UNITY URGED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 164, 14 July 1941, Page 5

UNITY URGED

FIGHTING HITLER ATTITUDE TO RUSSIA <0.C.) SYDNEY, July 11. Stressing the urgent need for national unity, Dr. E. H. Burgmann, Bishop of Goulburn, writes to the editor of the "Daily Telegraph":—

"Russia's entry into the war has created a difficult emotional problem for many people. They have been taught to see in Bolshevism everything that was evil. Now they find themselves allied to the Russians in a struggle for life.

[ "However we work it out, the fact remains that the Russian peoples are now in line with the AngloSaxons (British and American) in the fight against Hitler. They have [already given more to the cause in jdead and wounded than any other of) Hitler's foes. \

! "They alone can meet the armed' forces of Germany on land with any; hope of success at present. If they; fail, we are out-flanked in the Middle East, the way to India is open, the British blockade is broken.

"If Russia fails in any complete] way, it is hard to see how the Anglo-! Saxons can win. They may not be defeated, but Europe, Asia and Africa will lie open to Hitler.

Adjustments Needed

"The folk on the extreme Left in I Australia have adjustments to make, as well as those on the extreme Right. Both are exceedingly classj conscious and will find it difficult toi iput their nation before their classJ jßoth are strongly influenced by rigid] jpolitical creeds, in which they be-l Ueve intensely. Both find it" well nigh impossible to believe that theyj ever have made, or ever can make, a! mistake. Both endanger national' unity because they find it almost im-j i possible to get out of the habits of I sectional thought and feeling. !

I have more sympathy with the ;Left than the Right, but it is surely jclear to all that we must stand to-j .gether to-day or risk our total de-l ■struction as a free people. The Left] will help Russia to-day only as they] help Australia. Hitler will spare' neither the Left nor the Right if he! breaks through. | "Hitler unites us all. We cannot! stop him and at the same time carry! on our party feuds. The capitalist' and the Communist may not like! each other; Hitler hates both and| will destroy both. I

i "If they value their existence theyi 'must stand together and settle theiri own arguments later. "The group which disrupts national unity to-day. whether Left. Right or Centre, plays Hitler's game 1 and is an ally of Hitler. Onlv a united people' has anv chance' at all."' '