COMMUNISTS AND THE UNEMPLOYED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21627, 23 April 1932, Page 8

COMMUNISTS AND THE UNEMPLOYED

ro niK Eurron J gin —“ Inquirer’s ” interpretation of our letter with regard to the policy of the Third International is an instance of the manner in which the simplest language can he misunderstood. We made no attempt to insinuate fears into the public mind, nor does our letter bear such an interpretation. There is no “scare” about the matter at all, for there is no reason to work up a scare on the assumption that the Communist New Zealand section of the Third International will effect its declared purpose. To assume this would be a poor compliment to the common sense of New Zealanders. It is not a matter of opinion or (conjecture, but it is a cold fact that certain men in this country, working under foreign and hostile instructions, are trying to lead our unemployed into trpuble. It is admitted openly in their literature. All we have done is to warn the unfortunate men out of work not he misled into breaches of the law and of the public

peace, which will land them in trouble, while’the real instigators take jolly good care to save their own skins by keeping in the background. We have no fear of the. “danger of a Communist conspiracy’ except so far as it will lead, and has led, unthinking and otherwise peaceable men into conflict with the law. In fairness to men who are “ up against it ” they should be warned not to trust the Communist agitators who want to use them for ulterior purposes.—We are, etc., New Zealand Welfare League. i April 21.