11 September 1981. Thought for the Week:
"Most crooks in a big way are Saviours, although, through
the ages, at long intervals, there have been Saviours who
were not crooks. These latter can generally be identified
by the fact that they are unpopular until a long time after
their, in the main, violent death
The technique of this saviour
business is simple and was well understood by Robin Hood,
who took all you had, and gave you back your car fare. Modern
Chancellors of the Exchequer, beginning with Mr. Lloyd George,
who took nine pence from us all and gave some of us four pence
back, subject to tax, regard it as the core of Finance. Generalised,
the idea is to arrange an intolerable situation, and save
you from it at the cost of accepting one barely tolerable.
You are threatened with going all the way to Moscow, if you
don't agree to go halfway to Moscow
"
C.H. Douglas, in Programme for the Third World War (1943) |
SOUTH AFRICAN CAMPAIGN INTENSIFIESFew would have believed, even a year
ago, that the West would openly side with the Soviet Union
in its designs on South Africa and the vital minerals in that
region; not to mention the route round the Cape of Good Hope.
But the unthinkable is beginning to materialise. The Australian,
(2/9/81) reported: "The former British Prime Minister, Mr.
Heath, warned the South African Government yesterday it could
not rely on the support of the West in peace or in war, even
against Soviet Union aggression, until it ended its policy
on apartheid..." His speech, naturally enough, shocked South Africans, and the report continued: The multi-millionaire head of South Africa's Anglo-American Corporation, and the country's foremost businessman Mr. Harry Oppenheimer, rebuffed the speech. He said Mr. Heath's remarks were straightforward and courageous but added that "not even all of us who want to see change want to see such rapid change in South Africa " What a delightful pas-de-deux between Edward Heath, a member of the semi-secret Bilderberger group and one of the international banking fraternity, and Oppenheimer, who co-operates closely with the USSR in international price-fixing for gold and diamonds! The same issue of The Australian
reported: "Signs of a rift between the Prime Minister, Mr.
Mugabe, and his ruling coalition partner, Mr. Nkomo, have
appeared over the Zimbabwe Government's decision to form a
national army brigade that is being equipped and trained by
North Korea.... The Australian Government is now considering
sending military aid to Zimbabwe in an effort to offset the
influence of the Korean military presence there...." |
A REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR GENERAL?The gaggle of republicans in Australia has claimed their objective is a new republican constitution by 1988. Few pay much attention, and the 'sour grapes' comments by the same old hackneyed few following the magnificent wedding of Prince Charles and his bride - the most widely viewed spectacle in television history -strengthened, if anything, monarchical sentiment in Australia. The Governor General Sir Zelman Cowen,
it seems is taking it all seriously. He was speaking at a
'colloquium', "Public Policies in two countries: Canada and
Australia." Sir Zelman noted the differences between Trudeau's
attempt to 'patriate' the Constitution in Canada, and the
task of amending the Constitution in Australia. He quoted
Mr. Trudeau in a recent speech in the Canadian House of Commons,
who was, in turn, quoting a former Canadian Governor General,
Georges Vanier: Trudeau, of course, is committed to the
destruction of the Canadian provinces, followed by the handing
of Canada's sovereign powers to the United Nations. This has
produced the most intense constitutional battle in Canada's
history. But where does Sir Zelman, the Queen's representative
stand? The Australian quotes him as saying there was
some hope that the Constitution would be redrafted before
the bi-centenary in 1988. (2/9/81) |
PREPARING FOR THE SHOW DOWNThe 1981 League of Rights National Weekend
coincides with Prime Minister Fraser's much publicised Commonwealth
Conference in Melbourne. Having sacrificed Rhodesia, Mr. Fraser
and his backers are moving forward to sacrifice South Africa,
constantly stressing their allegiance to the building of the
New International Economic Order. This year's National Weekend is to be
concentrated on carrying through a programme which will make
it clear to Prime Minister Fraser, the Marxists and others
from "The Third World", and their international backers, that
patriotic Australians are going to call for an end to support
for further treachery against Australia and other members
of the Free World. The Annual New Times Dinner, the most inspirational event in the League year, will be held at The Victoria, in the evening, with the distinguished South African journalist, author and lecturer, Mr. Ivor Benson, as the guest of honour. Tickets are $12 each. No booking will be made unless the money has been paid in advance. Vegetarian and fish dinners provided on request. New Zealand National Director Mr. David
Thompson will bring a message in person from the New Zealand
battlefront. He will also be giving a short paper at the National
Seminar on the Saturday. Hard-hitting Papers will be given
at the Seminar by Mr. Eric Butler and Mr. Jeremy Lee. There
will be some significant revelations concerning the real meaning
of the Fraser policy for the Commonwealth Heads' of State
Conference and the subversive role of the World Council of
Churches. It is essential that all supporters who can make every endeavour to be present and to bring as many others as possible. Adequate supplies of the Seminar brochure are available. Melbourne actionists will be hitting Melbourne on the eve of the National Weekend and the Commonwealth Conference with tens of thousands of the special issue of "The Electors' Voice". Inspirational reports will be heard at the National Action Seminar on Sunday, October 4th. And plans outlined for an intensified campaign. An historic National weekend is certain. |
THAT DISTANT BOOM"A boom, as in 'resources boom', is a tricky thing. Now you see it; now you don't. Or rather, different people see it in different lights... - The Age (Melbourne) September 7th. In our issue of August 28th we made some
comment on this mysterious "resources boom". The Age
Editorial of September 7th, added: C.H. Douglas, in his many writings, often dryly comments that - "there's nothing like leather". This is an abbreviation of an old English axiom, viz. "To the bootmaker, there's nothing like leather". The old bootmaker's working life revolved around leather, so his thinking came to be monopolised by all the advantages which leather could confer on society, and the members of society. Similarly, to the baker, there would be nothing like flour. To the International Financier, there would be nothing like the monopoly of credit! To the Australian (or any other) Treasury,
the figures are the reality: if the figures in the accounting
procedures of the Reserve Bank, and the Trading Banks, disclose
that overseas capital is streaming into Australia, as has
been the case; then, presto, we have a resources boom, as
the overseas capital is being funnelled into the commercial
exploitation of coal, aluminium, natural gas, uranium. Mr. John Howard, the Federal Treasurer, in his own recent address, was, like the punter at Moonee Valley, having his five bob each way. He said that resource development was proceeding rapidly and strongly. BUT, this doesn't mean that the boom is evenly spread "across the whole spectrum of the resource industries". (We can smell the hand, or rather the pen, of the professional speechwriter here!) A nice piece of "double speak" journalese follows. How about this? " Even in an era of strong resource growth there will be periods during which particular minerals will not be in heavy demand, and periods during which individual companies will experience slack activity and lessened demand for particular minerals." We said our piece on the phony "resources boom" in our previous issue. Mr. Howard's words (above) are just "greasing the pole". They are slick politicians' speechwriter stuff, to ensure that any genuine critics clambering up the pole with valid points of issue slide down out of sight. Old reliable trickery. |