Mt. ISA DISASTER MAJOR COMMUNIST VICTORY

The Communist conspiracy has scored a major victory in Australia through the Mt. Isa disaster. The Mt. Isa episode has provided yet another example of the classical Communist technique of exploiting a genuine industrial dispute to the Communists' own advantage. The Queensland Worker, organ of the Queensland branch of the Australian Workers' Union, has stated that "The dispute at Mt. Isa is no longer an industrial dispute. The big part is Communist infiltration and Communist domination of sections of the trade union movement, particularly in big production areas that can be regarded as the essence of industries that are peculiar to the defence of a country."

While the AWU is to be congratulated for exposing Communist influence in the Mt. Isa disaster, it stands self-condemned for permitting itself to lose control of the situation through bureaucratic bungling. Lack of effective on-the-spot representation of the Mt. Isa unionists permitted Mr. Pat Mackie, backed by the Communists, who had created a powerful cell in Mt. Isa originally on instructions from Adelaide, to establish himself as a local leader of the miners. When Mackie was expelled from the AWU, Mr. Jack Hanson, who is Communist State Secretary of the Painters' Union, helped him with another union ticket. Both Mt. Isa Mines Ltd. and the Queensland State Government must also accept a high degree of blame for permitting the development of a situation which the Communists skilfully turned to their own advantage. The State Government's State of Emergency legislation merely added fuel to the flames.

It is irrelevant whether Mackie is a Communist or not; the fact is that as soon as they realised what was happening at Mt. Isa, the Communists adopted Mackie as their man. The Communist-dominated Brisbane and Labor Council, led by Communist Mr. Alex McDonald, soon moved into the controversy. Dr. Jim Cairns, the Federal Labor Member who has stated that the Labor Party should not fight Communism, entered the fray with support for Mackie. When Mackie came to Melbourne last week, Dr. Cairns was present at the Essendon airport along with prominent Communists to meet him.

According to the Rev. Bruce Anderson, Mackie's appearance before the congregation of St. Luke's Methodist Church, Richmond, last Sunday evening, was the result of "Higher ministers" consulting with Dr. Cairns. As the Mt. Isa strike dragged on, with apparently little hope of a settlement, large numbers of the more moderate unionists left, the result being that this increased the strength of the Communists, who encouraged threats of violence against any workers prepared to accept the industrial gains already gained as a result of last month's conference presided over by Commissioner Harvey.

The Communist grip was sufficiently strong to ensure that the meeting of unionists last Sunday rejected the clear suggestion by the AWU that they should now return to work. It was claimed that the re-instatement of Mackie by Mt. Isa Mines must be part of the settlement.

But the revolutionaries do not want any real settlement; they want to wreck a vital industry, essential to Australia's defence and development. Having already achieved their major objective in Mt. Isa, it can be predicted that the Communists' next major target in Queensland will be the important aluminium project near Rockhampton. In the meantime it is essential that Governments, management, and non-Communist Trade Unionists realise their duty to co-operate to prevent further Communist victories.

One thing is most urgent: adequate protection for rank and file trade unionists against the type of intimidation techniques used in Mt. Isa.

WHO IS MR "PAT MACKIE"?

On his own admission, Mr Pat Mackie was Eugene Markey when he first went to Mt. Isa. But is this merely another alias? What the Australian public should be told is whether there is any truth in the allegations that Mr. "Mackie" was originally Mr. Wesley Bremedus, and that he has also been known as Patrick Murphy and Maurice Patrick Murphy. And was he ever convicted in St. Jean, Quebec, Canada, in 1948 for having illegally imported a narcotic drug, and sentenced to 6 months gaol and fined 200 dollars? Was he also convicted in the same year for possessing an illegally concealed weapon?

Under what circumstances, and when, did Mr. "Mackie" enter Australia? These and similar questions should be raised in the Federal Parliament.

As Dr. Cairns is a former detective, no doubt he checked up on Mr. "Mackie's" background before endorsing him. So he should be able to tell Australians what is the truth about a man at present the darling of the Communists.

SMALL COMMUNIST SENATE VOTE IN MT. ISA

THE US AIR STRIKES AGAINST NORTH VIETNAM

The powerful U.S. air strikes this week against North Vietnam were inevitable following the humiliating defeat inflicted upon the Americans when the Viet Cong attacked the American airstrip and camp at Pleiku in South Vietnam. This is the worst blow of this type yet delivered by the Viet Cong against the Americans, and the news had a major impact in the U.S.A. However, it is mere wishful thinking to believe that the type of blow which should have been struck against North Vietnam years ago, if victory was the objective, has basically altered the reality of the situation in South Vietnam.

Events move at such a rate today that many forget that President Johnson found it necessary prior to the American Presidential Elections, to strike hard against North Vietnam. This did not prevent the Viet Cong from continuing to win in South Vietnam. Unless followed up, this week's U.S. air-strikes will be seen retrospectively as a cover for a continuation of the no-win policy which President Johnson's advisers are still pursuing. Wishful thinking is no substitute for a desire to face reality - however unpalatable it may be.

THE NO-WIN POLICY AGAINST CUBA

The truth about the U.S. no-win policy can best be studied in relationship to the Cuban Question. Cuba is only 90 miles from the U.S.A., and is the major base for the Communist offensive against the U.S.A. in the Western Hemisphere. There are now more than 100,000 Cuban refugees in the U.S.A., and their leaders are increasingly puzzled by the continued silence of President Johnson on Cuba. Any attempt to get a statement from the Johnson Administration is given the silent treatment. Cuban leaders fear that one of the most dangerous men inside the State Department is Mr. Thomas Mann, Assistant Secretary of State for Latin American affairs, who believes that some agreement can be reached with Castro. But it was the same Mann who supported Castro before he came to power and brushed aside all warnings about the Communist control of the Castro revolution.

An ugly story is circulating in the U.S.A. that the present Government in Brazil, which is strongly anti-Communist, had agreed to permit the establishment in Brazil of a Cuban Government in exile, headed by former Cuban President Carlos Prio Socarras. It was felt that the establishment of such a Government would result in prompt recognition by many Latin-American countries, also the U.S.A. This would enable a major offensive to be directed against Castro in every possible way. But the State Department got to hear of the project and suggested to Brazil, which is in serious financial trouble and is relying upon the U.S.A., for assistance, that it should be dropped immediately. The State Department has also warned the Nicaraguan Government against permitting the establishment of a Cuban Government in exile.

TOM MBOYA'S INVITATION PAYS DIVIDENDS

When Mr. Tom Mboya invited Mr. Roberts, the aborigine from the Northern Territory, and Mr. John Guise, native politician from New Guinea, to visit Kenya as guests of the Kenya Government, some expressed the fear that the real purpose of the invitation was to permit the indoctrination of the visitors. As mentioned last week, the Communists are firmly entrenched in Kenya.
Statements made by Mr. Roberts and Mr. Guise since their return suggest that Communist Minister for Information, Mr. Oneka, did an effective job. Both Mr. Roberts and Mr. Guise have expressed enthusiastic views about Kenya. In The Age, Melbourne, February 2, Peter Hastings quotes Mr. Guise as saying to him, "I am Australia's friend, like Kenyatta is the friend of the British."

Australians should take careful note.