WHITEWASHING COMMUNIST MURDERERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3823, 21 June 1927, Page 60

WHITEWASHING COMMUNIST MURDERERS.

SOCIALIST PAPER'S SOPHISTRY. Referring to a leader in the Labour Party's organ, the New Zealand Worker, the New Zealand Welfare League writes as follows: — A short time ago we drew the attention, of Mr R. Semple, president of tho New Zealand Labour Party, to the pro-Bolshevik. character of the journal, which acts as tho organ of his party, tho New Zealand Worker. Mr Semple made no reply, as probably lie could find no reply to make. In tho issue of this paper for June 15, 1927, there appears a leader headed “Force Breeds Force.” in which is presented a series of reflections that by inference, convey the idea that the British Government, British Tories, the assassinator of Voikoff and the executioners of the 20 counter-revolutionaries in Russia are all engaged in using “force against force,” and are, in that respect, on common ground in supporting a policy of general madness, 'lhe Arcos raid, the abrogation of the Anglo-Soviet Agreement, the expulsion of tho Soviet representatives, the assassination of the Soviet ambassador. Voikoff. and the execution of 20 counter-revolutionaries in Russia, are referred to as a succession of events,” as if these were connected in a chain of attack and reprisal. That is the false and treacherous view being put to the world by the Soviet authorities, and here in New Zeaalnd wo find this Socialist journal endorsing tho Communists utterly untruthful representation. What connection has the Arcos raid with Voikoff’s assassination, or with tho still more hideous murders taking place in Russia?

To class the Arcos raid as a act of force and provocation on flic part of the British Government and place it in a class with the damnable butcheries being carried out by the Soviet authorities in Russia is a whitewashing of the Communist murderers who are again shocking humanity with their acts of blood-thirsty terrorism. This paper wo are dealing with, says, ‘‘British Tories threaten the Russian Soviet. In the conflict which employs the same weapons.” When have the British people (Tories or any other) used the weapon of hideous revengeful murder in any conflict they have had with Soviet Russia? The article asks. “How are civilised folk assisted to wise policies by balanc.ng the infamies of one Government against the infamies of another, when each is steeped in blood?’’ Considering that the British and Russian Governments are the only ones indicated in this leader what other inference is'to be drawn from such writing than that tho British Government is guilty of infamies and “s’teeped in blood.” Surely such’ publication in a British community is a disgrace to its authors and a disgrace to any movement which gives it countenance.

It is true that the paper docs not directly charge the British Government with being of this vile character, but if there is any other inference to ho 'taken from the language of this article we should like to know what it is. As Mr Semple and others of his party say they desire to purge tho Labour movement of Communism, we draw their attention to this article in their own paper and ask them what are they going to do about it?