COMMUNISTS ACTIVE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 58, 18 December 1940, Page 3

COMMUNISTS ACTIVE.

CAMPAIGNING IN BRITAIN. p SCOTLAND YARD INVESTIGATION. (United Press Association—Copyright./ LONDON, December 16. Communists again attempted to cause a. disturbance when the Minister for Labour and National Service (Mr Ernest Bevin) was addressing 4000 trade unionists in Glasgow, but they were ejected by stewards.

’ Mr Bevin declared that subversive elements could be found in the trade union ranks which were interfering with the war effort/He added: “Some of the ‘Reds’ are just unfortunate tools. The Government must face this issue as a matter of war strategy and teach Russia that this method of carrying on her foreign policy does not pay here. , “I shall not say anything derogatory of this great State, but using the citizens of other counthies is not the wisest policy. I shall not allow a small unrepresentative minority to become a problem.” The “Daily Telegraph” says Mr Bevin’s reference to Communists follows months of inquiry by Scotland Yard, which submitted a comprehensive report to the Home Office. The inquiries revealed that a secret meeting had 1 been held in London toprepare, a large-scale campaign to take advantage of the war to cause discontent among the workers. Agents, many of whom had secured jobs as shelter-marshals, were posted to the tubes /to undermine the morale of people taking shelter, and spread subversive propaganda.

The Communists distributed hundreds of leaflets in big shelters throughout London attacking the Government, and also instructed sympathisers throughout the country to mix with war-workers and do their utmost to impede the war effort. A number of trade disputes have been traced directly to Communist agitation.

Communists have also joined voluntary war-time organisations for the purpose of furthering their “cause.”