Notebook
Since even during his own time as Secretary of State the United States has consistently ignored events in Africa, Dr Kissinger's strong avowal of the black cause against Rhodesia and South Africa must be judged essentially as an act of Realpolitik. The leaders of the main African guerrilla groups —who have in the main declined to meet him—clearly suspect that the object of his operation is less to make soulmates of them than to upstage the Russians. Dr Kaunda and Dr Nyerere are less prickly, for both men entertain considerable fears of the consequences of expanding Russian influence in their area—so much so that Dr Kaunda was more than willing to form a partnership with Mr John Vorster to bring about a multiracial Rhodesian settlement. A real test of the Ford administration's intentions Will be made when there is a further attempt to repeal the Byrd amendment. Sponsored by Senator Harry Byrd of Virginia, it overruled President Johnson's decision to supPort Un sanctions on Rhodesia, by allowing the importation into the U.S. of Rhodesian chrome Last autumn a move was made for its repeal: it failed, but it was widely believed that the White House had not exercised its full influence on the vote. Next time around black African leaders will watch Progress intently. Chrome or no, Rhodesia is clearly in a very sticky position, especially since South Africa is, apparently, not Prepared to let her have the invaluable Impala fighter 'plane; but the degree of influence the United States will exercise in Southern Africa in the future is clearly far from decided.
On 15 May an anniversary little marked in the Past will be celebrated in the Cotswold Village of Burford. It was there, 327 years ago, that the troops of Cromwell and Fairfax defeated a force of 'Levellers'. The Prisoners taken were immured in Burford Church and three of their number were subsequently shot. The Oxford branch of the Workers Educational Association has now decided to organise a pilgrimage to this Shrine where an estimated 1,200 trade unionists will be addressed by that arch Leveller, Anthony Wedgwood Benn. Today's residents of Burford seem to have n, great sympathy with 'Levelling' and the iricursion of such a body of egalitarians is viewed with some alarm. The vicar has had second thoughts and would rather the sPeech were not made in his church for fear of offending some of his parishioners. It is to be hoped that nobody gets shot.
Many memories were stirred last weekend by the television film—an expensive disap pointment—of Leon Uris's excellent novel QB VII. The story is based, in some detail, on a famous libel action in 1964 brought by a Polish doctor, Dr Dering, against Leon Uris and the publishers of Exodus. The case concerned an allegation, substantially the same as in QB VII, that Dr Dering, a prisoner at Auschwitz concentration camp, had taken part in medical experiments on other prisoners.
Mr Colin Duncan appeared for Dr Dering and Lord Gardiner for the defence. The doctor made a poor impression in the witness-box and, as his advisers had forecast, the jury returned a verdict in his favour but awarded him contemptuous damages of one halfpenny. It was a finely balanced, fair and significant verdict. But the film totally fails to put this across: the trial is shown in such a way that a verdict for the defence seems inevitable.
Conservatives will be pleased at the strong showing of the Portuguese Conservative Party, led by Freitas Do Amaral, at the general election—especially as it appeared for a moment that they would be overhauled during the general election campaign by the Communists. After all the turmoil which followed the overthrow of Dr Caetanointernecine conflict in the armed forces followed by a bitter battle to prevent total Communist domination of the government —it is now perfectly clear that the Portuguese electorate have decisively rejected the Moscow line, though they have not yet clearly opted for an alternative, even that offered by the moderate Socialist leader, Dr Mario Soares. Interestingly, Mr Amaral, who is regarded as a pretty hard-line Conservative, believes that Soares and the Socialists have abandoned Marxism, and is perfectly willing to consider working with them in government. There will clearly be a good deal of manoeuvring during the two month gap—caused by the necessity of hold
ing a PresidentiaL election—before a new government actually takes office.
It is not every day that you find a solicitor arguing his client's case in the correspondence columns of the Times. Yet this is the strange course taken by Mr Eric Levine on behalf of Mr James Goldsmith. A judge has decided to allow Mr Goldsmith to bring proceedings for criminal libel against Private , Eye; but Mr Levine finds it necessary to write a letter—which contains minor inaccuracies—publicly 'defending' the judgment. Is he concerned that public opinion may not be unanimous in support of his client ?
Mr Goldsmith is meanwhile said to be thinking of entering journalism himself, perhaps by acquiring the Observer, if the trustees could be persuaded to let him have it. The prospect arouses mixed feelings.
There have been constrained murmurs in London lately over the multi-faceted Islamic Festival of Art coming somewhat late in the day, Tactically, English interest in Islamic art might well have declared itself earlier, it is vaguely felt, at,a time when a Festival would not have been so easily equated with political power and wealth. This kind of reasoning is absurd: international cultural dissemination has been integrally related with economic and political strength for the past thirty years. Nobody grumbled in the 'fifties and 'sixties when America, through the admirable and now sadly disbanded activities of the United States Information Service, presented beautifully packaged American exhibitions at the American Embassy and other centres in England, or deplored the informative shows of American painting and sculpture circulated in England by the Museum of Modern Art in New York, except, perhaps, a few disgruntled academic English artists.
Before 1939, any artist could send in work to the Venice Biennale and get it hung, provided the transport bill and a submission fee were paid in advance. Since 1945, art Biennales—no' discredited through commercial exploitation, radical politics, and artistic fatigue—have been entirely in the hands of official cultural agencies, like our own British Council. Artists have been deployed like crack sporting teams, to win prizes and to further national prestige.
By comparison with many of these chauvinistic antics, the Islamic Festival is a model of realism, generously implemented ; to cavil at its timing can only be a reflection of envious confusion and, perhaps, guilt in remembering the narrow range of our sights elsewhere in earlier years.
Next week Patrick Cosgrave hands over the Political Commentary opposite to John Grigg., Patrick has been connected with the Spectator in a variety of capacities for ten years, and will continue to contribute from his new vantage point as special advisor to Mrs Margaret Thatcher.
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