The Mail-Journal, Volume 8, Number 3, Milford, Kosciusko County, 17 February 1971 — Page 10

THE MAIL-JOURNAL —Wed., Feb. 17, 1971

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Africa — Third In A Series ) Prosperity Is A Promise For Senegal, West Africa

By ARCH BAUMGARTNER DAKAR, Senegal, Africa — "The darkest thing about Africa is our own ignorance of it,” we were told by Bill Davis, director of the US Information Service in Dakar, at a briefing at the U.S. Embassy on the afternoon of Thursday, Feb. 4. Davis, an articulate American Negro with a background of Rutgers and the University of Chicago, began an hour-long briefing that included remarks by Ambassador G. Edward Clark, political advisor Lewis Kahn, economics officer Janet Hall, and others The briefing followed a poolside cocktail hour with Ambassador and Mrs. (Please call me Lee.” she asked.) Clark. Members of our group, traveling in Africa on a five-week study mission, are members of the National Newspaper Association, and the reception we received in this west Africa port of Dakar could not have been more hospitable. Besides having the background session with the U.S. Ambassador and his staff, we met with Daniel Cabou, minister of industrial development; Habib Thiam, minister of rural development; Diakhate, (that’s the only name we were given), minister of tourism; and a high point was a 45-minute meeting with- Senegal President LeopoldSedar Senghor, all on Wednesday. Feb. 3. •How Do You Dolt?’ Daniel Cabou. who stood about five feet four inches, proved a dynamic advocate of everything Senegalese Our meeting with him introduced us to Tilly (Mrs. Philippe) Gaillard, a native of San Francisco who served as our interpreter at all official ‘ meetings She took rapid dictation and gave us an immediate and accurate interpretation. Our group became so enamored with her that she met us at the Dakar airport the day we left the city. But back to Daniel Cabou He emphasized the need for the country’s industrial development. A major aim for his country, he said, was to dam the * Senegal River, much like the Aswan dam in Egypt. Most of the country’s technical assistance has come from France, but Senegal is turning its eyes toward/ the United States, not only for technical assistance, but for a market for its meager exports. "How do you do it in your great country,” he asked of visiting newsmen, and they were hard put to come up with quick answers to a complex question He said Senegal is sending students to the United States, particularly for advanced study, and that they hope to attract American industry with an attractive, graduated tax embrella One goal the country is aiming for. he said, was to establish a repair shop for big oil tankers. "This would employ 3,000 people.” he continued. Leaders are trying hard to “Senegalize” the country, meaning to give jobs to Senegal - people wherever possible. He said U.S. firms are developing _ their phosphate reserves, but added that the USSR is developing the country's gold in the east. His eyes shot around the room as he responded to a question concerning the nationalization of industry "The only thing we plan to nationalize are the railroads and utilities,” he emphasized. • He pointed out Senegal has excellent marble, and the world is just finding this out. He also said Senegal makes better shoes, than the United States and that they exported 100,000 pairs to the U. S. last year? Maia Crop: Peanuts Rural development minister Habid Thiam told us Senegal was a one-crop county, but that they were working to get away from that. Peanuts make up 80 per cent of the country's crop, but that the country can’t be run on peanuts, he pointed out. He told us the country's 3.8 million people are developing a strong fish market, that they are beginning to produce millet but as yet haven't enough for their own use, but hope to export millet later. Minister Thiam pointed out the country also grows rice and is increasing its livestock production. He said the first five years of Senegal’s independence, drought reduced iu peanut crop by a third, but that this outlook has been better in recent years. Meet Sengohr A real highlight of our two-day stay in Dakar was meeting Senegal President Leopold-Sedar

