The Losers Wait
There will be no more by-elections here before the general election. We can, however, watch the progress of the Arundel and Avondale by- elections in Southern Rhodesia. Arundel has the honour of being selected to stage Sir Roy Welensky's first appearance on this particular political comeback. He is to be opposed in a dramatic confrontation by the Deputy Prime Minister, Clifford Dupont. Dupont is intransi- gent and *single-minded. He is also a very sick man.
It would be astonishing if the new Leader of the Opposition could not hold the safe seat of Arundel. And yet, presumably, the Southern Rhodesian Government has carefully calculated the trial of strength which it has deliberately chosen. So one cannot yet be sure who will win on October 1. It is not difficult to be sure who will lose. The African will lose. There is little basic difference between Dupont's and Welen- sky's attitude towards African advance to self- government. Both agree, not this year. Not next year. Welensky says 'Some time,' and the African is pretty sure he means 'Never.' Dupont just means 'Never.' And so a handful of Euro- pean electors in Arundel will vote for their new MP. The victor will deceive himself if he thinks that he has won. The losers wait.
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