CLEAN-UP ON PUBLIC WORKS

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23002, 23 April 1940, Page 14

CLEAN-UP ON PUBLIC WORKS

ro rBB soitob ov chb press V Sir, —At a time when this country is engaged in a war in defence of the rule of law it is of primary importance that our actions should be consistent with our cause. ; Therefore, although the necessity for suppressing subversive opinions and activities stresses itself particularly ■ since the treachery associated with the invasion of Norway has shown how subversion under- ■ mines a state, the right of persons accused of subversion to speak in their own defence before a duly constituted court, should ,be jealously safeguarded. It is regrettable, therefore, that the Minister for Public Works inflicted the penally of summary dismissal upon a workman whose opinions were obvi- , ously determined by_ his sympathy with Communism. If instead of using ■' the arbitrary method of instant dismissal, the Minister had the matter before the appropriate authorities to be dealt with by the courts if necessary, the rights of the community .'would have been without the infliction of any , injustice upon the individual concerned.—Yours, etC ' ? . H. J. EGAN. April 20, 1940.