THE RHODESIAN INSPIRATION

Mr. Eric D. Butler reports from Salisbury, Rhodesia
"The Nairobi correspondent of "The New York Times" observes that, viewed from the outside world, Rhodesia is on the verge of collapse, and a blood-bath; but when viewed from the inside, one gets the impression that Rhodesia will survive for a thousand years. Even the South African press has reached a new low in disseminating the most blatant falsehoods concerning the situation inside Rhodesia. I have looked through a selection of the current 'news' stories concerning Rhodesia, including a feature report in 'Newsweek', comparing them with the reality around me, and shudder with the realisation that Hitler and Dr. Goebbels were pathetic amateurs compared with those directing propaganda warfare today.

The 'Newsweek' article carried a photograph purporting to show Rhodesian Africans lining up in a compound to be searched for weapons. The photo was, in fact, one of Africans lining up to be paid. Western European newspapers have carried photos of Europeans catching the train to Bulawayo. These Europeans were allegedly fleeing the blood bath in Salisbury. "As I write this report, Salisbury remains one of the most peaceful and orderly cities in the world. Another photo showed large numbers of people looking at what were described as the casualty lists from large-scale fighting in Eastern Rhodesia. The people were keenly studying the football results!

"But is there no truth whatever in the current flood of sensational stories concerning the Rhodesian situation? The only element of truth is that the international campaign against Rhodesia is being intensified. This campaign is mainly psychological, and is designed to prepare the way for future developments. Much of it is aimed at eroding the will of the Rhodesians; to convince them that their position is hopeless, and that they should agree to an 'orderly' handover of power to the African majority and thus avoid a blood-bath.
The masters of anti-Rhodesian psychological warfare neglect to point out that the only blood -baths in Africa have occurred following the abdication of power and responsibility by the Europeans.

"Senator Chief Chirau, Chairman of the Council of Chiefs, asks the pertinent question: why does the British Government neglect the Chiefs as the representatives of the great majority of the African people in Rhodesia? In a futile attempt to placate 'world opinion', and almost certainly to please the South African Government, Prime Minister Ian Smith has spent months talking to Joshua Nkomo. But Nkomo does not even represent a majority of his own Matabele tribe; and the Matabele, who less than one hundred years ago were slaughtering the Mashona, are now only a seventh of the total Mashona population.

There would be no 'majority rule' in Rhodesia if Nkomo and his associates took over; but tribal conflict similar to that, which resulted in the mass liquidation of the Ibos in Nigeria. When one of Nkomo's competitors for power, Herbert Chitepo, was murdered in Zambia, it was alleged by some anti-Rhodesians that the Smith Government was responsible. But even Kaunda, of Zambia, has admitted that the murder was the result of internal factionalism and 'racism'.

The man suspected of murdering Chitepo is 'General' Josiah Tongorara, the favourite of the Marxist President of Mozambique. Machel - a man directly advised by the Soviet K.G.B. Machel lives in constant fear of being murdered.

"So far from Rhodesian morale flagging, I have never seen it higher. I have talked to a number of young Rhodesians who are serving, off and on, in the armed services in the border areas where the terrorists are operating. They are unanimous that the Africans who are 50% of the troops, are fighting magnificently alongside the European Rhodesians. There is no such thing as a race war in Rhodesia. While the cowardly terrorist attacks, mainly against tribal Africans, are producing a strain on the Rhodesians, the terrorists of themselves have no hope whatever of defeating Rhodesia.

The Rhodesians are more than capable of handling continuing terrorist attacks, and at the same time further developing their growing economy. It is safer to walk around Salisbury, where two-thirds of the police are Africans, than to walk around bomb-blasted London. And while British politicians insist that Rhodesians must submit to 'majority rule; they firmly oppose the majority of Ulstermen forming the government of bloody Northern Ireland. So much for principle!

"After listening to Anglican Father Lewis address a Roman Catholic Club in Salisbury, the audience being given a vivid picture of Marxist infiltration, even into the Roman Catholic Church, I was privileged to spend some time in discussion with this courageous man. He has served the Africans as a Christian missionary for over a quarter of a century.

We discussed the problems of teaching the Christian concept of freedom and personal responsibility to a people whose age-old traditions run directly contrary to this concept.Unlike the theorists and ideologues who know nothing about their problems of attempting to graft a Civilization upon a simple, primitive people, but who insist upon their dogmas being imposed. Father Lewis stresses that 'we have unique problems here in Rhodesia, and need time and peace to solve them'.

Father Lewis has been victimised by his Church superiors because of his strong support for Rhodesian Independence. But he continues to do tremendous work amongst all Rhodesians, both African and European. He also stresses the truth that there is no race war in Rhodesia.

"I remain convinced that Rhodesia can only die if the peoples of the rest of the non-Communist nations permit their Governments to continue co-operating with the Communists to murder Rhodesian Independence.

