Comment on Last Week's Articles

The two views on Rhodesia in The Week of December 9th differ significantly. Chris Farley preserves illusions about the prospects of anti-imperialist action in Africa by this Labour Government, Mr. Wilson has already made his choice in Southern Africae He is in favour of imperialism continuing to dominate that whole region in the same way as he operates the dictates of capitalist interest in Aden, Vietnam, Malaysia and British Guiana, The only reason for which he will send troops to Rhodesia is to protect the Smith regime from a popular, revolutionary uprising. Dave Windsor's article is moving towards a socialist alternative. The question is "how can the African people of Rhodesia be assisted?" Not by United Nations camouflage of any prospective invasion force, because that organisation has shown its class colouration in the Congo. The Kaundas and Nyereres will not invade Rhodesia except to maintain themselves in their insecure fosition as Africa's rising national bourgeoisie, The only socialist solution to the Rhodesian problem must embrace the national resist=ance movements of the whole of Southern and Central Africa, Sanctions could not succeed because the Labour Government was not prepared to close all the borders of Rhodesia by a total blockade. It is not just a case of oil through Mozambique but of a bloc of four racist regimes: Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique and South Africa. Such a bloc can only be defeated by overthrowing their Governments. A serious approach to sanctions against Rhodesia always posed this question....We must call upon the Russian and Chinese governments to arm the workers and peasants of Southern Africa. "One man, one gun" is the only way towards "one man, one vote" for Rhodesia. Socialists in the Labour move= ment in this country must immediately consider plans for industrial action against the reactionary policy of the Wilson Government which helps nobody so much as Ian Smith and his fellow racists,