LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Fromm .Noel Salter, John Barry, Michael 1. Fennessy, Alfred Sherman, Randolph S. Churchill, Terence Bonwkk, F. E. Wilkins, B. Engert, Sir S. Knox Cunningham, MP, F. Le Neve Foster.
Truth and the Archbishop
Stn, Tt ,is a pity that the. Duchess of Hamilton should have written her article 'Truth and the Arch- bishop' for publication on November 12, when the main points she makes (such as that concerning the Bishop of Mashonaland) had already been answered in a statement from this council pub- lished in the Scottish press on -November 6.
The chief criticism the Archbishop of Canter- bury made of the amendment tabled'by the Duchess at the British Council of Churches meeting in Aberdeen, was that it 'contained one glaring omission:, what are Christian people to think, say, and do if Rhodesia goes over the brink?'
Unhappily, subsequent events have proved how right was the judgment of the great majority of the council in addressing themselves to the realities. The resolution they adopted by sixty votes to live said three, things in the context of a UDI, two of which have already been substantiated:.
I. The resolution urged Her Majesty's Gov- ernment to 'resume responsibility for Govern- ment in Rhodesia. This has now been done.
2. To make this effective, the resolution urged Her Majesty's Government 'in full consulta- tion with the UN to undertake such.measures, including economic measures, as may be re- quired.' Some have already been taken; others are being considered. The criterion which the Archbishop of Canterbury applied was that of any moral theologian, namely, what policy will minimise human suffering and loss of Life? Long-drawn-out economic sanctions (a clear use of force) could produce a deterioration both of race relations and of economic conditions in Rhodesia, such as to jeopardise the legitimate hope of white Rhodesians for a future home in that land for themselves and their childern.
3. 'Thereafter to negotiate the phased intro- duction of fully representative government.' The phasing of this it will now prove more difficult to persuade the 95 per cent of the population who are African to accept—but we must continue to try.
The key to the present situation is not to drive the whites to the wall. Those who are totally un willing ever to accept African majority rule must be given some alternative to fighting it out to the last. One of the most important paragraphs in the BCC resolution was its last: Britain should indicate her willingness to help the government of Rhodesia to provide com- pensation for the property of those Rhodesians who, after a constitutional conference, neverthe- less decide to emigrate to another Common- wealth country.
In due course a generous and imaginative offer of this kind could lead to many of the present UDI supporters abandoning Mr. Smith for the sake of their children's future.
The British Council of Churches, 10 Eaton Gate, London, SW 1
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