COMMUNIST BOOK.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18970, 7 April 1927, Page 8

COMMUNIST BOOK.

PROSECUTIONIN AUCKLAND ALLEGED ADVOCACY OF VIOLENCE. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, April 6. r «.ninir a document, 4 cha-ce of selling «* Kcx was preferred against a waterside worker, Walter Hodgson, at the Police C °Mr SL. Patersoh took the prosecution, .-bile Mr L. P. /***«* for the accused, who rfeaded not 6 said that Uio book ■•The I> at htoPo S ifdTorofen lawlessness and v olence buVit did so insidiously and \ K',«lv Tho scheme of the book firwSp.aSne.tary action and he constitutional methods of the Labour Party. The book considered that Key would never get things done by t ese methods, and urged worker, to prepare for class war. It was alleged Sat tL book had a seditious intentioA copy of tho book was bought by Detective Robertson at a Communists meeting. The book began by comparing thf aims of the Communist Party and the Labour Party. It was significant that the opening paragraph referred to the aims of the Communist Party as assisting the workers in the struggle to overthrow the landlord and capitalist class. It also advocated that the workers should use force to achieve their aims. , , . , Mr Paterson said that the book pointed out that the Labour. Party was not a class organisation, whereas Communism was tho policy of conciliation, and a system of mutual understanding between employers and employed was held up to ridicule. Other .extracts were then read, and Mr Paterson added that the book had been carefully worded. . While it did not directly and explicitly advocate violence and lawlessness, yet if the book was read as a whole, there was no doubt of its whole trend.

Counsel's Plea. "The facts of this case will bo admitted," said Mr Leary. "Hodgson sold the book to Detective Robertson, knowing to whom he was disposing ot it This prosecution is a little more important than it might at first seem. The prosecution alleges that the book is inflammatory, but I will submit that it is not. " . "The legislation empowering the prosecution has taken a different view, added counsel. "There is a certain amount of discretion vested in your Worship. Ton have to determine whether the hook, as a whole, falls within the spirit and provisions of the Act. Your Worship will also have to take judicial notice of the existence of a state of war. I submit that 'The Path to Power' is merely a pamphlet of industrial and domestic discussion; and that this sort of thing was not considered when the W T ar Regulations were passed. After the war the legislation was continued in so far as it was necessary to deal with conditions that arose after the war. Labour troubles have, been with us always. "The last legislation is now seven years old," continued Mr Leary, "and the economic position that-has arisen since the war does not ma'tter now, so far as the War Regulations .are concerned. They have nothing to do/with war. I submit that our own subjects are entitled to discuss strikes, lockouts, etc., in the same way as they did before the war. If every temperately and well-expressed argument put forward by the Communist Party or the Labour Party is to be the subject of persecution by the Crown, it will mean that the only vehicle of expression and education left will be secret discussion by the most abandoned criminals, hurning with a desire to break the back ° The Magistrate said he would read the document, and reserved his decision.