SORE, VERY SORE Sta,—Contrary to your contributor Robert Browne's impression,
the Progressive Party is not led chiefly by Afrikaners and under no circum- stances can its franchise policy be interpreted as 'one man one vote, whatever colour, with certain qualifications.' The 'certain qualifications' are so stringent that the party's own Molteno Commission, which sat for a long time to draw up the policy, had to conclude with minority reports from its three non-white members who could not accept its unrealistic franchise policy. These same qualifica- tions apply to persons wanting to join the party. Surely one of the few political parties for which one must qualify to join? Certainly no Progressive Party leader would dare to advocate 'One man one vote' from a publio platform; he would soon be in trouble with a party leadership which is desperately trying to recruit nervous white mem- bers at the expense of potential non-white support.
The fundamental fact about the South African white man is that on October 5, 1960, after Sharpeville and all the lessons that might have
been learned, be still voted by a large majority for Dr. Verwoerd's republic with all that that implies. This means quite simply that more white People supported Dr. Verwoerd than rejected him. One cannot argue one's way out of a referendum bY quibbling about boundary lines and weighted constituencies as the white Opposition has done in previous elections.
Mr. Browne uses the language of the Govern- ment. of the South African Foundation and of al! white men who do not really Want to see the fundamental and overwhelming changes which are the only way in which South Africa can be pre- served as a land for all races. 'Unfair press,' uninformed criticism,' and 'inaccurate reporting' are the stock-in-trade of the defenders of the "attic quo.
3 Normand Mews, W14
SUSANNE H. SPENCE
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