The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1925. THEIR TRUE COLOURS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, 29 August 1925, Page 8

The Timaru Herald. SATURDAY, AUGUST 29, 1925. THEIR TRUE COLOURS.

“Wliat Bedlamio theories,” declared Miss Preston. Stanley, the first woman Member of Parliament in i\ ew, South Wales, in a tolling review of the sinister influences behind the strike of British seamen. This expressive phrase aptly describes the iconoclastic policy being pursued by Labour m Australia. Mr W alsh and his strike-stirring colleagues who are being grandmothered by the Labour Government of NewSouth Wales, are bent on tiledestruction of the capitalistic system and the disruption of the British Empire. This is Moscow' 5 s objective to the letter. Moreover, chronic industrial upheavals are throwing- a lurid light on the Labour Governments of Australia. They are being- revealed in their true colours—a Scarlet Red. It may be argued that the chaotic conditions in Australia are beingcaused by a mere handful of agitators, and that these disturbers of community peace are so numerically weak as to he almost negligible as far as exercising- a dominating influence on the future of the State is concerned. In England this aspect of therevolutionary campaign is being closely watched by Keen observers; indeed the leading- newspapers are beginning- to take a serious view' 01 the ceaseless and subterranean activities' of the emissaries of the Reds of Moscow. The ‘‘Morning- Post” treats the matter as a present evil to be constantly combatted by every means available. Other great journals recognise the danger as a national one whilst some write in the strain that the risk is miicn exaggerated. It is thought compelling- to find “The Times” expressing itself in this Humber: “The Labour Party,’ 5 it says, “is inclined to regard the British Communists- as a negligible, unimportant faction numbering50U0 and therefore beneath contempt; but, according- to Lenin’s 191 a estimate, only 50,009 Russian Communists disrupted a nation of ii hundred and fifty millions.” Moreover, Bntisii communities who are prone to take a lethargic view ot economic disturbances are being reminded that ‘‘it is no longer mo tiipugutless hare brained bellowing- of Hyde Park, or Yana BaiiK oratory we have to regard, but tne cold deliberately planned machination of educated men, who have set out to destroy capitalism, the Bntisii Empire, exiaang institutions of Government, and to substitute a class tyranny whicit they name socialism or sovietism.” it has remained for tne Labour Premier to drop the mask from iiie faces of file so-called constitutionalists'. According to Mr Lang-, conditions are quite ail right! There is no lawlessness ill his State. Moreover, to suggest the deportation pf the gentle minions of Moscow is to' uft'end against the canons l of good taste and spirit winch federated Australia liito one Cominoiiweaitli. In view of these sentiments it is not surprising that he regards the deportation clause of the Immigration Act as one of the most iniquitous Acts ever passed in any country, and lie -would firmly refuse to permit. State instrumentalities to be abused for the purpose of deporting- political or industrial leaders. There was no need for the federal Government in pursuance of its deportation policy, to' invoke the assistance of any State Government. He had no desire to embroil New South Wales in any deportation proceedings, and lie was prepared to see that the laws of the Commonwealth and blew South Wales wore observed, but lie was not prepared to identify New South Wale®, or the Labour Party, with any Nationalist attempt to deport its political and industrial opponents. Presumably, Mi' Langshuts his eyes to the position; he refuses to co-operate with. the Federal Cabinet in dealing with the agitators, and the -wild-eyed preachers of the Bccllamn., gospel of class hatred and revolutionary Socialism arc his friends. Hence his determination to resist the Federal authorities. and angrily oppose their claim to the right, to cnsuie. the maintenance of law and order’, even if Federal police, have imposed upon them the duties the. State police have undertaken to discharge. Mr Lang disputes the right of the Federal Government to “deport citizens.” “Certainly the strikers are not aware,” says Mr Lang, “that their citizen rights would he so haltered when they voted for federation.” Mr Lang should open the other eye and view the situation from the point of view of the. Australian citizen, not the foreign agitator. Mr Brilce is taking the coircct course. No small section of disgruntled citizens can successfully wage war on the community, and. Mr Bruce is on perfectly soumt ground when he insists that, ample pioteelion shall be afforded all classes of the community, .even though, a State Parliament, prefers to champion the cause of the strikers, rather than resolutely insist upon the maintenance of law and order. Present-day industrial (.rises in Queensland and New Smil.li Wales have revealed the. true diameter behind the movement, and have incidentally conveyed a warning to the people, of New Zealand to take. a. serious view of ilie Bolshevist agitation, and. strengthen their constitutional defence in readiness for assaults which may he directed against this Dominion.