MINISTER’S ANGER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 85, 8 March 1940, Page 7

MINISTER’S ANGER.

COMMUNIST ELEMENT. ACTIVITIES CONDEMNED. Per Press Association. WELLING I ON, March 8. “I never before thought that thero would be living in this country and enjoying its privileges and protection people low and contemptible enough to endeavour to justify butchery, robbery and murder,” said Hon. li. Semple in a two-hour address at Johnsonville to-nig lit on “Dictatorship or Democracy H” Mr Semple was referring to the circulation ol Co mi n u lush pamphlets at the Addington railway workshops, ; Christchurch, on the occasion of his re- > cent visit and the purport of which, j he said, was to justity the Russian action in i'iidand. “I don’t tliink thos« circulating these pamphlets are fit to lie called New Zealanders, and 1 am pursuing them because 1 know them to he the quintessence of corruption,’ added Mr Semple. “These people formed hypocritical organisations called Anti-Conscription Leagues and thus got money from the public under false pretences.” . He charged them with this, and it they were not guilty they could take him to the Supreme Court. They stood for the doctrine of force, hatred and violence, and every man who knew the underlying principles of modern world organisations was aware of this. Spain had been driven to chaos, war and bankruptcy by the Communist element. and dictators rose in Germany and Italy as a result of their actions. “New Zealand is going to help Great Britain to the maximum, and God help us if she goes under. If she does, a million and a half people won’t hold this country. Within six months we should be under foreign domination,” said Mr Semple. . , Tlicro were people in New Zealand j to-day demanding our withdrawal from j the war. ]f the Government did this it ; would be a traitor to its own people. ( if Britain had been the aggressor he • would have resigned his post rather I than be called on to justify such aggres- : sion, but she was not. Mr Chamber- j lain had tried even to the point of , humiliation to preserve peace. “To cut ! the painter from the British boat would j be fatal and we are not going to do j it,” lie added. I