Sengohr at the presidential palace. The 17 of us. interpreter Tilly Gaillard and our guide, Fatou. were ushered into a room that resembled a congressional committee room, only smaller Each had a large Hotter pad, paper and pencil in front of us. President Sengohr entered, shook «■ hands with each of us. and took a seat jn the center of the halfmoon seating arrangement. Re measures about five foot seven inches, has a closely cropped hair style, a thin line mustache and his sharp eyes peer through heavily tinted glasses. A real political spellbinder, . educated in France, a former French minister, a scholar, poet and astute politician, he has been his country’s only President since gaining independence from France on April 4, 1960. He is married to a cultured white French lady. President Sengohr told us his country has close ties with France but recognizes the U.S. role in world affairs. He said his country makes English a compulsory language and is now spending 26 per cent of its national budget on education. He will soon make a state visitto the U.S. where he will visit Washington and be honored at Harvard university. He told us his country has gone from what he termed a gross produce of 100 points in 1956, to 120 points in 1960 and to 180 points in 1970. In spite of the drought which cut rural harvest by a third, light industry and the fishing industry have had "dynamic growth.” His country has not received much U.S. public aid but they hope for considerable private investment in this ' important gateway to central and east Africa, he said. He noted that the United States had built three schools here, one the very modest but suitaHe John F. Kennedy school. “My dream.” he said, “is to appeal to the Rockefeller Foundation to set up an African cultural center in Dakar.” He said he knew of the Rockefeller interest in African culture already. President Sengohr said his country has a great tapestry industry, and is waiting for the world to recognize this. “I need your help in this.” he told the visiting newsmen. He told us, “The bonds of subjugation have turned into bonds of cooperation,” in a statesman like remark. He said his countrymen are good at mathematics, and he hoped this could be put to great use in the development of Senegal. Latin, Greek and Arabic are also taught in the schools, and he said he felt his countrymen have a great talent to express themselves in languages. President Sengohr said Senegal has overcome all racism, as a wind-up to his remarks for the concern of the American Negro. He also said his country should be fully industrialized by the year 2,000. To Build Hotels The minister of tourism of Senegal, whose name we received as only Diakhate, said a number of big hotel complexes are on the drawing board for Dakar \ One is the U.S.-backed Sheraton International, another a Pan-American hotel, and another is a Holiday Village (German and French) to be erected south of Dakar These are all in the 250bed range He said their aim is to double the bed capacity at this point of entry into Africa. Along with this will be the need to increase the landing rights for chartered Hanes He said they welcome visitors and private investors, and want to encourage tourists to visit his country’s hinterland. He, too, emphasized the flexible tax immunity the country gives to investors under an attractive investment code. One Party State The fact that Senegal is a oneparty state with President Sengohr as its leader was not lost on us. There is no opposition party. When one of our group asked if he hoped to emulate Franklin Roosevelt in office, he flashed back that he' "would retire in six or seven years.” This is not to say there is not opposition to the Sengohr government As an emerging African country, Senegal has come a long way. but it has a long way to go. They appear to lack the technical help to keep simple things like elevators working, to update telephone service, and the hotels

have French outlets and yet they want to attract Americans with electric razors and electric toothbrushes. Visitors must drink bottled water and pay strong prices for most everything they buy. For example, a postal card costs 20 cents American and the stamp 20 cents. Forty cents are a lot of Francs to let a friend know you are in Africa.. The country has some abject poor, but no one talks about it. Begging is commonplace. But on the brighter side, the Moslem religion predominates here, and each man is entitled to four wives if he can provide for than! Fatou Our Guide We actually had two guides in Dakar, one being “Sammy," a 20-year-old native who was hard to imdastand. but who was working hard on his English. The other was Fatou, and this was something else. Fatou was 22, a junior at the University of Dakar studying languages, a lithe figure with a flashy, wide smile showing ~a perfect set of ivory teeth. She appeared each day with a different Bou-Bou, flowing, colorful native costume with its attractive headpiece. She’s a member of the Wdof tribe. She took us on the usual tour of the city’s sights and had us on time for each appointment. From the 2.000-student University of Dakar which we found modern and well groomed, we went to the artist colony where the women had a field day of buying trinkets. She took us to the open markets where housewives were bargaining for the day’s provisions. To us the markets were smelly and uninviting, but kept us entranced with women, almost always a baby strapped to their backs and a basket or container on their heads. You can’t say African women don’t have perfect postures. Fatou pointed out to us that a woman is not well dressed unless she has a native grown “chewing stick” in her mouth. The stick produces a sap which keeps the teeth sparkling white. In oiir presence Fatou did not have the chewing stick in her mouth, but (hiring press conferences and at the Embassy, she sat at the rear of the room, always munching on the tip of a stick. The name of the plant escaped me, if indeed we were told. The shops in Dakar sold their wares on the sidewalks, much like a sidewalk days promotion at home, and the streets were teeming with people. Even freelance barbers set customers on a crate on the sidewalk and had all their equipment in a small box. Among the teeming crowds are the usual beggers. and kids roaming like pack rats. Perhaps the four-wives idea isn’t as good as it might appear at first glance. We found the natives, particularly the older people, didn’t care to have their pictures taken. It appeared they thought we were making light of them. But the kids: That’s another story. They would pose in numbers, but always followed with an extended palm. Somehow, while we Americans

