Southern Rhodesia Naturally he is deeply concerned about the other
Rhodesia. Like all Africans he is firmly opposed to the granting of independence to Southern Rhodesia under the present con- stitution. His influence over the territory is almost entirely economic: the south needs the north; despite the propaganda put out by Mr. Field, the north can manage perfectly well with- out the south. He was pleased by the confidence big business was showing in initiating new pro- jects in the north, all of which would drain the south's will to stick to their policy of white supremacy. As to the possibility of association, he called himself a reactionary in saying that he would settle for a constitution granting 50 per cent representation to Africans, then agreed that a lifting of the ban on ZAPU and the promise of fresh elections when it was organised, with a constitutional conference to follow, might be sufficient. But like almost all of us now Mr. Kaunda was convinced that the chances of avert- ing violence in Southern Rhodesia now are minimal. He spoke with sorrow of letters he was receiving from children still at school saying they - wanted to give up their education in order to be ready to fight. It is true that such words could equally well be spoken in anger or threat, but there was no hint of this when I met him. They are words which some Conservatives might ponder.
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