COMMUNISM.

Waikato Times, Volume 99, Issue 16654, 20 November 1925, Page 8

COMMUNISM.

IS LABOUR’S POLICY.

QUEENSLAND JUDGE’S ADMISSION.

In ihe articles which have appeared in this paper on Ihe Communist organisation, plenty of evidence has been adduced to prove that the Communists are a more than ordinary power in the councils of Labour (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph). We have seen powerful unions apointing immigrant associates and colleagues of the worst type of Russian Communists as secretaries. We have seen the. New South Wales Labour Council dominated by the Communist leader, and the Labour movement apparently powerless to rid itself of him. We have read from the Labour Daily, of which three Ministers are or were quite recently directors, that the Communist Socialisation plank is stolen almost word for word from the A.L.P. platform, and that ihe true meaning of socialisation of industry is—“Nationalisation without compensation. and with workers’ control of banks, mines, and large-scale industries.

“Workers’ control of all State and municipal services.” We have read of Mr Theodore saying of the socialisation ideal: "If you adopt- this plank, you may ns well change the name of the Labour Party to the Communist Party.”

Note that Mr Theodore was Premier of Queensland at that time, and that his view, expressed in 1021, coincides with the view of the Labour Daily (and presumably of its directors, those conslitutional-minded Stale Ministers Messrs Lang, Willis and Baddcley), expressed in February, 1925.

"Having let that sink into our minds, let us quote another authority, whose name is Brennan. The statement which he made, in his capacity as Slate member for Toowoomba, is in Queensland Hansard. July .11, 1922, page his. It was quoted in the Legislative Assembly as late as August 19 last, without drawing a repudiation from its author or from the Queensland Ministry.

Communism —Not Socialism

Mr Brennan said: —“I am saying the farmers are moving in the right direction by going in for Communism. The Age and the Argus call it Communism. Then why should we take notice of the rambling statements of the lion, member for Oxley and others about Communism? It is only a political expedient to try and draw a veil over the eyes of the public. We know what it moans. We stand for co-operative methods—in other words, socialisation—in connection with industry in every branch. The Argus and Age call it Communism, and so do we." To show that there was no mistake in this gentleman’s opinion, let me quote what took place next day: "Mr Fletcher: Do you stand for your policy? “Mr Kirwan: I stand for the policy of this party. "Mr Bowles: Socialism? "Mr Brennan: Communism —the farmers do loo.” It only remains to be said that Mr Brennan was not only in the inner councils of his party at the time he made this statement, but that he continued to receive from the party and the Government a succession of favours, which may be taken as meaning that his reliability was officially unquestioned by Labour circles and that his views, and also his interpretations of his official party views—met with the full approval of Hie party. Anyhow, after lie had thus opened the way to a public understanding of what the Labour Party platform means, he was made, first, a member of the State Executive Council; then Secretary for Public Instruction in the State Ministry; and in the next year a Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland.