THROWN INTO A RIVER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 21029, 13 November 1931, Page 13

THROWN INTO A RIVER.

LESSON FOR COMMUNISTS.

HALF AN HOUR'S BATTLE. AMBULANCE'S BUSY AFTERNOON. [from our own con respondent.] SYDNEY, Nov. 5. With the passing of each week the Communists, or Bolsheviks, or "Reds"— call them what one will, it matters little — are coming more and more into the open in New South Wales. No doubt they are encouraged to do so by the inaction of the Lang Government, which seems willing to allow the wreckers a full rope, even though they exercise their disturbing influence on children. Tho "Reds" have made no secret of the fact that they engineered the shipping strike which was doomed to failure before it had tho slightest effect upon tho public. Now they are concentrating on the Sydney tramway men, urging a general hold-up in order to force better conditions. They point out that tho trams have how no opposition the buses have disappeared under the drastic taxation imposed by the Transport Co-ordination Board—and that this is the time for a fight. And hundreds of tramwaymen, it is said, bclievo they are right! The "Reds" have woefully misjbdged public opinion by sending some of their prominent speakers to the country centres to deliver lectures on Communism. Most of their speakers are members of the United Unemployed Movement, and whence they secure their funds to travel in comfort will always be a mystery. Their meetings, however, have been occasions for scenes verging on the riotous. Pursued by Surging Crowd. At one town a man who extolled the Soviet was driven down tho main street in front of a surging crowd. Ho had to seek tho protection of tho police, about whom he had been far from complimentary. In a second place a Communist was greeted with a shower of rotten eggs. In a third another speaker was so badly heckled that he was unable to proceed with his speech. The climax was reached during the week end at tho border town of Mildtira, when 60 Communists, after heing refused the use of every public building in the district for a lecture on Russia, were thrown into the Murray River. They decided to hold their meeting on the banks of the nver, but the townspeople were determined that there would be no such meeting. So there was a general rush to the scene, and the dumping followed. For months past the residents of the Mildura district have been alarmed because of the arrival of a number of foreigners, for it was feared, not without some ground, that they planned to organise a disturbance at tho opening of tho fruit-canning season in a few weeks' time. The fruit-packing season always means an influx of workers, and tho people were extremely anxious that nothing should hinder operations. Sticks, Stones and Bludgeons. Being suspicious of what was happening tho residents of Mildura raided the Communists' headquarters. Communist propaganda and newspapers were burned and tables and other articles of furniture were smashed to pieces. Annoyed at what had happened the Communists announced a meeting on the river bank for Sunday last, and expecting a battle went armed with sticks, stones and bludgeons. The country folk, however, were too strong for them, and after a battle which lasted for half an hour, most of the Communists were floundering in the mud. Several men were knocked unconscious during the fight and had to receive hospital treatment. It was a busy afternoon for the local ambulance, and it is significant that most of the injured wore a red tie or a Soviet badge. It is also significant that the Communists chose the New South Wales bank of the river for their meeting. It, has been remarked that thev knew that the N'ew South Wales Government would not interfere with their "free speech." That the red influence is being injected like a poison into the hearts of Australian children was evidenced by the fact that at a meeting of the United Workers' Movement at Bondi, Sydney, a .1,4-year-old scholar of the Bondi High School, Laurie Aarons, was among the speakers. It is revealed that in Australia there are several branches of the Communist Young Pioneer Organisation, which includes boys between tho ages of 10 years and 16 years. It takes 12 boys to form a unit, Laurie Aarons, like most Communists, talked of blood. " Forced to Shed Blood," In an interview Laurie Aarons said there was no doubt in his mind that a revolution would come, and it would not be a bloodless one. "We will be forced to shed blood," he said, "because the capitalists lovo their profits and will not surrender them peaceably to the workers." It is Aaron's duty to spread his beliefs among his fellow-students. Referring to the fact that schoolboys at Broken Hill had hoisted the red flag in the school ground he said: r 'l cannot find words to say how much I applaud their action." Meanwhile the Soviet Sunday school, which teaches anything but religion and inculcates class hatred, continues to flourish in Sydney. And the Lang Government does not see that there is any causo to interfere.