Word: commonwealths
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...conditions for independence than was Harold Wilson able to compromise them. The terms are the minimum Wilson feels necessary not only on moral grounds but to prevent a Labor Party revolt that could topple his government-not to mention a walkout of African nations that could wreck the Commonwealth. He insists that Rhodesia's whites guarantee "unimpeded progress" toward majority rule by the blacks, who outnumber them 18 to 1, and that approval of independence be demonstrated by the vote of a majority of Rhodesians, both white and black...
...world at large, English is the language of some 300 million Britons, Canadians, Australians and Americans, and the international means of expression for 700 million present and former denizens of the Commonwealth. By comparison, French is native to only 65 million Belgians, French, Swiss and Luxembourgeois, besides being the second tongue for 140 million residents of present and former French and Belgian colonies. In a recently concluded U.N. debate, 56 speakers addressed the General Assembly in English, 27 in French...
...Tories and then under Labour, offered to hand over independence if the colonists would guarantee "unimpeded progress toward majority rule." The British then promised strict economic sanctions if Rhodesia went ahead with its unilateral declaration. A freezing of Rhodesian funds in British banks, coupled with a loss of Commonwealth preferences on tobacco and sugar, could have crushing effects on the Rhodesian economy. But since the crops are already sold for this year, and since Rhodesia can expect financial support from racist South Africa, the effects of economic sanctions would be slow in making themselves felt. Still worse, France (which...
...Would Be Mad." While Smith and his ministers talked on through the week, government radio and television stations were firing up the fervor for U.D.I, to a white heat. When Harold Wilson came up with a last-ditch proposal to send in a peace-keeping mission of "senior Commonwealth Prime Ministers," Smith's answer was that some of them might be black and that "we would be mad" to listen to "this sort of people." As telegrams from thousands of supporters poured in, there was little doubt that the overwhelming majority of Rhodesia's 250,000 whites wanted...
...officially committed to maintaining British bases east of Suez, is also pondering the question while preparing a defense White Paper due next spring. With both parties agreed in principle on the need for some reworking of the "thin red line," the new thinking may well produce repercussions throughout the Commonwealth, Europe and the entire Atlantic community...