MR. IAN SMITH? THE CROWN? AND SIR HUMPHREY GIBBS

The following statement by the Rhodesian Prime Minister, Mr. Ian Smith, on November 15, which was either ignored or selectively quoted by the world's press, provides a very different picture of the role of Her Majesty the Queen and Sir Humphrey Gibbs in the Rhodesian crisis than that which has been presented to the creators of "world opinion":

"On Thursday, November 11, at about 11 o'clock I visited Sir Humphrey Gibbs and informed him of the significance of my broadcast to the nation which was to take place at 1.15 p.m. that day. He had been expecting this and once more reiterated what he had told me on a number of previous occasions. He said, in fact, he believed my decision wrong in that if we were not able to negotiate our independence with the British Government. He felt we should maintain the status quo. However, he acknowledged that it was not possible to convince me of his way of thinking and added that although he was opposed to my decision once a UDI was a fait accompli all good Rhodesians should stand together in the interest of Rhodesia."
"He said he would go hack to his farm and see if he could get any more milk out of his cows. He would really have liked to have gone to Inyanga for a week's fishing but believed he should not be seen in public for the first week or two and therefore would proceed to his farm. I agreed. He also informed me it was his intention to issue a statement requesting the forces of law and order to continue maintaining law and order. I believed that this would be most appropriate and encouraged him to do so."
"However, his statement published on Friday, November 12, went further than he indicated and urged people not to assist your Government in their stand."

"On Friday morning I once more paid Sir Humphrey a visit taking Mr. Dupont and Mr. Lardner-Burke with me. I found that he had changed his stand and had obviously received instructions from London. I then pointed out to him that even his constitutional position was quite untenable and I suggested that he should ask Her Majesty to relieve him of his position. This he was not prepared to do."
"I think you should understand the position of Her Majesty the Queen in this matter. To illustrate this I shall tell you how the principles of loyalty to the Crown are operated by the politicians in Westminster. I instructed the High Commissioner in London to ensure that the letter reached Her Majesty's hand. He at once telephoned the Queen's Secretary to arrange a time to deliver my loyal message. He was informed the Queen would not be available until 5 p.m. to receive the message. The Secretary undertook to reply to the High Commissioner by 3.30 p.m. At that time on further inquiry the Queen's Secretary informed the High Commissioner that all messages intended for the Sovereign should, by custom and protocol, be passed to him for transmission to Her Majesty through the Commonwealth Relations Office or the Foreign Office."
"Accordingly the message was handed to the Commonwealth Relations Office at 3.35 p.m. At 5 p.m. the High Commissioner inquired of the Queen's Secretary if Her Majesty had received the message. It transpired that the Queen's Secretary with the British Prime Minister, the Secretary for Commonwealth Relations and certain Civil servants were at the Whitehall reading the message and drafting a reply. When the High Commissioner said that he would report this to Salisbury it was found that the telephone line to Rhodesia had developed a defect. It was made clear to the Commonwealth Relations Office that the High Commissioner considered this a deliberate obstruction. There appeared to be considerable anxiety in the Commonwealth Relations Office at this and assurances were given that the Queen would soon be receiving the message with, in addition, the prepared reply."
"After being informed by the High Commissioner that he would publish the letter the telephone line to Salisbury suddenly became free at 9 p.m. It was further stated that the British Prime Minister would publish the message and his reply that night."
"It seems therefore that the Queen never came into the matter at all.

It is further significant that the message purporting to dismiss my Ministers and me was not, in fact, signed by the Queen but the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations. It must be very clear that Sir Humphrey Gibbs is representing not the Queen but the British Prime Minister, thus aiding and abetting him in his obvious endeavour to create a division among the people of Rhodesia," (Our emphasis)

Mr. Ian Smith's gentlemanly consideration for Sir Humphrey Gibbs was made clear in a statement published in "The Rhodesian Herald" of "On Target" 3rd December, 1965. Page 2 November 18, when he said that he had given instructions that Sir Humphrey should continue at Government House. It was not the Government's intention to interfere in any way with Sir Humphrey's private life.
"I have made it clear", Mr. Smith went on, "one thing I will not be party to is doing anything that is going to embarrass this unfortunate gentleman in the unfortunate predicament in which he finds himself. I have given instructions that we shall lean over backwards to try to accommodate him in this embarrassing position."
Mr. Smith pointed out that the only reason for removing the phone service to Government House was to prevent Mr. Harold Wilson from attempting to interfere in the internal affairs of Rhodesia.

THE IGNORANCE OF SENATOR J WILLIAM FULBRIGHT

TRADE PRACTICES & THE GROWTH OF SOCIALISM

We commented in "On Target" June 11, 1965 that the Trade Practices Legislation is no more than a further step towards the Monopoly Socialist state. Judging by the debate in the House of Representatives this week there are still some Liberals who can see this. The aim of Socialism is simply stated as increasing government control leading to complete control.

The following comment on the growth of Government by the Chicago Tribune last week is applicable to Australia as well as America.
"Now the mask has been dropped and business has begun to appreciate that it is on a collision course with Presidential power. The ritual celebration of "free enterprise" may continue, but enterprise and individual decision and the dictates of the market have been reduced to the sterilities of the orator of the evening. If business does not recognise by now that the Government is taking over, it is blind to the facts of life."

THE CONGO AND RHODESIA

The bloodless coup of General Mabutu seems to have halted the acquiescence of Congo President Kasavubu in the re-instatement of the newly routed Communist elements. Kasavubu, long noted as a weak egotistical politician who likes to be on the winning side, has obviously been led by the success of Communism's international plans to regard it as the winning side. He supported the Premiership of Mr. Evariste Kimba after parliament had rejected him and declared himself President in place of Mr. Moise Tshombe. General Mobutu has record of opposition to Communist trained terrorists operating in the Congo under leadership of such men as Gizenga and the late Lumumba. Gizenga will be remembered for his leadership in the recent barbaric horrors, which necessitated air lifts for the few surviving hostages in this prematurely "liberated" Belgian Colony.

On Sept. 14th 1960 when the degenerate dope addict Lumumba and Kasavubu had both dismissed each other and a state of complete anarchy reigned, Mobutu, then a Colonel threw his army behind Kasavubu and restored order. He then directed that all Russian and Czechoslovakian "diplomats" and "technicians" pack up and leave the Congo. Lumumba fled to Guinea and sought protection from the UN.

Later intervention by the UN in Katanga, which was the most orderly province under direction of the immensely popular patriot Moise Tshombe, resulted in Tshombe being expelled by them from the country. Under UN "protection" the whole country disintegrated with the Communists again gaining the upper hand. The army under Mobutu and most of the stable civil community remained loyal to Tshombe and on his return the day after the UN forces left, assisted him in restoring peace to the ravaged Congo.

Led by the handful of white volunteers under Lieut.Col. Michael Hoare they drove Czechoslovakian trained Communist Gizennga and his forces from the country. Fearing that dismissal of Mike Hoare and Tshombe, and the support of Mr. Kimba who was seeking reconciliation with the Communists would lead to a return to the Congo blood bath, Mobutu has again intervened on the side of law and order. He has named Colonel Mulumba, a man noted for his honesty and courage, to form a government with representatives from the 21 provinces. The coup would have implications with the current Rhodesian situation.

It is important to remember that the volunteers who did much to clear the Congo of the band of Communist revolutionaries were formed and trained in Rhodesia by British officers who were sick of the west doing nothing to effectively fight the Congo's Reds. The stable Congolese elements have every reason to be grateful for Rhodesian help. We pray they will reciprocate, if necessary.