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stood out like a sore thumb and were grossly outnumbered, at no time did we feel unsafe. We were told we were safer than natives, and I believed it. Visit Goree On Thursday. Feb. 4, we visited the island of Goree, a mile and a half offshore. It was the slave trade center, where slaves were rounded up as far back as 300 years ago. kept in closely confined quarters until they could be shipped to the U.S. and other points for sale. We were told some slaves would jump ship, only to be shot and left ior the sharks. Most slaves were brought to the island of Goree after being captured by other tribes, we were told. For the student of geography. Dakar sets on a peninsula extending south, much like St. Petersburg. Florida. It is unmistakably the western gateway to Africa, and it can not but increase in size and wealth. But they have such a long way to go. One must give the Senegalese full credit for bringing themselves as far as they have in the brief 10-year period of independence. As one of our group pointed out, just 200 years ago the United States was an emerging nation. Senegal is tied to France by a 150-year history of colonialism. The Arabic language is in use, but tribal languages number about 36, we were told at the Embassy briefing by Jean Maddin. And more than that, tribalism predominates in religious beliefs to the point that tribal "doctors” are taken into hospitals. This makes what we think of as a strong central government most difficult. French, however, is the overriding language of Senegal, but with the westernization of the country, one can look for English to come along fast. Perhaps this is one reason the French do not like the expanding American culture over the globe. We can only add a “well done and godspeed” to a people long denied their place in the world of nations. “Viva la Senegal!” FFA Plans Slave Sale In March By RICK A. RAPP On Monday, Feb. 8, the Wawasee FFA Chapter met in the ag room at 7:30 p.m. The meeting was called to order, by the president followed by opening ceremonies. Roll call was taken and the secretary and treasurer’s reports were given. New business was called for and the Slave Sale was set for the middle of March. A committee was appointed to look into possibilities for the chapter’s experimental field plot. Also discussed was the District II Convention which will be held at Bremen on April 3, the chapter point chart, and a field trip in the future. Old business was called for and there was none The meeting was adjourned and refreshments were served.

ONE YEAR AGO Headlines: Annexation Question to Be Settled on February 25. Army private first class Dennis W. Mench, 22, son of Mr. and Mrs. James M. Mench, received the purple heart at ceremonies near Cu Chi, Viet Nam. An ice Khana is being scheduled for this Sunday on Syracuse Lake. Rev. Robert A. Mundy, pastor of Wawasee Heights Baptist church, left Monday for a 10-day tour of the Holy Lands as a Christmas gift from the congregation. A total of 23 guests from Syracuse, Piercetop and Benton gathered at the Syracuse home of Mrs. Lesta Craft Saturday evening to help her celebrate her birthday anniversary. Wawasee’s Kent Wilson will represent the school at the state wrestling meet Saturday in Indianapolis. A new face at Wawasee high school is Francisco Peixto, an exchange student from Brazil, South America, and is making his home with Mr. and Mrs. Tom Prickett and family for the next six months. Dr. and Mrs. E. L. Fosbrink have returned to their home following a Florida vacation trip. FIVE YEARS AGO Second class petty officer Ronald Kramer, aboard the U.S.S. Calc a terra, is now in port in Adelaide, Australia. Paul Pollock, 29, has been transferred from Goshen hospital to Parkview at Fort Wayne for further surgery and treatment for injuries sustained in an auto accident February 6 north of Syracuse which took the lives of three men. one of which was his father. Mr. and Mrs. Orlie Brown who are spending the winter at Oklawaha. Fla., celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary this week. z A new fire siren arrived this week in Syracuse and is to be installed on the Dolan Drive and Main street tower. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Pollock and family of Goshen called over the week end at the Dennis Firestone home. Mr. and Mrs. Dale Sparklin and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Laudeman and son of North Manchester were Sunday evening dinner guests of Mrs. Irvin Coy at Milford, Syracuse received $1,533.50 this week from the state motor vehicle fund which goes into the street fund for needed repairs. TEN YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs. Norman Adams and family of Anderson and Mike Gross of South Bend spent the week end with Mrs. Lucy Garrett. Mrs. Karl Weingart announces the engagement of her daughter, Shirley, to Gary Kline, son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kline. Open house at Kell’s Garage in Wawasee Village will be held Saturday at 8 p.m. and will indude dancing and refreshments. Isabelle Carwile, Isabelle Stahley, Murray Holt of Columbia City and Gerald Beavers, took on bowling pros Steve Nagy and Glenn Allison of Saint Louis, Sunday at Wawasee Bowl with local bowlers as champs. Mr. and Mrs. Lee Good of Bonar Lake were hosts for the

