MATHEMATICS OF SOUTHERN RHODESIA
SIR,—Mr. Leo Baron's closely reasoned article effectively demolishes the fence upon which so many politicians and others concerned with Southern Rhodesia had taken refuge. No longer can it be argued that the 1961 Constitution will produce an African majority in eight to fifteen years (Sir A. Beit in The Times, July 25, 1964; Aidan Crawley in the Spectator, February 14, 1964). Indeed, those who continue to support this Constitution would seem, in real political terms, to have joined the side of those who believe in White supremacy.
Surely the lesson of recent years is that pre- independence constitutions are written only to be revised. Within the Commonwealth there is no substitute for majority rule. Restricted electoral rolls and complicated voting qualifications are but transient stepping stones towards full adult suffrage. Constitutional lawyers and politicians are bettor em- ployed in devising methods of protecting minorities rather than supressing majorities. The task awaiting them in Southern Rhodesia is great enough now, but it will increase unless a constitutional conference is
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