Denial of Freedom

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 187, 7 May 1934, Page 11

Denial of Freedom

Sir, —From time to time protest 1* made by someone against the denial of the free circulation and admission into the Dominion of Communist literature. What is called the right of free speech and a free Press has been fought for and won, but it is suggested that when any attempt is made to put forward a policy unpopular to those in high places the arm of the law is moved to snatch that right away. They ask. How can this be justified? ' It s unpopularity in high places is.no justification. That this or that section disapproved of Communism docs not matter at all. That only a small minority adhere to Communism does not justify suppression of its literature or m itself discredit the doctrine. Single taxers. Douglasites, prohibitionists and dozens of other schools of thought are permitted to exploit their theories without hindrance, and the Communists would be permitted to do the same but for one thing—he is an advocate of violence. The prohibitionist, for instance, would interfere with the liberty of the subject to consume intoxicating liquor, but he proposes to do this by approval of the majority. The Communist is a revolutionary, and advocates the imposition of the will of a minority upon the majority bv violence. This is clear from .Communist literature, and that is the Justification for suppressing their propaganda. It is the avowed enemy of democracy and, to quote Lagardelle, a revolutionary writer, “it must make use of .democracy onlv the better to destroy it.” . Tn New Zealand, advocacy of violence and sedition is the lest applied to this censored IHerature.—We are etc., N.Z. WELFARE LEAGUE. Wellington, May 5.