an independent state, which, presumably, is a move to satisfy the Arabs.
Herbert Hoover’s idea of drawing Arabs away from Palestine by restoring the fertility of the valleys of the Tigris and Euphrates has apparently not appeared in UNO discussions. But it should be a matter of immediate international concern. Vast agricultural and commercial wealth can be created in that former garden spot by the spending of not much over a hundred million dollars. Such an investment might make billions in dollars in wealth and save unlimited trouble in the Near East.
Millions of people are moving about with little guidance and scanty hope. If the UNO is to capture the confidence of the people, it must be more than a Town Hall of the World. No phrase has been more unfortunate in describing the function of a world organization. Talk will not save anybody. Action, guided by fine thinking, is what is needed.