Communists In High Hosts: Purge Suggested

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 March 1948, Page 8

Communists In High Hosts: Purge Suggested

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, March 16. A plea that the New Zealand Government should take action on similar lines to that announced today by the Labour Government in Britain and purge from responsible positions those guilty of “Communist and other subversive activities” was made tonight by the Leader of the Opposition .(Mr S. G. Holland), addressing a National Party meeting in his own electorate (Fendalton), , “I accept the Prime Minister s assurance that the existing law is adequate to deal with Communist and other subversive activities,” said ivir Holland. “I feel assured that I am expressing the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the P e °Pj® when I urge the Government to use the provisions which the prime Minister says already exist to oust any persons suspected of Communis subversive activities from positions where they can carry on their in column work. _ . ' “The Labour Government of outain has given the lead in this matter, and it should be immediately io - lowed by our own Government, ine people are looking to the Government to take definite and immediate faction to meet the present crisis. Every day these disloyalists ana wreckers are left in any positions ol responsibility, or where they can carry on their underground activities, adds to the danger confronting New Zealand. , T . “If it is good enough for the Labour Government of Britain to act, then it should be good enough for New Zealand to take the same action, Mr Holland concluded. Motion For Exclusion Lost At R.S.A. Meeting (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. , Opinion was divided on the question whether Communists should be admitted to membership of the Returned Services Association when the Christchurch association held its annual meeting last evening, but a motion to exclude Communists from membership was lost. When, late in the meeting, a resolution was put which would have defined the meeting’s attitude to Communism generally, it was discovered that so many members had left that those remaining did not form a quorum—2so members. The subject was introduced as a notice of motion “that Communists be banned from membership of the R.S.A.” The chairman, Mr H. E. Batchelor, immediately ruled against the matter being discussed. The executive, he said, had taken legal advice. The subject was not valid, because the constitution of the association was nonpolitical. When general business was before the meeting, several members spoke in favour of excluding Communists from membership of the association, and a resolution in those terms was moved. The resolution was put and was declared lost on the’voices. Mr Henty then moved that the meeting express its support of the resolution carried by the Wellington branch (supporting “any move against Communism”), and that the new executive be authorised to investigate carefully any proposed plan to combat Communism. The resolution was put to the meeting, but before a count of hands could be made, it was announced that there was not a quorum and the meeting was closed.

Chifley Unlikely To Take Action Against Communists

CANBERRA, March 16. The Australian Commonwealth Government is not likely to follow Britain’s policy, announced by Mr Attlee, of not employing members of the Communist Party in work vital to national security. The Prime Minister (Mr Chfley) is adhering to his point of view that a man’s political views are his own concern until it can be proved that they are interfering with the execution of his work. Questioned today about security measures, Mr Chifiey said: “We watch Communists and other people who might be dangerous to anything of a vital security nature.” _ . In answer to another question, he admitted that cablegrams received by Australia from overseas Governments were very troubled in tone. The European position had deteriorated politically over the last couple of months, though there had been a slight improvement economically. He saw no immediate danger of war. Comment in Britain “The British Government’s decision that no known Communist or Fascist is to be retained in employment ‘vital to the security of the State’ follows consultations between the Home Office, the War Office, Scotland Yard, and the Law Officers of the Crown,” says the Daily Telegraph, according to a London message. “Detailed reports compiled by these departments over the past year’ have convinced the Government that there is danger to the country’s security unless certain subversive elements are eliminated from the staffs employed in secret or specialised Government work/’ Not Likely to be Large According to the political correspondent of the Daily Herald the number of persons involved in the combout is not likely to be large.. The classes affected, he says, may include the personal secretaries to Ministers, who see all confidential documents circulated to Cabinet or hold key positions in the defence departments, the Ministry of Supply, the Home Office and the Foreign Office. In a leading article the Daily Herald says: “The. Government’s decision will have the Labour movement’s unflinching support. The Labour movement stands for the right of political parties, however unpopular they may be, to express their opinions with complete freedom, and that right is not affected by the Government’s decision.

Question of Safety “Communists and Fascists may continue their propaganda in the most violent terms, but their policies are directed towards the overthrowing of the democratic system by which Britain lives. Such people must not be allowed to possess secrets which, if disclosed to other Powers, would impair. Britain’s safety.” Professor J. B. S. Haldane, who said he was at present working without

payment on two Government scientific sub-committees, told the Daily Express last night that he certainly was a Communist, “as good a Communist as anyone,” but he did not get orders from Moscow. “If I did I would leave the Communist Party forthwith, but sometimes I wish we did get orders from Moscow, because I would like to know what they’re thinking,” he said. TRUMAN AND LOYALTY OF STATE EMPLOYEES WASHINGTON, March 15. President Truman ordered Federal agencies today to refuse to let Congress or the Courts have any secret papers bearing on the loyalty of Government employees. By doing so he set up what may became a major test between the Government’s executive and legislative branches, in which the referee would be the third branch—the Judiciary. Mr Truman’s order was prompted by the case of Dr Edward Condon, Director of the National Bureau of Standards, who, according to a subcommittee, was associated knowingly or unknowingly with alleged Russian spies. Dr Condon disputed this and denied that he was any risk to the nation’s atomic security. The Un-American Activities Committee of the House of Representatives has tried, and failed, to get the papers used by a Commerce Department “loyalty board” which approved Dr Condon for his high scientific post. In his order, Mr Truman said it was necessary in the interests of national security and welfare to preserve the confidential character and the sources of information furnished and to protect Government personnel I against the dissemination of unfound- 1 ed or disproved allegations. j