QUESTION OF COMMUNIST ACTION LINE

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1948, Page 7

QUESTION OF COMMUNIST ACTION LINE

Ciapham Questioned at Mangakino Tribunal HAMILTON, April 23. Heavy volumes of the writings of Lenin and of other Communist writers were produced this afternoon before the tribunal investigating the Mangakino dispute. ' Mr J. E. Engel, representing the Works Department, read a number of extracts from them to Mr L. V. Clapham, whose transfer from Mangakino was followed by the strike there: and he suggested that Mr Clapham’s conduct at Mangakino was in line with the teachings of the Communist leaders. He claimed that these doctrines demanded illegal action from Communists. Mr Engel also read from Mr Clapham’s 'jwn writings in New Zealand Communist, publications, including “The Mangakino Spark.” Mi’ Carl Hair, appearing for the Workers’ Union, protested that most of the extracts read were irrelevant. Judge Dalglish, after noting the objection, said that the Tribunal must decide on the relevancy of the matter. The cross-examination of Mr Clapham was unfinished when the 'Tribunal adjourned for the week-end. CLAPHAM GIVES EVIDENCE Leonard Vernon Clapham said he took no part in brawls ana fracases which had occurred some years ago at a Public Works camp, where he then was. He was a member of a committee set up to discipline those taking part in the disorders. In Fiji, when he was there as a member- of the Civil Construction Unit, there was a great deal of oojection and distrust among members of the unit when asked to bear arms. Witness took the view that, as they were supporting the war effort and had volunteered to build the aerodrome for the defence of New Zealand and Australia, it was logical that they should bear arms, if required. To allay the men’s fears that by attestation they should commit themselves to indefinite service in the Army and to give them the protection they sought, the welfare committee prepared a series of proposals for embodyment in an agreement between the Government and the men. Even this did not satisfy all of the men, some of whom were very distrustful, but the action taken by the committee did reassure many of them and result in their voluntary acceptance of the proposal to bear arms. I There had been a reference in earlier evidence to American criticism of members of the unit. The Americans had later congratulated it on constructing runways in record time. His service, after joining the Army had included commando work in the Pacific islands, and later he had been wounded during the Italian campaign. When Mr Semple was at Mangakino last year, ther had' had a discussion, Mr Semple telling witness that he thought the Communists were doing in Italy.. Rumania Bulgaria and elsewhere. Witness said: “When he had run himself out, I proceeded to tell Mr Semple my version of the Communist Party’s policy in those countries. We finally agreed to differ on political grounds. I told him he was an old man and I did not expect to be able to change ,his mind, but I assured him that whatever he thought of it, our party’s policv was constructive. The Minister told him that if any trouble occurred on the job, he would, personally, see that witness went ‘down the road.’ Witness had replied that it would be very unfair to take fo r granted that 'if trouble occurred, he would be responsible. When he was later elected branch secretary, he impressed on the executive that, in view of the prominence given to him, they must collectively share responsibility for all representations he made constitutionally on the union’s behalf. Discussing the trouble over catering contracts, Clapham said, he was in' Wellington when the meeting was held at Manga.kino at which a decision was taken threatening to stop work if a settlement was not made in the men’s favour. When, at a later executive meeting, it was decided to ask the Minister for an incrase in the locality allowance from 5s to weekly, witness had opposed the demand’as unlikely to be granted. Tne decision having been taken however, he was a member of the deputation which discussed the matter with Mi Semple in Wellington .. . Mr Clapham, when the Tiibunal resumed in the afternoon, said that he was in no way responsible for the decision* to ban overtime unless the fitters were given bonus payments. All of his actions in regard to matters on the job were on instructions of the Union Executive. Clapham said that, when on December 12 last, the Resident Engineer. Mr A. E. Clark*. told him that he. was to be transferred, Clark explained that it was because the relations had become strained, but said that there was no specific reason for the trans-

