CONSERVATIVES TO FIGHT COMMUNIST MENACE

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 October 1947, Page 5

CONSERVATIVES TO FIGHT COMMUNIST MENACE

Britain To Be Ripe For Totalitarian Regime

(From A. W. Mitehell—Special X.Z.I’.A. Correspondent 1 Received 7 p.m. LONDON, Oet. 4 Conservatives have officially declared war against Communism in Britain.

This was one of the main political decisions of the party’s annual conference at Brighton. More than any other subject this feeling of anti-Communism dominated the interest and feelings of the rank and file of delegates. It seemed to take those on the platform rather by surprise, just as last year, at Blackpool, the demand from the floor for a policy took them unawares. This is not to say that the party leaders on the platform do not regard Communism with equal distaste and antipathy, particularly as they believe that over Europe this winter will hang the brooding fear as to whether France and Italy will swing over to Communism, thereby paving the way for a firmer Soviet footing in the Mediterranean. Greece, the Middle East and North Africa. Though the delegates no doubt had this thought at the back of their minds, too. they were immediately concerned with

the “poison of Communism” as it was called, which they believe

to be seeping throughout Britair Though the conference willingly agreed to a suggestion of Lord de Lisle and Dudley and Mr. Henry Strauss that their fight should be against both Communism and Fascism, their preoccupation obviously is with the latter. From the very start of the conference this strong undercurrent of intense and utmost emotional feeling of anti-totalitarianism was plainly discernable. It was the main line of attack against the Labour Government and it was endorsed by Mr. Churchill in the closing hour of the conference, when he declared: “On every side, and by every means, the machinery for a totalitarian grip npon British society is being built up and perfected. One could almost wonder whether the Government do not reconcile themselves to the economic misfortunes of our country to which their mismanagement so notably contributes, because these tmisforiunes give a pretext of establishing even more control and even larger bureaucracy. They make mistakes which make things worse. As things get worse they claim more power to set them right. Thus they move nearer to a scheme of an all powerful state, in which the individual is a helpless serf or a pawn.'’ FREEDOM v. DICTATORSHIP. It appears at the moment that whatever they may feel, or not feel, about their policy'as outlined in the. Industrial Charter, the Conservatives

chief plan in their next electioneering programme will be one of freedom versus dictatorship. The Conservatives made it quite clear at Brighton that they have no doubt about the influence exerted on the Labour Party by Trade Union Congress, and that they see Communist influence riddling the trade unions, "from those at the top, including Mr. Arlitpr Horner, right down throughout the organisation.’’ They believe the shop stewards, a large number of whom are Communists, are regarding unofficial strikes as a rehearsal for a general strike. They find not two, but nearly 40, Communists in the House of Commons when “fellow travellers’’ are counted. They discern Communist influence not only in factories and workshops, but in schools, radio, press and films, and they believe the Communuist policy is to hinder and impede every step likely to lead to Britain's national recovery. Though many delegates felt that Mr. Andrew Fountaine's speech was too intense and emotional, there is no doubt that this tall, dark, young farmer, whose mother formerly lived in Hawke's Bay, provided a spark to set a light to the feelings on this subject. At the same time the confer ence wts quick to dissociate the party from any suggestion of antiSemeticism and equally careful not to let it be thought there is any intention of influencing the Dominions in combating anti-democratic forces, except by example. There was thunderous applause when the debate ended with Mr. H. G. Strauss declaring the subject was the most vital one to come before the conference, and adding: It is time we stopped asking what the Communists want. It is time we s’iarted showing what the Communists are doing.”