The current clamor over South Africa and the Olympics can be stripped to one issue. Is there any hope left for peacefully drawing South Africa out of its racist isolation? Those who still have hope felt comfortable with the International Olympic Committee's decision last week to let South Africa take part in the Olympic Games in Mexico City this October. In their view, the decision strengthens the hand of those white leaders in South Africa who are trying to change the racial policies of their country, at least a little. But the decision is abhorrent to those who have given up hope. In their view, the decision strengthens the hand of a racist government that, no matter how flexible, intends to maintain forever the basic race laws and policies of South Africa. In South Africa, participation in the Olympics has become a major political issue. Prime minister John B. Vorster has been attacked in scathing terms by members of the right wing of his Nationalist party for making concessions on race to the Olympic Committee...

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