A WORD OF WARNING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21242, 24 January 1931, Page 12

A WORD OF WARNING.

TO THE EDITOR. Si By—We note that Messrs Semple and Bromley were given a very hostile reception Hie recent unemployed meeting in Wellington, probably because the lorn-.u- nas spoken m strung terms about the Moscow influences at work. This hostility may have been from only a few extremists, but the time has come again to warn the unemployed that there is a power in the world waiting to grasp every opportunity that offers to fan the fires of discontent into violent action. “This,” to quote the Sydney Bulletin, “is the appalling danger of the present situation.” The power referred to is the Red Internationa] of Trade Unions, commonly known as “ The Profintern,” and New Zealand agents of that sinister body are trying to make cats-paws of the unfortunate men out of work in this country.

In September last the question was discussed by Losovsky at the congress of the Red International Trade Union movement. He corroborated what he said six months earlier in a treatise on the subject, namely, that “ every unemployed worker constitutes a centre of ferment, while unemployment is a reservoir of revolutionary energy, and we must understand how to divert this energy into revolutionary channels.” In his September address to the conference he said: “ Most serious attention must be given to the organisation of the unemployed. Wherever they are to be found there we must concentrate; we must organise this titanic force.” The general instructions which have been issued from the revolutionary headquarters cover several pages and go into minute details as to the “ Red ” tactics in view of the economic depression. One paragraph reads: “At present many millions of unemployed are feeling the full weight of the economic crisis. The task of the Communists consists of canalising this discontent, etc.” There are hundreds of rules about fomenting disturbances and strikes, elc., because “ the final aim of the strike war is the destruction of the State and the overthrow of its power.” “ It would,” said Losovsky, “ be puerile to toll the unemployed to wait till capitalism is destroyed. We must tell them to organise to wrest by force from the bourgeoisie everything they can by mass action and fight for their demands.” Judging by what is happening in New Zealand, there is a body of Communists acting on these instructions, but it is patent that our Labour leaders like Mr Semple are fully aware of this danger, and it would be well if the unemployed would pay heed to this and not permit themselves to be used by the Communist enemies of our country. British Labour leaders have exposed this danger very clearly.—We are, etc.. N.Z. Welfare League. January 21. '