DEFEAT OF COMMUNISM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26791, 7 June 1948, Page 5

DEFEAT OF COMMUNISM

DOMINION. TRADE UNIONS AMERICAN’S TRIBUTE TO MR FRASER SAN FRANCISCO, Rec. 8 p.m. June 5. • The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, told nim that Communism is no friend of union Labour, said Frank Bartholomen of the United Press staff when he arrived by air from New Zealand to-day. Batholomen, who interviewed Mr Fraser just prior to his departure, wrote his story en route, in which he called the Prime Minister “ one of Labour's best-known contributors to world statesmanship.” He wrote: The soft-spoken Scot, who came up from a labourer and waterside worker to lead his union and eventually the nation, told me: “ New Zealand Labour does not depend for its policy on dogmatical teachings and- it is utterly opposed to the Communist doctrine of dictatorship and the use of force. Labour’s humanitarian policy of social reconstruction under parliamentary democracy is the very antithesis of the Communist policy of revolution based on hatred, inhumanity and intolerance.” ‘‘Asked if he felt that Communist influence was responsible for slowdowns at the world’s ports, Mr Fraser branded Communist influence as ‘detrimental to speedy shipping.’ “The chief executive who heads the country with the highest per capita production for export in the world has just emerged victorious from a lively fight with Communist elements in New Zealand unions,” continued Bartholomen. “He appears to have effectively terminated the Communist bid for domination of his trade union movement.

“The calm-mannered Prime Minister appears to feel that having coped with the Communists, the Conservatives in next year's elections can have no particular terrors for him.”