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having a per-capita income of only
$280.
The prime minister in his official
dress uniform also met me at the
entrance to the palace and accom–
panied us into the meeting with His
Majesty the king. We had a real
jolly visit with His Majesty. Swazi-
DINNER
- Mr. Armstrong hosted
and spoke at
a
dinner for the king
and his cabinet.
land's independcncc has been guar–
anteed by Great Britain since 1881.
That evening 1 hosted a dinner at
the hotel attended by very high offi–
cials, heads of all government de–
partments and their wives, with the
prime minister sitting in the middle
of the speaking table between Mr.
Rader and me. About the time the
dessert was being served 1 arose.
asked for attention. mentioned my
very enjoyable meeting with His
Majesty the king that afternoon and
proposed a toast to the king.
Incidentally. we were quite sur–
prised on arriving in the banquet
room that night. Most of the leading
officials were dressed in tuxedos
with black ties. A very few were in
loud-colored special tribal costumes.
We (our own party) all had tuxedos
but had not grought them from the
plane. supposing they would not be
The
PLAIN TRUTH February 1977
worn. However, we had all dresscd
in dark suits and semiformal attire.
wliich was quite all right for thc
occasion.
Speech on Radio
The prime minister made a very
short introductory speech. perhaps
two minutes. Then Mr. Rader spoke
on the AICF and introduced me.
and
1
spoke exactly 30 minutes.
It
was taped and will be used as a
Swazi land radio program. This was
at the government's request. We
were asked by the prime minister to
return to the country as soon as pos–
sible on our next visit.
Next morning we were scheduled
to fly to the Transkei, which gained
its independence as a free black
state in October. We had alrcady
met the new prime ministcr, who
had fiown in to Johannesburg to
meet me in June. Our schedule
called for takeoff at the airport at
9:30 a.m. Wednesday. a meeting
with the prime minister at 11 a.m.
and an address before service clubs
at 1 p.m., with airport departure at
2:30p.m.
However. when we learned of
conditions not being overly friendly
between Swaziland and the Trans–
kei , we decided to postpone the
Transkei visit.
We fiew on to Port Elizabeth.
having to make a stop at Durban to
clcar immigration and customs on
reentering the Republic of South
Africa. Here we all had to leave the
plane and go inside the airport to
clear immigration with our pass–
ports.
Al this point in my writing 1 was
interrupted by a visit from the doc–
tor. I'd hoped that by tomorrow,
Friday.
1
would be able to put the
sock and shoe on my left foot and
get on with our crowded schedule.
Bu t the ankle is still swollen, and it
is impossible for the shoe to go on.
The doctor sugges ted it would be
better
to
put the left ankle in a cast
in order that I may leave here either
tomorrow. Friday, or at the latest by
Sunday. 1 have now returned from
the doctor's office with a heavy cast
on the left ankle. 1 hope it won't Jast
longer than two weeks.
We do have a heavy schedule
ahead for the next two weeks
in
South Africa. Mr. Rader called me
from South-West Africa by tele–
phone yesterday. They are getting
things set up for a future campaign
there. He is flying on to Kimberley
for a 6 p.m. press conference and to
pinch-hit for me for a Rotary Club
speech at 8 p.m.
1
was supposed to
have a meeting tomorrow afternoon
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