STALIN ROUNDLY CONDEMNED

Southland Times, Issue 23990, 4 December 1939, Page 8

STALIN ROUNDLY CONDEMNED

“As Big A Murderer As Hitler” MR SEMPLE’S PLEA FOR WAR EFFORT “RED FLAG” SUNG BY AUDIENCE (United Press Association) GREYMOUTH, December 2. “Stalin L just as big a murderer as Hitler. He has gone into Finland to murder, and innocent women and. children there are being crucified by a red-eyed monster ambitious to conquer the world,” said the Hon. R. Semple on Saturday evening at a social gathering of members of the Labour Party at Greymouth. “Everyone knows my opinion of war. From North Cape to the Bluff I have preached my views. War is the negation of reason and the beginning of madness. It is against all Christian principles, is the demon of dissension and the product of the jungle. Still, here it is with us, and it is not of our making. We have to do the best we can for you all and we are not going to hand over the destinies of the country to men who desire to impose want and penury on you. We are in the danger zone. Make no mistake about that. It may be our turn soon. “That today we in the Dominion do possess a great measure of liberty is demonstrated from a gathering such as this. Can that be said of Russia, Germany or Italy? No. It can be said only of the United States and the British Empire. ' Civilization is in the melting pot and we have got to fight as never before to retain democracy. “If I were asked to choose between Chamberlain and Hitler—that monster of the world—then I am with Chamberlain. And what of Stalin? He is just as big a murderer as Hitler. Chamberlain may have his faults—indeed he was rocked in the cradle of Conservatism —but he has never cut the throats of the trade unionists who today have their rights and privileges. “Yet some there are who prefer that red-eyed, cold-blooded, double-bar-relled murderer Hitler and his colleague Stalin. If I had to choose then I know where I am going. “There is no man living today on the face of God’s earth who can predict the end of this terrible tragedy. If ever there was a time in our lives when we should hang together against the fiendish aggression and blood-thirsty tyrants it is now, and any one of us in the Labour movement who tries to wreck our movement or anyone else who tries to cause dissension in the nation at a time like this is a doublebarrelled traitor, betraying the people. DESPOTISM AGAINST DEMOCRACY “Today it is a question of despotism against democracy, and in a struggle such as this there is no room for dissension, whatever our political views. I can look the world in the face and say we are trying to do our best for the people of this country. “Ask the critic what he would do and he will crumple up in five minutes like a snowball in hell. We will go on doing our best, but we seek your goodwill and co-operation and tolerance. Socialism would be brought into being in New Zealand in our time. Mrs C. Stewart, M.P. for Wellington, said in replying to a toast to the Labour Government: “Now we are at a' point where our feet are firmly set on the ground and our eyes looking up to our goal. If we as a body keep' ever in front of ourselves our ideals, we must succeed. There is no question that we will bring into being socialism in our time and very soon.” Mrs Stewart denied that there was any split in the Labour Party in Parliament. The only difference was that some thought the Government was going too slow and others saw danger in going faster. At the end of the proceedings, which had begun with the honouring of the loyal toast “The Red Flag” was sung with enthusiasm by the . large gathering. Mr Semple did not join in the singing. One of the verses sung reads: ' Look round! The Frenchman loves its blaze The sturdy German chants its praise, In Moscow’s vaults its hymns are sung, Chicago swells the surging throng.