Portugal: Too Late in the Day

Portugal's ascetic Dictator António de Oliveira Salazar made one of his rare TV appearances last week (on film) to answer African demands that Portugal abandon its colonies. Having learned nothing and forgotten nothing, Salazar took a predictable stand: Portugal will go to war rather than budge in Africa.

During his hour-and-a-half speech, with time out for fortifying sips of port, Salazar appeared decrepit but sounded vigorous. Because of a wave of "black racism," he complained, Portugal's "civilizing mission" in Portuguese Guinea, Angola and Mozambique is in jeopardy. Asked Salazar: "Is the language that we teach those people superior to their...