Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1948. Labour And The Press

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 March 1948, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. SATURDAY, MARCH 13, 1948. Labour And The Press

ANYONE who. complacently, thinks that the freedom of the democratic press is‘assured,: in this country would do well to pause and consider the case brought against a. newspaper in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday. This newspaper, the Evening Post, was charged with inciting and encouraging a strike. The Magistrate dismissed the case, and in doing so made’some pointed comment, as well he might. Anyone, with any. knowledge of newspaper workings could have told the persons.responsible for bringing the charge that if a technical offence was committed —the Magistrate thinks otherwise —then it was an isolated incident which was probably due to a sub-editorial slip. But it is apparently too much to expect bureaucratic minds to recognise that® error is a constant hazard in all human undertakings.

The irony of the situation is that the press of New Zealand —that is, the free, democratic press as distinct from a few party newspapers—has consistently opposed industrial anarchy and has over the years repeatedly impressed on the Government the need for taking a firm stand against the militants. Its appeal fell on deaf ears. Now one newspaper is accused of deliberately inciting and encouraging industrial strife. No more baseless-accu-sation could be imagined. It smacks of petty persecution. There is a wider and more important aspect of the situation. Contrast the official attitude of the Government to the Communist press of this country with the isolated incident in which the Evening Post .was involved. For years Communist publications have been “inciting and encouraging” the workers to transfer their allegiance to a. foreign Power. They are plotting for the extension of Communist control and the weakening of constitutional government —for the destruction of democracy. Thev are exploiting and enlarging industrial unrest for their own subversive ends. And yet the Government permits them to continue with their sinister proselytising through the medium ol their press. Its conception of its duty in this connection apparently goes no further than the prosecution of a newspaper that has always upheld democratic law and order —that has always stood firmly against the 'Communists—for an alleged offence which commonsense alone rules out as fantastic. If the Government wishes to prove its bona tides in the attitude that it has declared it has adopted towards the Communists —the Prime Minister has strongly condemned their activity in the industrial field—then let it take action to cut atjts source one of the principal causes of New Zealand’s present troubles. Let it get down to basic facts, instead of playing political tiddlywinks. The Communist Party the world over is, plainly, a traitor s party. It played a traitor’s part during the war—until Russia was attacked. It is playing a traitor’s part now. In the piesent phase of “cold war” it is virulently espousing Russia’s cause and weakening the social and industrial structure of the British Commonwealth by every means m its power. And’yet it continues to be accorded the privileges and immunity normally available in a democracy, lips allowed'to use the rights of democracy for the sole purpose of destroying those rights. Suppression is hateful to all libera minds, but there are circumstances in which it is preferable to the risks of betrayal. Why should this democracy play the* host to its avowed enemies? Admittedly, the Government’s position is difficult*. ’ Communist leaders are deeply entrenched in “key” trade unions and fel-low-travellers and sympathisers in the Labour movement are undoubtedly numerous. But most significant of all is the number of people who have allow-ed themselves to be beguiled into accepting Communist leadership. However, the longer the Government delays in taking resolute, all-embracing action to safeguard democracy, the greater will become the threat to the freedoms of the. common man. Labour should really prove its bona tides.