CZECHO-SLOVAKIAN AUTHOR

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 198, 10 November 1934, Page 6

CZECHO-SLOVAKIAN AUTHOR

Refused Permission to Land

ANTIWAR LECTURE TOUR Association with Communists Press Association —Copyright Perth, Nov. 8. Customs officers refused to allow a Strathaird - passenger, Mr. Egon Edwin Kisch, author and journalist, to land. Mr. 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. Mr. Mertzies, Federal Attorney-General, replying to critics, said 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 witli Communistic organisations. Mr. Menzies also made pointed observations regarding' the case of J. Griffin, a New Zealand delegate to the anti-war congress, Who was prevented from landing at Sydney. Professor Murdoch at Perth declared that Australia had disgraced herself by excluding an author of international repute such as Kisch, who was merely coming to Australia as an anti-militarist. Professor Beasley said it was a sorry compliment to the intelligence of the Australian people that they were not trusted to think for themselves.