Sir Roy on the Warpath

"The vicious influence of African nationalism has turned their bone marrow to jelly." That is how Sir Roy Welensky, ex-boxer, ex-train engineer and for five years Federal Prime Minister of the Central African Federation, describes certain "metropolitan countries," presumably including Britain. Reason for Sir Roy's wrath:the situation in Northern Rhodesia, latest on the seemingly endless list of African trouble spots.

Britain's copper-rich protectorate of Northern Rhodesia has a population of 2,394,000, in which the blacks outnumber the whites by 30 to 1 and are threatening revolt unless they get power to match the proportions. Last week Britain bowed to the inevitable and gave the white-dominated protectorate a new constitution that may put the blacks in control by the end of this year.

If so, it would probably be the death blow for the entire Central African Federation, the wobbly three-state union formed in 1953 against the will of the African population. For one thing, the federation depends largely on Northern Rhodesia for its funds. Little Nyasaland, largely black and with a black majority already in its local legislature, wants to secede. As for Southern Rhodesia, tightly held by 215,000 whites (in a population of 2,860,000), it seems determined to go it alone rather than accept black federal rule.

First Majority? Twice in a year Britain's Colonial Office had constructed delicate constitutional formulas in the effort to keep both blacks and whites satisfied. The first brought roars of indignation from Welensky because it would have given the blacks considerable advantages in future elections. The second withdrew most of these advantages and was bitterly opposed by Northern Rhodesia's leading black nationalist, Kenneth Kaunda, whose followers launched a long bout of bloody noting that threatened to engulf the entire territory. To Britain's Colonial Secretary Reginald Maudling, it was clear that any third formula must come to terms with black demands. In the end, he chose an intricate variation of the first two electoral systems, which increased black chances just enough to allow a clear African majority for the first time in Northern Rhodesia's legislature.

As the day approached for Maudling's proposals to be introduced in the House of Commons, the Rhodesians waited grimly to hear the details. From his headquarters in Lusaka, Kaunda ordered his black followers to lay in stocks of food for a general strike should the draft prove unsatisfactory. Sir Roy fumed that he would "go the whole hog"--a hint of armed force--if Britain's terms appeared to endanger what he regards as his personal domain. Said he: "The federation is mine." When the news finally arrived, Sir Roy exploded. "This is not good enough." he roared, ordering; a London-bound BOAC Comet in mid-flight to stop in Salisbury and pick him up. Then he headed for the British capital in a last-ditch effort to get the plan changed.

Fed up. Several months earlier, he might have been successful, for scores of Tory backbenchers were sympathetic to the white Rhodesians' cause. But many moderate M.P.s have been appalled by Welensky's fire-eating threats and his snide, contemptuous remarks about Prime Minister Harold Macmillan's government. Of 97 backbenchers who had signed a pro-Welensky motion last year, only 43 were now willing to attach their names to a milder version. In London, Sir Roy was greeted with stony silence. He did not even appear at Westminster when Maudling rose to explain his plan to the House of Commons.

The plan must still be sold to Northern Rhodesia's blacks; although it gives them the chance of winning political control in the elections that will probably be held next fall, victory is not certain. What Kenneth Kaunda's supporters have al ways demanded is "one man, one vote"--guaranteed, overwhelming power. But Kaunda was biding his time, allowing Sir Roy to damage his reputation further with extremist threats. Even many whites thought that ex-Fighter Welensky was finally on the ropes. Continuing his bluster, Sir Roy called an emergency session of the Federal Assembly and headed home last week, declaring the new constitution could lead to a bloodbath: "It is the duty of the government to maintain law and order, and I would be willing to use force to do that."

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