LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27433, 5 July 1950, Page 6

LAND OF OPPORTUNITY

Sir,—As today’s happenings in Korea add another link to the long chain of Communist treachery and brutality I feel under no obligation to answer the falsa and stupid charges of “ Common Sense,” who takes up the cudgels on behalf of Communism. As I have said before, it is not only the Communist with his antisocial ideas and disloyalty that is dangerous, but the “ fellow-traveller'"' and Red extremist. In his book, "East Wind Over Prague,” Jan Stransky, a prisoner-of-war, was emphatic in asserting that no theoretical approach to Communism could ever really tell just how evil Communism is. Stransky was a member of the Benes Government in „ Czechoslovakia and his book Is the record of a man’s terrible experiences in his own country under Russian Communism. Men joined the Communists out of an. appalling and stifling fear of the fate that'would overtake them and their wives and daughters if they refused. The. leaders ,of the depraved Red Army did not trouble to apologise for the army's behaviour.' They just pretended to ignore the matter and concentrated Instead on extolling Soviet power, Soviet ruthlessness and Soviet invincibility. In fact, they depicted th® Union as the only real military Power in the world, the only real victor over Germany, and woe to those individuals or nations who tried to cross its path. This is the doctrine or form of Govern-, ment which “ Common Sense ” has the audacity to compare favourably with our democratic and Christian way of life. It* would do quite • a few people in New Zealand a great deal of good to read thl® book and meditate upon its» meaning. Perhaps then we would have more loyalty and less smug complacency from • thos® people we expect to give a lead In th® Christian way of life;—l am, etc., Matilda.