LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

By Eric D Butler
It would be blatant denial of truth to dispute that on Christmas Eve, 1976, mankind is living in the twilight of a Civilisation, which reached its zenith early this century.

Starting with the First World War, which was in essence a civil war between Christian Europeans, this century has advanced to the accompaniment of a growing barbarism and the eroding of all those Christian values, which gave Western Civilisation its distinctive character. The Great Depression of the 'thirties, the growth of Communism, the Second World War and the increasing disasters which flowed from it, were but an extension of the policy of destruction set in motion in 1914. Millions of human beings have been killed, murdered, tortured, starved or uprooted from the homes in which their forbears lived for centuries. Millions have passed under the jackboot of Communism.

A rootless internationalist, Henry Kissinger, the man who betrayed the people of Vietnam, who persuaded the simple President Ford to sign the Helsinki Agreement which formally proclaimed the ancient Christian nations of Eastern Europe to be permanently enslaved by the Soviet Union, and who insisted that Ian Smith of Rhodesia must negotiate the surrender of civilised government in Rhodesia under the guise of "majority rule", is hailed as a great world statesman.

The "famous" correspondents of the media pour out a torrent of words allegedly designed to ensure that the truth is known. But as the famous Malcolm Muggeridge has shown, the role of the media has been directed towards promoting trivia and perversion while suppressing as far as possible all information concerning the growing advance of barbarism.

One of the most disgraceful episodes of the Second World War was the forced repatriation of at least one million Russians to the Soviet Union from which they fled to escape the Stalin terror. Large numbers committed suicide rather than return As Solzhenitsyn has charged the "free, incorruptible press" of Britain participated in the cover-up of this sickening crime. When it suits the purposes of the controllers of the media, they then become "fearless", even bringing a President down. But they cannot discover the truth about Communism that it could not have survived in the Soviet Union without the massive economic blood transfusion financed from the West by international financiers like the Rockefellers.

In spite of treachery and the growth of barbarism, the eternal truths cannot be destroyed. The Solzhenitsyns of this world are a reminder that the spirit can still triumph over the flesh; that as one message to the 1976 Annual New Times Dinner put it, there is not enough darkness in the whole world to put out the light of small candle.

The world into which Christ came was even darker than today's world. The Roman Civilisation was disintegrating, basically for the same reasons that Western Civilisation is disintegrating. The early Christians who celebrated the birth of He who said that 'He was the Light of the World' faced a far more formidable task than that of today. And yet eventually their Faith triumphed and found expression in the greatest and most creative Civilisation yet produced by man.

Those who know the Truth have a special responsibility in the testing days ahead. Unlike those living in ignorance, they cannot ask for forgiveness because they know not what they do. League of Rights supporters have a special mission as the darkness deepens; to boldly proclaim the Truth about the basic causes of the state of the world, and by their constructive works in society to help sustain the morale of their fellows in the quickening crisis. They must play their part in preserving that light essential to show the way forward through the night to tomorrow's dawn. Let us pray that the night will not be of long duration.

A Happy and Holy Christmas to all readers and their families. And a period of real refreshment before stepping forward to meet the challenge of 1977.

PUBLICATION ARRANGEMENTS

THE RURAL CRISIS DEEPENS

A survey being conducted by the women's section of the National Party in Victoria has confirmed the view of veteran League of Rights supporters that the current rural crisis is worse than the crisis of the Great Depression. The destruction of the rural communities started before the Whitlam Government came to power.
If Government Members believe that they can go on blaming the Whitlam Government for the rural crisis, they are in for some major shocks by the time the next Federal Elections takes place.

The survey conducted by National Party women reveals that more than a third of farmers' wives now do a full day's work on the farms. Farmers' wives are being forced to do more as their husbands seek work off the farm; there was a "growing feeling of helplessness". 65 percent feel like second-class citizens. They feel unable to maintain their homes or provide their children with commonplace extras. Many find that they can no longer afford to visit friends, with 40 percent stating that they had been forced to cancel holidays and outings. There are growing health and domestic problems. Families were breaking up.

Primary Industry Minister Sinclair has said that the rural survey findings were alarming. He would refer the findings to his departmental officers and the Social Security Minister, Senator Guilfoyle. In the meantime not one positive suggestion has come from the Federal Government on how to ensure that farmers who have produced an abundance of food, or could easily do so, might be suitable rewarded without penalising consumers with even higher food prices. The use of new financial credits to finance consumer discount would be a major step in the right direction. But Federal Treasurer Lynch doggedly keeps on insisting that there is "excess liquity"- i.e., that there is too much purchasing power.

The destruction of the rural communities of Australia is a major national disaster, and one for which all Australians will pay dearly unless halted.

BRIEF COMMENTS

The critical state of Australia's defence is a matter of grave concern. Defence Minister Killen fell into a trap of his own making when he challenged Bulletin journalist Samuel to debate him on TV concerning allegations of Defence Department leaks made by Mr. Samuel. When he appeared before Channel 9's cameras, Mr. Killen's bluster and rhetoric were no match for the kind of hard facts produced by Mr. Samuel. But just as serious as lack of defence security, is the fact that the already meager Defence programme is to cost more because of devaluation. The estimated cost of a five-year programme is $1,857 million. As about 80 percent of military equipment bought in from overseas, nearly another $400 million must now be added to the total cost. There is a vast amount of unused industrial capacity in Australia, which could be used to make Australia much more self-reliant militarily. Increased domestic defence spending could at present provide a stimulus to consumer demand. But, as Defence Minister Killen said earlier this year, "fighting" inflation must take precedence over military defence. A realistic defence programme requires a change of financial policy to permit full use of Australia's productive capacity with out creating more inflation.

In the long list of policy disasters, both foreign and domestic, by the Fraser Government during its first year in office, the important subject of Taiwan should not be overlooked. It was reasonable to expect an "anti-Communist" Government to restore the normal relations with Taiwan, which were distributed by the Whitlam Government. The strategic importance of Taiwan is enormous. Papua New Guinea has established diplomatic relations with Peking without breaking its ties with Taiwan. Japan and other countries do likewise.