FOREIGN LECTURER

Southland Times, Issue 22474, 9 November 1934, Page 7

FOREIGN LECTURER

LANDING REFUSED AT PERTH.

(United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) Perth, November 8.

Customs officers refused to allow a passenger by the Strathaird, Egon Edwin Kisch, author and journalist, to land. Kisch, who is a Czechoslovakian, had arranged a lecture tour in Australia and had intended to represent the International Committee Against War and Fascism at the Congress Against War in Melbourne next Saturday. ACTION CRITICIZED. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 10.25 p.m.) Perth, November 8. Professor Murdoch declared that Australia had disgraced herself by excluding an author of international repute such as Kisch, who was merely coming here as an anti-militarist professor. Mr J. A. Beasley said that it was a sorry compliment to the intelligence of Australian people that they were not trusted to think for themselves. MINISTER REPLIES TO CRITICS. (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 10.25 p.m.) Melbourne, Nov. 8. Mr R. G. Menzies, the Federal Attor-ney-General, replying to critics regarding the prohibition of the Czechoslovakian, Kisch, said that the Commonwealth felt itself under no obligation to admit persons of this type. Kisch was excluded from Britain because of his subversive views and his association with Communistic organizations.

Mr Menzies also made pointed observations regarding the case of Mr J. Griffin, the New Zealand delegate to the Anti-War Congress, who was prevented from landing at Sydney,