FEAR OF COMMUNISM

Grey River Argus, 11 September 1940, Page 10

FEAR OF COMMUNISM

In New Zealand METHODIST CONFERENCE PRESIDENT’S DECLARATION PAHIATUA, September 10 Rev. L. B. Neale, of Dunedin, President of the Methodist Conference of New Zealand, speaking at a civic reception, said: “I believe that within the next 50 years, unless the Church draws together in a determined attack on insidious propaganda, the structural foundation of all that is dear to us all will be blasted by subversive and atheistical philosophy.” He added that signs of Communistic teachings and other subversive propaganda were establishing themselves in New Zealand. If this continued, we would have a totalitarian regime. To the farmers, Mr Neale said that unless they stood behind the flag of Jesus Christ they would be marching off their farms into concentration camps. “For God’s sake, go to church,” he said. “I am no pessimist, but I am convinced that never in the history of New Zealand have we oeen faced with such a critical period.”