SEEDS OF COMMUNISM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19434, 21 October 1925, Page 4

SEEDS OF COMMUNISM

ACTIVITY IN AUSTRALIA. CIVIL WAR ADVOCATED. SYDNEY, Oct. 8. The last annual report of the Labour Council of New South Wales, signed by its secretary, Mr J. S. Garden, makes it perfectly clear, if there remain any. doubts on the subject, that revolution is the aim of the Communist part in this State. A few quotations from this report should be read with interest in New Zealand. “It can be said of them (the trades unions) they arc busy ploughing the land for communism, and the Communist Party is busy sowing the seed,” says the report. “Every day the Communist issue in politics becomes more and more the main issue. “All efforts to banish comunism and Communists are bound to fail. The good old times of playing at politics are gone. Revolution has stepped upon the stage. “With the bourgeois Australian nationalism the attitude of the Labour Council of New South Wales on this question (the question of the construction of two new 10,000-ton cruisers for the Australian Navy) has nothing to do. On the contrary, this council plainly declares to Australian workers that, even while they may be constructing warships and other means of making war for the capitalistic class, they must simultaneously prepare for the day when they will be compelled to defend themselves against the capitalists of Australia or other countries with the very weapons they have themselves produced. Not in Utopian whining for disarmament, but in relentless prosecution of the international class struggle, and the t>ansformation of the Imperialist war into civil war of the proletariat against their own bourgeoisie right up to the complete victory of the pr6letariat, lies the sole hope for the workers of Australia and the world of peace. “A Declaration of War.” “Let our May Day certainly be a day of rejoicing, but let it also be a day on which all active elements of the movement take stock of the work of the last year, of the prospects ahead, and the programme required. Let it also be a day of demonstrations which express a growing class-consciousness of the working class, and a declaration of war upon capitalist society. “We want a Labour Day which will give the movement a chance to unite for a real move forward on the basis of all the most pressing interests of the workers. Forward to new battle; Forward to world revolution. “For the sentimental pacifist formula ‘No more war/ which in these days would be proclaimed with var;itions in countless meetings and articles by Labour apostles of peace, we, the workers of New South Wales, substitute Liebknecht’s cry: “Class war against war? We must not forget, because we loathe war. We must not let ourselves be caught by these pacifist phrases. We will throw ourselves wit’i pessimistic bitterness against any n j w Imperialist war. We will not allow the young men of the working clxss movement in this State to be gulled and be led to the slaughter in the interests of the money bags disguised as defence of the homeland. But just because we wish for lasting peace we must take up with greater passion and with sacrifice and devotion the fight against the capitalist social order, a fight which cannot be carried on with fine words and resolutions, but only in the last resort with weapons in the hand. “In the wars of capitalism we are pacifists. In the class war we fight to the death.” Opportunity for Revolution. In the section of the book entitled “The Outlook” the author sets forth his view that ‘ ‘ international capitalism” is developing an intensive offensive, which must be resisted by the workers of Australia. Capitalism, he holds, is developing immigration with the object of Hooding Australia with new people for the purpose of breaking down the working conditions in this country.

The operation of the Dawes report, the writer says, will Hood Australia with cheap German goods, against which local manufacturers can only compete by reducing wages and lengthening hours. Finally, he says: “Conditions are developing rapidly, and preparations are being made by all countries for the great conflict in the Pacific. Britain is fortifying Singapore; the American Fleet is having a special cruise around the Pacific; Japan is hard at it; the main issue of conflict is the partition of China; whatever way we look at it, Australia cannot escape being embroiled. “American eagerness to give financial assistance to Australia is for the express purpose of having Australia on her side in her fight against Japan. America is conscious of the fact that the white Australia policy is a big factor in helping to harness Australian sentiment toward America if a fight between Japan and America should eventuate.

“ In a word, it may be said that the Australian trade union movement is being exposed more directly than heretofore to the offensive of international capitalism. To meet this changing situation nothing less will suffice than co-ordinated militant action based on a clear revolutionary purpose.”

The book from which the above extracts are quoted is signed by J. S. Garden, secretary Labour Council, New South Wales. The imprint shows that it was printed at the office of the ‘ ‘ Worker ’ ’ paper in Sydney.