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THE COAL STRIKE,
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COMMUNIST PLAN SEEN.
Mr. Thorby Hits Out.
BRISBANE, April 4.-In a bitter de
nunciation of the coal strike at the Con
stitutional Club today, the Postmaster
General (Mr. Thorby) declared it was
part of a carefully-laid Communist plan
to hold up the Australian war effort. He
had forecast last year that in March
Communists would cause the strike, that
the second stage would be to paralyse
transport, and the third to cut off electric
Power supplies.
"It is no use mincing matters," he said.
"If we allow the strike to continue, we
will have our war effort stultified and it
will make us into no more than a benevo
lent neutral I say very definitely, and I
don't care where the statement goes or
what interpretation is placed on it, that
there is no room in this country for
strikes during a war.
"I say very definitely that no political
party can justify a strike in wartime.
If the Arbitration Court is neces
sary in peacetime, how much more
essential is it in wartime? I appeal to
both sides to take advantage of that Court
to prevent one more hour's delay in any
section of industry during the war."
At one stage Mr. Thorby broke off his
speech to declare: "I am very outspoken,
and I do not care who is hurt by what I
say. When I say a thing, I say it because
I think it ought to be said."
He then continued: "Most of the great
bulk of the people in this country, and
even the great bulk of unionists, are with
us in our effort to prevent strikes. The
Communist element-I refuse to recog
nise Communists as a political party-is
definitely endeavouring to bring . about
disruption to stultify Australia's effort in
this war.
"'Dislayalists and Traltar"."
"No country can afford to sit back and
let these men go on. I say they are dis
loyalists and traitors, and their treachery
is something that cannot be countenanced
by anybody, and I will say that as long
as I have got breath in my body. They
are not prepared to recognise religion;
they ridicule the Constitution; they are
not prepared to be loyal. Their political
wing is a mere blind to their other
activities. It is time every true Australian
should be prepared to do his or her utmost
to cast out that disruptive element."
Mr. Thorby pleaded for national unity
which, he said, demanded the sinking of
individual differences for the prosecution
of the war and the solution of industrial
disputes. It would have to be realised
that tremendous demands might have to
be made on the community. He had been
present at the last Cabinet meeting which
reviewed taxation proposals, and he could
say that taxes would be fairly heavy, but
the burdens would not be beyond the
people's capacity.
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