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Islam Major Factor In Africa's Rebirth
By Louis Cassels United Press International
From the long view of history, the key figure in Africa's turbulent political equation may be neither Nasser nor Lumumba, nor even Nikita Khrushchev, but a camel driver named Mohammed who lived in the city of Mecca nearly 1400 years ago.
DESPITE ITS growing importance as a factor in the African crisis, the average Westerner knows little about the Islamic faith. He may, for example, refer to its adherents as "Mohammedans," which they intensely resent. The correct name is "Moslems."
Mohammed founded the religion of Islam. For centuries, Western Christians have regarded this religious as moribund. But in recent years it has undergone a dramatic renascence. It is now on the march all over Africa. And it has become one of the most dynamic elements in the explosive mixture of anti-Western, anti-white emotion which is the driving force behind African nationalism.
There is also a widespread tendency to think of Islam as an Arab religion. It is true that nearly all Arabs are Moslems. But not all Moslems are Arabs by any means. Islam has always been strong in such non-Arab nations as Turkey, Iran, Pakistan and India. In recent years, it has spread rapidly into "Black Africa" south of the Sahara. In many of the new African states, where Christian missionaries have been at work for more than a century, Islam is now winning four or five new converts for every one attracted to Christianity.
Pharmacy Grants Go to Two Seniors
Duane Stienshouer, Hoxie, and Charlene Ivey, St. Joseph, seniors have been awarded pharmaceutical scholarships valued at $275 for the spring semester.
Steinshouer is the winner of the $150 Val Adams Scholarship, awarded a student in the upper 50 per cent of the senior class. The award is one of three set up by Mr Adams, a member of the KU class of 1910.
Miss Ivey received the $125 Fox-Vliett Drug Co. Scholarship, one of two set up by Wayne Dixon, vice president and general manager of the Fox-Vliett Drug Co. of Wichita.
AFRICANS ARE inclined to look upon Christianity as a "white man's export." They associate it with colonial rule which they are so violently rejecting. And they connect it with the racial discrimination that takes place in some Christian nations.
Islam has at least two tremendous advantages in Africa.
The emotional appeal which Islam has for Negroes smarting under stigma of segregation has been reflected in the United States by the growth of the so-called "Black Muslim" sect. This sect is not truly Moslem in its religious doctrines. Its main teaching is an implacable hatred of all white men. But its adherents take Arab names, wear Fezzes and otherwise identify themselves with Moslem customs.
Islam, on the other hand, can present itself as a faith "native" to Africa—and one which has never had any color line. Racial equality has always been a major emphasis of Islam. As virtually every African knows, one of Mohammed's four wives was a Negro.
SOME OF THE American Negroes who participated in last week's pro-Lumumba demonstration at the United Nations described themselves as Moslems.
Islam's second great advantage in Africa is that it makes lighter demands on its converts than Christianity does. For example, an African who becomes a Christian must also become a monogamist. But if he becomes a Moslem, he can have four wives. This is no small consideration in African countries where polygamy is widely practiced.
Islam has also been willing to let its African converts continue to practice many of the rituals of their old tribal religions, including black magic, which Christian missionaries cannot condone.
IN FACT, the available evidence indicates that no great effort is being made to get newly-converted Negro Moslems to observe the detailed precepts of the Islamic faith, as they are practiced in ancient Islamic countries like Egypt or Iran. They are simply being asked to consider themselves Moslems, and to embrace the one-line Islamic creed: "There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet."
Navy ROTC Battalion officers for the spring semester have been announced by Capt. J. W. Newswom, professor of naval science.
The battalion commander is Marvin C. Baker, Fort Lupton, Colo, and executive officer is T. J. Chittenden, Santa Clara, Calif. All are seniors. The rest of the battalion staff and their positions follow.
Out-of-State Student Role to Be Discussed
NROTC Picks New Officers
The role of the out-of-state student will be discussed at 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Current Events Forum. The forum will be held in the Music Room of the Kansas Union.
W. L. Bancroft, Ottawa, operations officer; K. F. Heller, Fargo, N. Dak., adjutant; J. A. Mize, Atchison, supply officer; S. W. Simpson, Worland, Wyo., battalion chief petty officer; R. A. Schultz, Chanute, public information officer, and G. E. Nichols, Stony Brook, N.Y., special drill.
Thursday. Feb. 23, 1961 University Daily Kansar
James K. Hitt, registrar and James E. Gunn, administrative assistant to the chancellor for university relations, will give short speeches followed by a question and answer period.
VI 3-6133
The company chief petty officers are J. R. Mortimer, Salina; R. D. Rati, Pittsburg and J. A. Redick, Bethel.
In the company headquarter commanders are J. J. James, Leavenworth; J. N. Lindstrom, W. Hyattsville, Md.; and R. R. Shahan, Larned.
1025 Mass.
The platoon leaders are D. G.
Blaker, Bartlesville, Okla.; J. L.
Buek, Atwood; W. E. Daeshner,
Toppea; J. M. Faubion, Kansas City,
Mo.; R. S. Graber, Hutchinson;
L. M. Nelson, Ruleton and R. A.
Chambers, Kansas City.
The company executive officers are R. A. Christensen, Topека; J. O. Sampson, Clayton, Mo. and K. W. Keith, Kansas City, Mo.
I enjoy convalescence. It is the part that makes the illness worthwhile.-George Bernard Shaw
US Considers Shift to Offense In UN Fight Against Red China
The Kennedy administration contemplates no change in basic policy. It will continue to refuse recognition of Red China and oppose its admission to the United Nations. However, top officials said they hoped to change tactics to take some of the heat off Washington.
PRESIDENT KENNEDY and his chief foreign policy advisers have not advanced publicly the traditional legal and moralistic arguments used by the Eisenhower administration against admission of the Reds.
The Chinese Communists, by their own admission, will not accept UN membership unless the world organization expels the Chinese Nationalists and recognizes the Peking government's right to take over Formosa.
WASHINGTON — (UPI) — The United States, faced with growing pressure from its allies for admission of Red China to the United Nations, appears to be altering its diplomatic strategy to offer more effective opposition to such a move.
The new U. S. leaders believe the legal arguments still are valid, but they recognize that they do not weigh heavily with emotional new Asian and African UN members. Top officials emphasize now in their public statements and private remarks one simple fact:
IN THIS CONNECTION, U. S. officials cite Chinese Red Chief Mao Tse-tung's recent declaration that
"the United Nations must expel the Chiang Kai-shek clique . . . otherwise it will be impossible for China to have anything to do with the United Nations."
Final strategy is yet to be formulated, but administration officials believe that in a showdown, a majority of UN members would refuse to vote a seat for a government which demands recognition of its right of conquest over 11 million more people.
THE HOPE HERE is that this argument by its simplicity, will convince the newer UN members who place little faith in legalistic arguments.
The new tactics, if adopted, would seek to get the United States off the defensive and put the onus on those supporting admission of an "imperialistic regime."
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