1 fer. Witness, later, received a letter I from the Project Engineer, connrmmg the vernal notice of the transfer, but giving no reasons. In February, when negotiations had brougnt no settlement, and Messrs Hair and Wallace suggested inviting the men at Mangakino to decide oil any further action, witness had opposed that, on the ground that it involved a risk of direct action. He said: “I said that we should give the Government every opportunity of justifying its action, or else reinstating me, without the men or job resorting to direct action.” Witness denied stating to a Presbyterian Minister that, if he had his way, no churches would be built. His remarks had been to the .effect that building priorities should provide for broader amenities before there were churches for particular denominations. He had specified a hospital as a prior requirement. • To Mr Engel, Clapham said that he had’ clearly warned the reporter of a Rotorua newspaper to whom he gave the information about Mangakino that it could not be published because witness had no_p_bwer to give such information lor publication. He was, he said, u n set when the article was published, realising the harm that it would do. Witness said he remembejeed Mr Clark telling him that, if this article was to be a sample of his_ conduct, there would not be room for both of. them on the job. But he had not re-' garded this as a warning, thinking Mr Clark had accepted his assurance that he had not authorised the publication of any criticisms of the management of the job. There was a strict union rule against giving unauthorised statements to the press. He wrote to the editor of . the “Rotorua Post” denying that he had authorised the publication of the article, and he acquainted his executive and the Minister, Mr Semple, of the facts of the matter. CLAPHAM’S ACTIONS AS A COMMUNIST Clapham said he had made no secret of his politics. He was not, however, in any high position in the New Zealand Communist Party. He was merely active in the Mangakino branch of the party. The Communist Party advertised its activities, like any other political party. He agreed that, as he had written “The Mangakino Spark,” the Communist Party subscribed to the doctrines enunciated by Marx, Angels, Lenin and Stalin. Mr Engel then read several extracts from the collected works of Lenin, advocating various forms of Communist activity, including that of illegal organisation, and the use of trade union positions to promote Communism. Mr Engel asked Clapham if he subscribed to these doctrines. Clapham said that the Court should get a clear picture of whether. Communists subscribed to-day, to principles laid down in different historical periods under different conditions. Mr Hilton to witness: “Don’t you assume that there are many Christians who do not believe in every part of the Bible?” Witness: “That would be so” Mr Engel also quoted from the New Zealand Labour Monthly for March, 1934. which, he said, was then the official'organ of the Communist Party The quotation urged all Communists to seize on the slightest cases of dissatisfaction and to use them as the basis for organisation and for action. Clapham said that he had not heard this quotation before, but it dealt with a certain stage of development of the Labour Movement before the Labour Party came into office. “We do carry on, in actual practice, as this Court has seen, a constructive policy to bring about a maximum amount of unity among trade unionists.” ILLEGAL MEANS When confronted by Mr Engel, with quotations from a publication of the Communist International, also’ dated 1934, and advocating the establishment of illegal apparatus parallel with the recognised '"organisations, Clapham said that, if, as in many countries, workers’ organisations were suppressed, it was necessary for the Communists to organise, even by illegal means, in the workers’ interest. The passage quoted had been written, he said, at a time when, in Greece, Yugoslavia, and elsewhere, even trade unions were illegal. “Those conditions differed from those obtaining in New Zealand to-day, although some people would like to bring them about here”, declared Ciapham. QUOTATIONS QUESTIONED At this stage Mr Hair objected that Mr Engel should not quote extracts, possibly out of context, unless the whole of the books were read. He said that the situation was rather : extraordinary. Judge Dalglish: “These passages nrn i nlvr vay*v nlrl Thov urora

written in 1934 . Mr Hair protested that the writings had no relation to any concrete charge against Clapham concerning Mangakino. JUDGE’S COMMENT Judge Dalglish: “It comes to this point—that actions which, on the part of you or me, would not open to any interpretation, do, in relation to a member of the Communist Party, fit into a pattern; and I take it that Mi’ Engel’s intention is to show that, in the light of these writings, Clapham’s actions may fit into- a pattern’’. Mr Engel said that was his intention. Mr Hair: “The man I am defending did not write the works of Lenin or Stalin”. ANOTHER PAPER QUOTED, After reading further quotations from Communist writings, Mr Engel quoted from “The People’s Voice” (Auckland) of January 14, 1948, which said that the post-war period had afforded a classic example of the manner in which social reformist Governments had, inside and outside of the British Commonwealth, seived capitalism. AID FOR BRITAIN Clapham denied that when he wrot n in “The Mangakino Spark.” to the effect that the New Zealand farmers and workers were being called upon to help the British workers to pa?/ interest on an American loan, he. was opposing aid to Britain. He believed in aiding Britain, bat that aid should be given not on an emotional basis, but in the light of true facts. He agreed this article in the “Spark” might have been construed as expressing opposition to the aid-for-Britain campaign, but said that that was not his intention. COMMUNIST WRITINGS IRRELEVANT! “There is an order of reference,

Your Honour, and I do not see how all this is helping the Court”, said Mr Hair, when Mr Engel put further questions to Clapham concerning extracts from Communist doctrine. Judge Dalglish said that Mr Engel was questioning Clapham on his attitude toward Communist writings m the light 1 of his statement m ‘The Mangakino Spark”, that his Party was based on the teachings of communist loaders Mr Hair said that the order of reference was wide, but, unless some definite charge were made against Clapham, there was no relevance m extracts from works written fifty, sixty, or seventy years ago. Judge Dalglish said that it appeared that Mr Engel was seeking to snow that some motive lay behind actions which were, otherwise, innocent. I think you must leave it to the fubunal, having noted your objections,

’ to decide on the relevancy”, said, • Judge Dalglish to Mr Hair. . Mr Engel read an article writ- > ten by Clapham, last* y?ar, in a I New Zealand Communist publica--1 tion, in which he set out ways in which Communist cadres could be I developed on Public Works I and in which he said that there was a rich field for the Party activity in such camps as that of f Mangakino. Ihe article a[so gave • details of what the Communist ’ Party had done at Mangakino to extend its activities, and it ‘said | that a well-organised Communist : Party Branch on a Public Works ! job could extend its activity - “from the narrow trade union path to a broad community high- ; way”. Clapham was also questioned about ; an article which appeared in “The Workers' Star”, a Communist paper t in Perth, after Ciapham had been there, on his return from service in 1 the Middle East. ‘ Clapham told the Tribunal that he 1 did not remember giving the mter- ’ view at Perth, but said that, with ‘ other returning New Zealanders, ho j had called at a Communist Party of-' • flee in Perth. i • The article read by ivfr Engel 1 said that, according to Ciapham, • many Kiwis were highly critical / of General Alexander’s, policy at Trieste, and the starting point for > which had been the use of army ‘ channels to spread anti-Tito pro- ' paganda. The article said that many Kiwis objected to the way 1 in which the 2nd N.Z.E.F. “obeyed imperialistic demands of ! Churchill to create some incident i that might have sacrified a lot i of New Zealand lives”. I : To Mr Engel, Clapham said that' 1 he and others in the Division had 1 made no boi.es at the time about these ideas they held concerning the situation in Trieste. The Tribunal adjourned until Monday, when Clapham will be given the opportunity to reply to. and comment on the extracts read to him by Mr Engel. Two more witnesses will probably ' follow Clapham before the final submissions are made.

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