Rhodesia: The Defiance of Sir Humphrey

British governors have always lived in isolated splendor. In Salisbury last week, Governor Sir Humphrey Gibbs had plenty of isolation, but it was not altogether splendid. On orders of Prime Minister Ian Smith, all phone lines to Sir Humphrey's official residence were cut. Then, in rapid succession, his armed police guard was withdrawn, his blue-tarbooshed honor guards tossed their bedrolls into a police truck and were driven away, and his butlers, gardeners, cooks and maids disappeared. His chauffeur even drove off with his official Rolls-Royce.

"What governor?" jeered Ian Smith at protests on Gibbs's behalf. Indeed, hardly had Smith...