No Capitulation to White Supremacy, By Chris Farley,
Not since Suez, it is widely reported, has Britain's reputation stood so low in Africa as in the past monthe The British Government has gone through the motions of declaring the Smith Administration illegal and supporting the U.N. Security Council's resolution, but it has gained the contempt of many African Governments and peoples, The issue is the failure of Mr. Wilson to take the necessary steps to bring down the Smith regime promptlye Smith has been allowed to remain in full control of the militery, police and other machinery of the state. No force is to be use against him, The 1961 constitution (under which white minority rule was enforced until U.D.I.) is not to be supended. Half the Commonwealth has threatened to walk out in disgust. The policy of half-hearted sanctions against Smith has only driven him into the hands of his natural allies, South Africa and Portugal = and the Labour Government has not been anxious to oppose either of them in the past year. The British Government is pledged to proceed towards African majority rule in Rhodesia, but its recent actions have in fact ensured the maintenance of white minority ruleapparently indefinitely, unless Mr. Wilson will act decisively. The Smith regime stuffs its gacls with its political opponents, exploits its African population in the worst white settler tradition and looks to Verwoerd's apartheid as the model for ensuring white supremacy. Wilson must send troops with the endorsement of the United Nations to remove Smith from illegal power, The cancer of white supremacy must be cut out before it can be fed from the south. Britain must call a constitutional conference, representing all the peoplets of Rhodesia, to create a democratic constitution for early independence with the right to vote guarenteed to all, The alternative course is disastrous. Smith will contiure to rule. The white block of southern Africa will be cemented. Labour will iose all irfluen in Africa. Independent African states will attempt to remove Smith by invasion and because of Smith's superior military equipment, ae prolonged war, engulfing much of Africa could result. Mr. Wilson has made it plain that the choice is his alone.