"STRATFORD EVENING POST" FRIDAY, MAY, 4, 1928. MAY DAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 56, 4 May 1928, Page 4

"STRATFORD EVENING POST" FRIDAY, MAY, 4, 1928. MAY DAY.

The cables during the past fewdays have been busy recounting May Day events in various parts of Europe and America. It is now recognised as the Russian Day of Independence, Communists' Day, a day on which the revolutionary elements can expect co-ordination in their ranks mid a willingness to undertake any deviltry under the cloak of making progress. In Paris, it was the day fixed by the Communists and Socialists for a revolution and; the re-education Of France on Communistic lines. Unfortunately the French Government and the police objected to having the public views changed and armed forces maintained order. In Russia with all the pomp and display of Soviet stagecraft the army's new uniforms were aired and the usual exciting speeches in Red Square were listened to. After which quite a large number of innocent people suffered death or injuries Ibat the cause of iCommunisra might be duly honoured. In (Germany the Communists Mid Socialists meraly demonstrated their strength. The paraders: totalled over a million.

The significance of all this demonstrating is to openly make manifest to the world that Communism instead of dying, is steadily growing. Russia has not been quite so aggressively active as she was in the past to convert the world to conditions obtaining in the Middle Ages, hut that her organisations are spreading there is no doubt. We are so far away from the centre of things in these Southern Seas that our people are disposed to think the greater troubles which affect the old countries can never trouble us, out here. Talk of the evils of political Communism that insidious disease which has come upon our modern civilisation, and we instinctly think Of Russia, the Continent of Europe; London or the Clyde—perhaps China or America—but never the British Dominions.

It will b e news to find that the Communists in 'South Africa created not very long ago a state of revolution on the Rand in which there was large destruction of .life and property, yet it is but actual fact. What we have got to fully realise is that the 'Communist Party with its centre in Moscow has planted parties, groups and cells in every country over the habitable globe. It has a declared policy of creating world revolution by processes of organisation, political and industrial action, and civil war and May Day is pre* ferred for registration of progress.

In Germany and France it has hundreds of members in their Parliaments and local governing bodies. It lias its agents in the British Parliament and on local councils, boards and other governing powers. In the industrial held in addition to its own Red Labour Unions and Red International, it lias so infused many of the ordinary trade unions as to be strong enough to mould their policy. In Russia it has only 500,000 members in a population of 130 million yet it holds despotic sway and its power cannot be challenged. This movement works not by numbers but by influence on numbers. Its methods are the secret of its power and these are as varied as the opportunities require. With a cunning which is devilish because so perfectly unscrupulous it uses all means of 'dis-

guise, of espionage, of seeming martyrdom and humility and of bold-

ncss coupled with ceaseicss persistence, i In Australia its development has recently become apparent. When the .Prime Minister, Mr Bruce, seeks industrial peace the Communists Bay "No," and it is "No" which prevails. With ever increasing boldness the Communist power has grown into a national peril and not under the name Communist party, but, in a, hundred other different forms. We name Australia and New Zealand together because what is their experience very often becomes 'ours as well. In New Zealand; they uevev were bolder than they are to-day. There is a definite Communist party organisation here, where there wafe none before. •It has groups and cells at work in various parts of the Dominion. On th© West Coast, amongst the miners, it is most active, and from there its press productions are scattered broadcast. It is matter which should be fought by individual effort, by opposing it at every turn and' pofnti whether in private conversation or in public meetings.