INTO LABOUR PARTY

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 6, 8 January 1925, Page 8

INTO LABOUR PARTY

POSSIBILITY OF CLASH

A clash between the New Zealand Labour Party and the Communists of the Dominion is considered likely to develop as a result of the action of the Christchurch Printing Trades Employees' Union in deciding to submit the names of two members of the Communist Party and another man with Communist leanings to the National Executive of the Labour Party for' approval as Parliamentary and local body candidates. The Communist "creep" that has been in evidence in the Dominion for some time has been practically ignored by the Labour Party, but the position has now reached a stage, states the "Lyttelton Times," that is causing serious concern to a number of leaders of the movement.

Until the recent conference of the Communist Party was held in' Christchurch there was a tendency not to regard the , movement seriously, but the conference, which lasted three days, definitely established the fact, that the Communists are quietly, organising in the hope of some day setting up in New Zealand a ''dictatorship, of the- : proletariat." Two of thejpen who have been propose^ by the Printing Trades Union as Parliamentary candidates have made no secret about haying taken part- in the conference. The third man is recognised as a: supporter of the Communists, | although it is not clear whether he is a ' member of their organisation. ! j .'.' . DOMINATING A UNION. Although the number of . accredited ' Communists in Chris tchurch is said to be almost negligible, disciples of the doctrine of Karl Marx have succeeded ■in gaining a strong position on the board of management of the Printing Trades Union. This is reported to" be due entirely to the apathy of the general .body of the members of the union. Four of the members ,of the board are employed by one firm, and it is stated that on account of the extreme views 'that they have persisted in airing at meetings of the union, the moderate element has refrained from attending. The result has been that the Communists have dominated the union, and have used it as a means of spreading the: doctrine of Communism. Two of the men who have been proposed for Parliamentary honours are members of the board of management of the Printing Trades Union and the other-is a> member of the Canterbury General Labourers! Union. It is.understood that one. is also a member of the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council and another a member of the Labour Representation Committee. ' . ' . .The rules of the Labour .'Party ,'provide that nominations of. candidates for the "approved list" must be endorsed by six members of the party. Every person who accepts nomination is . required to . sign a declaration that he will abide by the constitution of the party and observe. its platform. Under the present conditions Communists who are members of the Labour Party • through being members of affiliated unions or party branches,' can be proposed for inclusion on the "approved _list of candidates,.but the National Executive has the.right of refusing their nominations. .It is possible that the. three men nominated may not be "approved," and such a decision it is. considered is likely to, lead to a plash between the Communists ; and the Labour 'Party.- 1- ■ ■ •■'■■•"■. ■-■' ■'"' . .'■'',■'■ •■■■•' >' - .PEACEFUL PENETRATION. ■;' The question of admitting Commnn,ists to membership was discussed at the conference of the. Labour Party held at Dunedhvlast Easter, and it was decided to admit them. • Since then H is stated that the Communists have carried out a policy of, peaceful penetration, and -i although they are admittedly few in number they have succeeded in securing election to responsible positions on Trades and Labour Councils and Labour Representation Committees. The matter is practically, certain to cause a good deal of discussion'at the next conference to be held iii Wellington at Easter, and it is expected that, following the example, of the British Labour Party, a decision will be reached to exclude'C^m-' munists from membership. Meanwhile the Dunedin /, Labour-:.. Representation Committee has taken definite action regarding about half, a dozen'local Communists by refusing them membership of the committee. 'In the event of the Easter conference deciding to exclude Communists from the Labour Party it is believed that the 'Communists will nominate candidates in opposition to Labour candidates at the' next General Election. The action that has been taken by the Communists in the Printing Trades Union: is.: regarded in Labour circles as something in the nature of a test case. ... . ■ ■ ' -' '