Ian Smith
Sir: I hope that you will allow me space to correct a misstatement of fact in Mr L Clarke's letter in your issue of 29 August. He writes that had Ian Smith not made UD1, and had he not failed to keep his pledges made on Tiger and Fearless, he would have been far better off than he ever can be now.
UDI can only be a matter of history, but to say that Mr Smith did not keep his pledges is just not true. No such pledges were made.
Both meetings involved discussions and negotiations only. Both closed with certain suggestions put forward by the British. These were in the case subject to approval by Parliament. Mr Smith, equally and naturally, had to refer these suggestions to his own Government. In the second case so limited a time was allowed that they virtually amounted to an ultimatum. Mr Smith made no pledges whatsoever other than that he would refer the 'terms' to his government. This he did, but they were not acceptable.
Mr Smith was honest to a fault throughout, and was not prepared to accept any terms or conditions which he was not ready to honour to the full, Had he been less scrupulous Rhodesia might indeed be in a better position today.
It might also be recorded that, by common report, the attitude of the then Mr Wilson during negotiations was scarcely one that, when dealing with a proud people of British stock, might have been expected to produce results, O.S. Swainson Thie-ny-Chibbyr, Colby, Isle of Man
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