REMEMBER WHEN IT HAPPENED IN SYRACUSE

February meeting of the Syracuse Saddle dub at a skating party. Mr. and Mrs. Joy Cotton of Walkerton entertained at a surprise birthday dinner for Mrs. Thomas Cotton .of Syracuse on Sunday. Mrs. Mary Phillips of Warsaw visited her sister, Mrs. John Fleming, Sunday in the home of Mrs. Rebecca Kitson. Mrs. Carrie Spry returned home this week from Palos Park, fl!., where she visited in the Neil Ottavi’ home. TWENTY YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs. Howard Wherry of Columbia City and Mrs. A. J. Brugioni, Danville, 111., were guests Friday in the C. W. Howard home. Mrs. Omar Yoder, the former Katherine Kistler, left Sunday for Crewe, Pa., to join her serviceman husband, Pvt. Omar Yoder at Camp Pickett. Mrs. Harold Swenson and Pamela spent Wednesday and Thursday in Chicago with the former’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Johnson. Mr. and Mrs. Alford Vantine of Elkhart were Sunday dinner guests of her niece, Mrs. Forrest Plank and family. Daniel J. Mohler, 77, father of Samuel Mohler, died Tuesday at Wolf Lake hospital. Mrs. Owen Avery has returned to her home from Robert Long hospital at Indianapolis. C. C, Bachman and son, Charles, left last week for a vacation at Saint Petersburg, Fla. Mrs. Marie LeCount is recovering at her home from injuries received in a fall in the chicken house. Eddie Anglemyer, Bernard Roberts and Kent Hursey were guests at a birthday supper Monday evening for Billy Dorsey. Pvt. Max Workman is now at Camp Breckinridge, Ky. John (Jack) Kitson is serving aboard the USS Valley Forge in Korean waters. James'Myers, a student at Cornell University, Ithacia, N.Y., spent Friday night with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Noble Myers. FORTY FIVE YEARS AGO The Knights of PythiaS celebrated the 62nd anniversary of the founding of the order at their Castle Hall Wednesday evening.

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Ernest Bushong underwent eye surgery Friday at Warsaw hospital. The new Catholic church and parsonage now under construction at Lake Wawasee will be completed July 1 at a cost of $50,000. Marty Katzer has about completed his new modern hotel on the south side of Wawasee on the site of the old Tavern. Pete Shannon and family have moved to Goshen. While-attempting to crank the school hack, Jesse Shock broke his wrist on his right arm Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Clarence White and baby of Marion spent Thursday with her sister, Mrs. R. E. Thornburg. Lee Good and family visited Sunday with the Merle Darr farpily. Mr. and Mrs. Burton Howe spent Tuesday with the Tillman Coy family. Confab On * Use Os Farm Chemicals* Set For Tomorrow A conference on the Use of Farm Chemicals will be held Thursday, Feb. 18, at the First National Bank in Nappanee. The program will begin at 10 a m. Purdue- university specialist will discuss problems of plant diseases, insects and weeds and chemical controls of them. Items on the program will be: Effective Weed Control in Field Crops — James L. Williams. Extension Plant Botanist Controlling Insects in Field Crops — David L. Matthew Jr., Extension Entomologist Field Crop Diseases — Eric G. Sharville, Extension Plant Pathologist Dr. Sharville will give the latest information on the southern corn leaf blight.

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Stephen Bahn In 'New Minds' FINDLAY, OHIO - Stephen J. Bahn, Findlay college sophomore has been active with “The New Minds,”’a Christian folk-singing group on campus. Stephen,’ the son of Rev. and Mrs. Chester Bahn of Milford, is a 1969 graduate of Wawasee high school. He is a member of the Bethel Church of the Brethren. He is also active on the track team at Findlay college. The New Minds, under the direction of Raeburn Wallen, associate professor of religion and Christian education, have performed at area churches and on campus in the past month. Appearances have been made in Columbia City, and Fort Wayne First church, Fort Wayne. The student singers are scheduled for appearance at Wharton, Ohio; Lima, Ohio; Mount Tabor, Ind.; Wooster, Ohio; Clare, Mich.; and Mechanicsburg, Ohio. A tour of East Pennsylvania Churches of God will be made in May. Cited Following Two-Car Accident No one was injured in a two-car accident at Purl and Sixth streets in Goshen last week but damage was set at $750 and Suzanne L. Coy. 22, Syracuse, was cited for failure to yield the right-of-way. Officers said her 1967 Ford convertible collided with a 1964 Chevrolet convertible being operated by Iris L. Sanders, 20, of east Kercher Road at 12:50 p.m.

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