Cialist Less Smith: Puppeteer Without Portfolio

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Five white racists and 12 black puppets were last week sworn in as Cabinet members of Rhodesia's mock majority government, under the watchful eye of a portrait of Cecil Rhodes.

Meanwhile moves by the imperialists towards recognition of the regime were stepped up.

The Tories in Britain, ready to grant recognition and to lift sanctions, recognise that they have not yet got sufficient international support.

Unilateral recognition by the British government is unlikely unless and until they despair of US support.

Carter has promised Congress-which voted that sanctions should be lifted-that he will make a decision by June 15.

Opposed

Recognition. being opposed by Andrew Young, US the driving force behind the 'Anglo-American' proposals to reach a compromise sell-out involving the Patriotic Front.

Options for the imperialists are narrowing: If they grant recognition they stand to lose trade with some of the black African countries and intensify the war in Zimbabwe.

If they do not they strengthen the military drive by ZANU and ZAPU by weakening this unstable government's morale, The Save Paddington's Hospitals Campaign has stepped up its struggles following a mass meeting of over 200 workers at St.

Smith Clearly Muzorewa is no use to Smith if he doesn't deliver recognition.

The new government has skulked into office. There were no celebrations; they have not even been able to agree on a national flag or anthem.

As the Rhodesian flag was lowered on the night before the government officially took over, somebody stole it.

String-puller

The white members Cabinet provide its character.

Smith himself, as Minister without Portfolio, has the task of pulling the Bishop's strings.

Although Muzorewa holds the nominal position of Minister of Defence and Combined Operations, control of the scale of the real The Save Paddington's Hospitals Campaign points out that the "survey" did not even ask its random sample of people whether they wanted all their existing hospitals to remain the war rests in the hands of Finance * Minister David Smith who was responsible for organising sanctions busting.

Did not stand

Smith, incidentally, did not even bother to stand in the recent elections, such was his contempt for this new 'democracy.

Former defence minister, Peter van der Byl, has been retained as a Minister (Transport, Power a Daiis Telegraph Tne wall y was moved to remark:

"He has made little secret of his contempt •for the black nationalism and many Africans regard him as the epitome of white arrogance."

Other posts directly retained by whites are Justice and Roads (together!) and Agriculture.

Reports that ZANU and ZAPU are. making progress towards a joint military operation cast a long shadow over the charade.

Military unity between Nkomo (ZAPU) and Mugabe (ZANU) is to be welcomed.

But the crisis of political leadership for the masses of Zimbabwe cannot be resolved through such a pact.

Efforts to draw ZAPU and ZANU to a 'compromise' sellout will intensify, and both Mugabe and Nkomo have previously shown their readiness to flirt with them.

Moreover the driving out of Smith and Muzorewa will not solve the economiç problems of SAY STOPTHE CUTS! the black workers and peasants.

A Trotskyist party must be forged, based on the working class, to give political leadership which cuts sharply across Mugabe's and Nkomo's ambitions.

The war of liberation -which must be supported-must be transformed into social revolution which could light a beacon throughout Africa.

In Britain workers must fight moves towards recognition.

The ground must be laid now, so that if and when the Tories do recognise the regime, British workers black all trade to and from Rhodesia.

Such policies must now be put through union conferences and dock and • transport stewards'• committees in preparation for the struggle to come.

Muzorewa