A Latin-American Munich?
The Government's haste to be quit of its remaining colonial responsibilities has led it to take such a casual attitude towards the views and interests of the citizens of the colonial territories concerned that it comes as a relief to learn that it is not proposing to hand over British Honduras to Guatemala in exchange for a consignment of bananas. But against a different background Mr Stewart's partial revelation on Monday of the terms proposed by the us mediator, Mr Bethuel Webster, for a settlement of the long-standing dispute with Guatemala would surely have been. subjected to more critical scrutiny.
The name which the citizens of British Honduras may choose for their country after independence is apparently to be submitted to Guatemala for prior approval. The new nation is to be required to concert its foreign and defence policies with its predatory neigh- bour, which is also to be given port and re- pair facilities for its naval vessels in the har- bours of British Honduras.
Mr Stewart *might have taken a leaf from the history books-and announced that these proposals would secure 'peace in our time' for the citizens of British Honduras. The Foreign Secretary did, it is true, give Mr Maudling an assurance that 'the interests of the people of British Honduras' would re- main paramount in the mind of the British government. But in the light of recent events under the draft treaty prepared by Mr Webster Britain's responsibility for the in- tegrity of the colony would cease altogether on independence. Perhaps the most effective method of safeguarding themselves against a Guatemalan takeover would be to choose to remain a colony of the British Crown.
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