danese? Unlikely. No, this Cuban massacre was one of
many recent signs of conflict between the great powers in their
efforts to dominate. Our problem, of course, deals only with North
Africa, but I have heard rumors in Geneva that much the same situation
is developing in the south as well."

"At any rate, Dr. Crawford, when the rumors of El Hassan began to come
into this office they brought with them a breath of hope. From all we
have heard, he teaches our basic program--a breaking down of old
tribal society, education, economic progress, Pan-African unity. Dr.
Crawford, no one with whom this office is connected seems ever to have
seen this El Hassan but we are most anxious to talk to him. Perhaps
this is the man behind whom we can throw our support. Your task is to
find him."

Homer Crawford raked the fingers of his right hand back over his
short wiry hair, and grimaced. He said, "It won't be necessary."

[Illustration]

"I beg your pardon, Doctor?"

Crawford said, "It won't be necessary to go looking for El Hassan."

The Swede scowled his irritation at the other. "See here...."

Crawford said, "I'm El Hassan."

Sven Zetterberg stared at him, uncomprehending.

Homer Crawford said, "I suppose it's your turn to listen and for me
to do the talking." He shifted in his chair, uncomfortably. "Dr.
Zetterberg, even before the Reunited Nations evolved the idea of the
African Development Project, it became obvious that the field work was
going to have to be in the hands of Negroes. The reason is doublefold.
First, the African doesn't trust the white man, for good reason.
Second, the white man is a citizen of his own country, first of all,
and finds it difficult not to have motives connected with his own race
and nation. But the African Negro, too, has his tribal and sometimes
national affiliations and cannot be trusted not to be prejudiced in
their favor. The answer? The educated American Negro, such as myself."

"I haven't the slightest idea from whence came my ancestors, from what
part of Africa, what tribe, what nation. But I am a Negro and ...
well, have the dream of bettering my race. I have no irons in the
fire, beyond altruistic ones. Of course, when I say American Negroes I
don't exclude Canadian ones, or those of Latin America or the
Caribbean. It is simply that there are greater numbers of educated
American Negroes than you find elsewhere."

Zetterberg said impatiently, "Please, Dr. Crawford. Come to the p