COMMUNISM AND FASCISM

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21631, 15 November 1935, Page 11

COMMUNISM AND FASCISM

APPEAL TO YOUNG PEOPLE i j REMARKS BY VISITING TOC H I MEMBER The Toe H movement provides what is being mistakenly sought by many young people, in England at least, in fascism and communism, according to Mr A. G. Churchcr, a member of the headquarters staff of the movement in London, who arrived in yesterday. Mr Churcher was London secretary of Toe H for four years, and he has come to New Zealand to spend a year in consolidating the movement. | Mr Churchcr said in an interview j that fascism and communism were I recruiting a tremendous number of young men in England. Fascism attracted youth largely because the young men desired a virile movement which would utterly exhaust their surplus energy. They needed some way of "blowing off steam." At the other extreme the young people turned to communism as a natural reaction from ''frothy idealism" which had no practical application. Toe H satisfied bulb, these needs. It presented ideaJr, and it provided an outlet for energy because it tackled the problems of youth from the practical end. Mr Churcher mentioned that Toe H in England had celebrated its 21st birthday. There were 140 branches in London alone, and the total membership nil over the world was approximately a quarter of a million. In the Dominion the movement had been established for 10 years, and might be regarded as "happily and hopefully : adolescent." | He explained that Toe H was essenj tiaily a young men's movement. In England it was working first and fore- ! most for the development of a ir..\v j spirit among classes, the breaking : down of political, religious, and racial j barriers. This was believed to be the j greatest need of the world. The work was done on a practical basis, starting from the problems of ordinary life. "I feel that a principal object of the movement now is to stand for the development of individuality," he said, "and to ensure the use of individual talents for the benefit of the community. My idea is that the only hope for civilisation is to produce more individual men." Mr Churcher will remain in Christchurch for a week, leaving then for Nelson. He is making a preliminary i survey of the Dominion, to find out j how Toe H principles can be applied under the conditions here.