Government Urged To Take Action Against Communism

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 April 1948, Page 3

Government Urged To Take Action Against Communism

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 4. “If the Government will take the steps necessary to deal with the menace of Communism to the security and well-being of the country, it will have the whole-hearted support and cooperation of Opposition members,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) in a statement issued at the week-end after the caucus of the Parliamentary Opposition on Friday. Members of the Opposition considered that if the present law provided sufficient safeguards it should be enforced, and, if not, the law should be altered to provide the necessary safeguards, Mr Holland said. The Prime Minister had said that ample powers were provided by the existing laws, but if that were the case it appeared that the Government was impotent to use the powers conferred on it by law. Abuse of Rights The recent public statement of Mr Holland, calling for strong, positive action in restricting the subversive activities of Communists, was fully endorsed by the caucus, which declared that, while it would always defend the right of freedom of speech, it would not countenance the abuse of that right by subversive elements which sought to take advantage of democratic privileges in order to overthrow the British system of democracy and replace it by totalitarian tyranny. Such happenings as the recent political revolution in Czechoslovakia, the extension of Communist domination in Europe, and President Truman’s dramatic call for the reintroduction of conscription in the United States following the refusal, of the Communist-dominated countries to co-operate in the tasks of peace were cited as a warning of the dangers facing the world. The Queensland strike, with its attendant bitteiness, was also quoted as an example of Communist tactics. The caucus also endorsed the recent statement by Mr Holland that persons guilty of subversive activities > should not be permitted to occupy key: positions in which they might conduct | fifth column activities in the interests of a foreign Power. Such a course had lately been adopted by the Labour Government in Britain, where the danger appeared to be appreciated more fully than in New Zealand.

Fifth Column “It is our opinion,” said Mr Holland, “that to allow the Comrhunist Party freedom to plan the overthrow of our democracy is equivalent to permitting mobilisation of an effective fifth column in our midst. The Opposition representing almost halt the present Parliament, and more than 500,000 voters, therefore calls on the Government to take the necessary decisive action, and, failing such action, to call an emergency session of Parliament to enable the whole question to be discussed by the elected representatives of the people. It is our view that no person unwilling to take the oath of loyalty to New Zealand, or acknowledging allegiance to a wreign Powe, is entitled to the benefits and privileges of British citizenship. The sooner such persons depart to the source of their political philosophy, the better for New Zealand.