LABOR SOCIALIST SENATOR SHOWS HIS FLAG

"Federal Labor frontbencher, Senator John Button, yesterday criticised the importance placed on Sir John Kerr's role in the dismissal of the Labor Government". - The Age (Melbourne) April 26th.

Senator Button, a doctrinaire socialist at the very least, stated that there was too much emphasis on the Governor-General, who seems to him to be 'A rather decadent symbol of what happened". That is his opinion.

Senator Button, to us, is advancing the decadent policy of centralism, when he further states that he does not believe that State Governments are necessarily closer to the people, nor more democratic, etc. than a national government, working with local participation, etc. He does not understand, or does not want to understand, that the local participants are merely co-operating in a policy that has already been decided in Canberra, by Big Brother. He likes this. Big Brother knows best.

He makes the absurd statement that, in the mind of the average citizen, State Governments, are just as remote as the Federal Government in Canberra. Well, hundreds of men and women in Melbourne, for example, every day, are ringing up their (State) Members, and seeing their State Members in their offices in Melbourne, or in the suburbs of Melbourne, or in the country centres. The State Members are readily available to their constituents. Would this be the case if there were only one parliament, in Canberra? Senator Button can believe this; but we can't!

ERIC BUTLER SPEAKS AT DURBAN MASS RALLY

BRIEF COMMENTS

Tom Uren, that old socialist war-horse, is at it again. He is making more threats against "the system". But some of his accusations do contain some truth. He is now Deputy-Leader of the Federal Opposition, and no doubt his "line" is the voice of the hard Left in Caucus. The Labor Party (non-parliamentary), meaning the unions, would act outside the parliamentary process (meaning strikes, strikes, strikes,) if it couldn't make the changes it desired to the Establishment. He was addressing a meeting at the University of Western Australia. He attacked the multi-nationals and the Federal bureaucracy; especially the Treasury, which "follows its own policies regardless of the Governments that came and went". This is largely true. Mr. Uren deplored the timidity of Labor during the December Election campaign. It should have taken over the centres of Sydney, Melbourne and the other State capitals, and showed "our muscle and might". On with the Revolution, Tom!

Remember Air Vice-Marshall Ky? He was the former Prime Minister of the Government of South Vietnam, before losing this post to General Thieu. Ky made a visit to Australia in the late sixties. Now he is living in Virginia, U.S.A. In an article in "The Herald" (Melbourne) April 22nd, he is quoted as saying (and we believe these quotes on this occasion) that American involvement in Vietnam was not a mistake. The biggest mistake was the no-win policy. That is what we said for years; we still say it. Ky speaks plain commonsense when he says that: "...the best way to delay World War 3 is to show the enemy not only your strength, but also your determination to use it". Exactly so.

The basic six-cylinder family saloon has now crashed through the $5,000 (five thousand dollar) barrier. General Motors Holden has been waging a brainwashing campaign to convince Australians that actually the car is now cheaper than it has ever been, because it is only so many times the average national wage, whereas ten or fifteen years ago it was less times the average national wage. The rub is that the "average national wage" is given as $175. Now this is rubbish: the average tradesman receives nothing like $175. He is lucky if he takes home $100 after his tax is deducted. What G.M.H. has done is to divide the gross national income by the number of wage-earners in Australia. They include the politicians, including Mr. Grassby on his $36,000 yearly to stir up trouble where none exits, the hundreds of "fat cats" in the public service on their $20,000 yearly, the middle to top rank executives in industry, etc., etc. This has enabled an "average wage" of $175 to be struck! The "average" worker would not take home $100 a week; a tradesman's wage is higher than most shop assistants, clerical workers, process workers, etc. We recall the words of Benjamin Disraeli: "There are three kinds of lies. Lies, damned lies, and statistics!

It is rather ironical that at the present time many politicians, and others, are exciting themselves (and rightly so) concerning the invasions of the privacy of the individual in this computer age we live in. At the same time the National Census form which we shall be required to fill in in the near future will contain questions which are a blatant infringement of the privacy of the individual; questions concerning your mortgage, where obtained, your salary, your insurances, etc., etc. Census authorities may be sincere in their desire to keep all this information strictly confidential; but they can't guarantee that. First of all the Census forms will be kept for a period of up to two years; and how would snooping be prevented if a determined Communist in the Bureau of Census and Statistics was instructed to gain confidential information concerning a politician, or anyone in whom there was a keen interest for purposes of subversion, intimidation, blackmail etc? It couldn't be prevented. If a national census is really necessary, the questions should be as general as possible, and the forms should be destroyed as quickly as possible.

Seen any daylight lately? How many supporters outside N.S.W. knew that New South Wales was to have a State referendum on Daylight Saving, to coincide with the State General Election on May 1st. Voters are to record a Yes or a No. There has not been one word about this Referendum in the Melbourne Press. Why? If the N.S.W. Referendum is carried, this will most probably mean the end of Daylight Saving in Australia, as then three of the six Australian States will not apply it: Western Australia rejected Daylight Saving in a referendum not so long ago; and Queensland just wouldn't "wear it" at all.

The Despotism of Custom