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ADELAIDE. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20. 1951.
COMMUNIST PERILS REAL
Memories are often dangerously short. It is
easy for Australians to tor«ct the means by which
the Communists rose to power in other countries.
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opponents, of the hideous methods by which Red
minorities bent whole nations to their will, and of
the crushing of every vestige of personal liberty, is
apt to fade.
On Saturday, Australians will decide whether
the Communists here shall, or shall not, be allowed
to work openly and freely to make this country
another mere satellite of the Soviet. To recall what
Communist rule has meant to other peoples, and to
reflect on the consequences of a spread of the Red
tyranny, must help in the exiting of an intelligent,
responsible vote.
A number of Australian churchmen have ex
pressed divergent views on the referendum issue.
This discussion, however, has supplied a timely
reminder of the basically anti-Christian nature of
Communism. In eastern Europe and China, all
sections of the Christian community have suffered at
the Communists* hands. Expulsions and imprison
ment of church leaders, and the stifling of Christian
thought and influence, are typical of Red methods of
control. Here, as elsewhere, all Christian faiths and
democratic institutions, as well as the personal
liberties Australians prize so much, are threatened
by Communism's advance.
It would be dangerous folly to suppose that,
whfehever way the referendum goes, there is no
possibility of the Communist system being introduced
here. Over 400m. Chinese, to take but a recent
example, did not seek Communism. The Red
bondage was imposed on them by force, by a small
minority.
After a searching enquiry, Mr. Justice Lowe
found that Australian Communist policy included 'the
seizure of power by the proletariat and the smashing
of the State as we know it.'
Rejection of the referendum proposals would
certainly encourage the Reds in efforts to strengthen
their network of intrigue and sabotage, with this end
in view. They would regard a 'No' majority, if
not as endorsement of the Communist cause, then at
least as proof that Australians are prepared to
tolerate their white-anting on behalf of a foreign
Power.
Communists are dearly perturbed by the prospect
of a 'Yes' vote. But while there is cause for the
Reds' alarm, no genuine Labor union or religious
body has reason to fear the carrying of the referen
dum. Impartial legal opinion is that, under
the proposals set out, there is adequate protection
for all but the Communists.
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