DR. J. F. CAIRNS ON THE FEDERAL ELECTION

"We have lost partly because of the things I stand for. The result is pretty much as I expected it would be". - Dr. J.F. Cairns, ALP's leading dedicated Socialist, "The Age", (Melbourne) November 28.
"The ALP, because of Saturday's election result, will now face tremendous pressure to move to the right. This must be resisted. Whatever my future position and influence may be in the Labor Party, it will be used against compromise with the basic principles for which we fought in the election." - Dr. J. F. Cairns in "Let's keep to the Left" in "The Sun", (Melbourne) November 29.

Before anti-Communists get too carried away by last Saturday's Federal Election results, they might ponder with profit on the significance of the clear-cut statements by a Labor-Socialist leader who is going to play an increasingly important role in Australian politics in the next three years. A most important holding battle was won last Saturday, but the long-term prospects of winning the worldwide revolutionary war in which Australia is involved, are still in grave doubt.
The frank statement by Dr. Cairns that the election result was "pretty much as I expected it to be", provides confirmation for our own view that the extreme left-wing members of the ALP, the darlings of the Communist Parry, were not particularly concerned about losing the Federal Election so long as the Left-wing grip on the ALP was strengthened.

Although the Fabian-Socialist Mr. Gough Whitlam is, on his own admission, as far to the Left as is Dr. Cairns, he would undoubtedly have projected a much more favourable election image as ALP leader than did Mr. Calwell. But the Left-wing of the ALP mustered its full strength to beat off the Whitlam bid for the ALP leadership, and insisted in going into the election with the Government's greatest asset; the ageing and pathetic Mr. Arthur Calwell.

The possibility of Australia facing the critical years ahead under a hopelessly divided ALP led by Mr. Calwell was too much for the Australian electors. And Mr. Calwell's election performances, such as his vicious personal attack on the Prime Minister's family in Adelaide, undoubtedly turned tens of thousands of voters against the ALP.

The Communists are nor infallible tacticians, but it is difficult to believe that they felt that the ugly threats of physical violence, particularly against the Prime Minister, Mr. Holt, could do other than assist the Government. The only logical conclusion is that the Communists wished for the result that Dr. Cairns expected. Or they were encouraging the development of new revolutionary tactics into Australia with a long -term aim in view?
Whatever the real answer, the organised mob violence at the election proved to be a valuable Government asset.

Taking the short-term view, the Government Parties won a smashing victory. A majority of Australian electors clearly endorse Australia taking a military stand against Communism. But the Communists are taking the long view. They cannot help be delighted when they hear Government leaders in one breath declaiming on the deadly danger from Communist China while in the next breath they claim that Australia's economic health depends upon "trade" with the enemy. And if the Communists agree with Dr. Cairns, their favourite ALP MP then they look forward to using an ALP more Leftwing dominated than before the election as an instrument of revolutionary warfare.

The Federal Election result is a signal for the powerful fifth-column in Australia to intensify its programme of subversion and confusion as the worldwide revolutionary war moves forward. This is no time for Australian patriots to relax.

THE PURPOSE OF THE LIBERAL REFORM GROUP

"How-to-vote cards distributed on behalf of the Liberal Reform Group - the cause of a Supreme Court action yesterday - were the centre of a controversy at Hawthorn today. At five polling booths in the Hawthorn area of the Yarra electorate, Liberal Reform how-to-vote cards were handed out although the LRG has no candidate in the electorate. The cards urged voters to give their No.1 preference in Yarra to the sitting member, Dr. J. F. Cairns, ALP". "The Herald" (Melbourne) November 26.

As pointed out by the Liberal Party candidate, the handing out of Liberal Reform cards in Yarra was "a very clever move". The LRG card looked very similar to the Liberal Party card, and in an election which Mr. Cairns knew he might well be pressed closely, a number of Liberal supporters, particularly elderly people, might be misled to provide decisive votes for Dr. Cairns. The Liberal Reform Group's open support for Dr. Cairns provided further confirmation of the real purpose of this Group's entry into the election. Since the election a spokesman for the Liberal Reform Group has stated that the Group proposes to continue its activities. It is obvious that this Group has a lot of money behind it, so it can be anticipated that it will help spread confusion about the Communist thrust in South-East Asia.

THE BATTLE FOR WARRINGAH

The latter stages of the election campaign in the blue ribbon Liberal electorate of Warringah saw some incredible efforts by Mr. Edward St. John, the endorsed Liberal Party candidate, and his supporters, to beat off the challenge of the Independent Liberal, Mr. Keith Chambers. The full story of the battle for Warringah will be told later, but we record a significant extract from a special article written on the eve of the election by Mr. Sam Lipski. The article appeared in "The Bulletin" of November 26 (which actually appeared for sale on Wednesday, November 23) and was immediately reprinted in leaflet form for mass distribution throughout Warringah.

The final paragraph of Mr. Lipski's article reads:
"The campaign (in Warringah) ... is not really directed at helping Chambers to win the election. It is mainly an attempt to lessen St. John's majority in comparison with previous Liberal candidates. The problem for the extremist-Right is that St. John might not stay on the backbenches for very long. Some of his colleagues feel that Territories, External Affairs, Attorney General, are all possible portfolios for him in the future - very sensitive ones as far as the extremist-Right is concerned. So if he cannot be beaten, perhaps he can be neutralised as 'doubtful'. It would have been a miracle for Mr. Chambers to win in Warringah in face of the massive campaign mounted by the St. John forces. But he and his backers did exactly what Mr.Sam Lipski feared: they severely reduced the Liberal Party's majority in Warringah. It is the lowest it has been since Sir Percy Spender won the electorate as an Independent.
Mr. Chambers and his supporters performed magnificently to take approximately 25 per cent, of the Liberal votes away from Mr. St. John.
Mr. St. John is assured of an interesting reception from many of his fellow Liberal Party Members at Canberra.

MR. D. J. KILLEN'S MASSIVE WIN

FURTHER WESTERN TREASON PROPOSED

"The U.S. yesterday made a new move towards expanding trade and peaceful relations with Eastern Europe. The U.S. under-secretary of State, Mr.Eugene Rostow, proposed that the 21 members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development explored prospects for enlarged links with Eastern Europe". "The Australian" November 20.
"Expanding trade" with the Communist bloc of nations simply means that the West extends further long term credits to the Communists so that they can be provided with increasing economic aid from the West.

The Eastern European Communists are co-operating fully with the Soviet Union in supplying economic and military aid to the Viet Cong. They are also assisting in the promotion of a worldwide campaign of revolution and subversion designed to further Communist strategy for world conquest. So much for "peaceful relations".

"The Australian" of November 30 carried the following report:
"General Westmoreland, the American commander in South Vietnam, has recommended that U.S. troops be sent into Laos to cut the overland supply lines from North Vietnam to the South. It is understood that the U.S. State Department is opposed to this, fearing international repercussions when American relations are prospering."

The only relations that are "prospering" are the one-sided economic relations. Rather than break off these relations, the policy makers in Washington insist that nothing must be done in the war in Vietnam to upset the Soviet Union. Not only must there be no blockade of the North Vietnam Port of Haiphong, but General Westmoreland is not permitted to make what he considers to be a most necessary military move against the Viet Cong. The West will pay dearly for this type of treachery.

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All election comment authorised by Eric D. Butler, Alma Road, Panton Hills, Victoria.