The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1948 THE PASSING OF DEMOCRACY

Wanganui Chronicle, 11 October 1948, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle MONDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1948 THE PASSING OF DEMOCRACY

JCURTHER evidence that democracy as a political setup may pass away has been provided by the conduct of the Australian Commonwealth Government abandoning Parliamentary procedure to prosecute a questioning of Mr. Fadden, the Leader of the Country Party. This is not yet in line with what is going on in Czechoslovakia, where the “law” is being strengthened to provide penalties for any action against the present Government, but the Australian action is in the same direction. In Australia the leader of the Country Party, in the exercise of his Parliamentary duties, brought forward in the House of Representatives for public discussion the question as to whether there had been a leakage of information in Australia concerning the atomic bomb. It was apparently deemed to be more of interest to learn how Mr. Fadden came by his information concerning the attitude of the American Government towards the Australian Government’s activities in this direction than it was to learn how the leakage com plained of occurred. It should be noticed that Mr. Fadden in order to protect himself called in the newspaper reporters, who represent not only their respective newspapers but through the agencies to which they are attached, the world press as well. Here a public man was enabled to call the world to witness the questions that were to he put to him and the answers that he vouehafed in reply. It had a salutory effect upon Mr. Fadden’s inquisitors. It should be emphasised that in a British community any man may be interrogated by the police but he may please himself whether he replies or not. If he does not reply it cannot be regarded as evidence against him and his guilt presumed to rest thereon.