South African Arms

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31560, 23 December 1967, Page 12

South African Arms

Sir, —The reason given by the British Government for applying an arms embargo against the South African Government is that the latter practises the apartheid (or separate development) system. There is no doubt about Mr Wilson’s sincerity in hating the apartheid system: but is this the only reason for his refusal to allow Britain to supply arms to South Africa? It is ironical that the South African Labour Party originated this system in 1909, which was later endorsed by a Select Committee of 11 (nine of whom were English) headed by Lord Milner (I quote from Newman’s “South African Journey”.) A stronger reason could be that the South Africans reject socialist theories lock, stock, and barrel. France, a more practical nation, will probably supply South Africa’s needs, and Britain will lose a cool £lOO million worth of trade.— Yours, etc., D.V. December 22, 1967.

Sir, —As expected, Britain has refused arms to South Africa as a protest against apartheid—so they say. But there is a deeper reason behind this embargo, for since the breakaway from the Commonwealth this very progressive country has been black-listed by Westminster. Racial discrimination of a worse kind has been operat-

ing for years in the United Kingdom and thousands of British subjects have preferred the more straightforward methods of the South African apartheid than that of their own, and the emigration figures would bear this out. As the slaves of the United Nations, Britain is also bound by the “book of rules” which for some unexplained reasons do not apply to other member States and as a result this vast order may go to France, the country which has promised Britain entry to the Common Market once she has put her economy in order. What a farce!—Yours, etc., X.U.K. December 22, 1967.