Word: verwoerds
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Adamantly Rigid. Dr. Verwoerd dashed any vagrant hopes of compromise. South Africa's internal policies, he said, were its own affair, and apartheid is not discrimination, merely a separate "development" of the races. Verwoerd further insisted that South Africa could not accept diplomatic representatives from colored states -even if they were members of the Commonwealth. It was argued that this made a complete mockery of Commonwealth membership...
...Verwoerd. said an observer, "was completely rigid, absolutely adamant and just wouldn't budge.'' The other members were angry and disturbed; no one asked that he reverse his policies or amend them, just that he "take note'' of their criticisms. Instead, Verwoerd kept playing over and over the same record. Recalls one witness: "It got to be extremely irritating...
Everybody felt it. Nerves were frightfully on edge. The worst of it was that Verwoerd got more and more pleased with his own policies. He was never angry-just fanatical. He set himself up as a sort of smiling saint with a crusade, rather pitying the .others who couldn't see the light. It was a very grating experience...
Disintegration Ahead. No agreement was possible. Verwoerd and Macmillan retired to another room for a spot of tea. When they returned, tall, silver-haired Dr. Verwoerd had a statement in his hand. He read it: The Union of South Africa was withdrawing from the British Commonwealth, effective May 31, when it would become the independent Republic of South Africa...
Before flying home, Verwoerd told reporters his withdrawal marked the first step in "the disintegration of the Commonwealth.'' He would have been glad to remain a member, he said, but the "vindictiveness" and "spirit of hostility" shown by Canada and the Afro-Asian states convinced him that his country was "not welcome." South Africa's departure was balanced by the addition of Cyprus to the Commonwealth states. Next member-to-be: Sierra Leone, which will give the Commonwealth seven colored members, five white...