Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1950. Labour Leaders And Anti-Red Bill

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 September 1950, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 1950. Labour Leaders And Anti-Red Bill

40|NE of the most important planks of the programme on which the present Australian Government was elected last December was a pledge to outlaw Communism, “an alien and destructive pest.’’ The Australian Communist Party is estimated to have not more than 13,000 members, but they have obtained such a hold on some of the trade unions, that their power for trouble-making is great. In addition, there is ample evidence that the Communists are supported by large numbers of fellow-travellers and undeclared “Reds.”

When, however, the Prime Minister, Mr Menzies, in fulfilment of his pledge, introduced a Bill to outlaw the Communist Party, and remove Communists from Government and trade union posts, there was immediate criticism from the Australian Labour Party. The party, in Mr Menzies’s phrase, “protends to support but seeks to destroy the Bill by making it unworkable.” The Government, nevertheless, sought to meet more than half-way the Socialist objections by moving amendments in the Senate. These were rebuffed by the Socialist majority in the Upper lioijse, who substituted such sweeping changes as to make the Bill, in the Government’s view, quite, ineffective. Mr Menzies is determined that an effective Bill, will become law. Though the Government has a handsome majority of 27 in the House of Representatives, its minority of eight jn the Senate enabled the Labour majority to insist on amendments. The statutory three months has now elapsed, and if the Senate . again amends the Bill, unacceptably, or fails to pass it, Air Menzies can go to the Gover-nor-General and seek a double dissolution, thereby calling for a General Election. He has declared that that is his intention. The firm line followed by the LabourSocialists is, it should be noted, at striking variance with the continual conflict behind the party scenes, as reported in the cable news in recent weeks. The chief opponents of the Bill are the Leader o£ the Opposition, Mr Chifley, and the Deputy Leader, Dr Evatt. The number of supporters of the Bill in the Labour-Socialist ranks, combined with the Government’s _ big majority in the House of Representatives, makes it clear, however, that the Bill has overwhelming support. Democracy is, therefore, being prevented by a minority from operating effectively. Thus is a mockery made of democracy and the Communists helped with the continuation of their, deadly work. Minority rule is in accord with Communist ideas of • government. It is clear, therefore, that Mr Menzies’s move will put squarely on the Australian Labour Party the onus of showing clearly just where it does , stand in relation to Communism.