WHITHER FRANCE

"De Gaulle seemed not to understand that ordinary Frenchmen were finding the problem of living almost impossible to resolve." - The Herald, April 28.

The fall of De Gaulle over a domestic issue in which he sought to further consolidate his personal political power is an ironic ending - or is it only an interlude? - to the career of a man who has served the cause of communist expansion faithfully. His departure will not bring any reversal in either French foreign policy, or domestic policy. On the contrary, there is every indication that there will be deterioration in both spheres.

As the revolutionary climate sweeping the world gains momentum there is no room for doddering old men who may have some pangs of nationalism left in them. The manipulation of the mass media is an easy means of knocking any "world figure" from his pedestal. "France" had been so much a part of the international scenery with its nationalism rapidly being obliterated in the Common Market, and its foreign policy following Marxist-Leninist directives. It will take more than the removal of one figurehead to bring a change of policy.

Should the Rothschild banker, Georges Pompidou take over, it should not surprise if the "new Faces" obtains the extension of controls demanded by De Gaulle, with a far greater rigidity in domestic financial policies which is the fundamental cause of unrest in France. We are merely witnessing once again the extension of financial policy to control all policies.

THE IRISH STEW

"Irish PM goes. Northern Ireland's Premier Capt. Terence O'Neil, resigned today, the Government Information Office announced." - Stop Press, The Sun, April 29.

There is no doubt that the moderate Captain O'Neil has been the victim of a combination of revolutionary forces operating to destroy stable government in Northern Ireland. All the ingredients necessary for professional revolutionary activity are present. The separation issue of Ireland and Ulster involves Protestants and Catholics, with large doses of revolutionary socialism thrown in. Combined with traditional antipathy to the concept that any part of Ireland would have constitutional ties with Britain, as has predominantly protestant Northern Ireland, there exists a witches brew any revolutionary force could positively delight in.

Indicative of the breakdown now being witnessed all over the world was the reception given to the socialist M.P., Bernadette Devlin. She was hailed almost as a saviour by the House of Commons, yet all she could recommend was the destruction of government in Northern Ireland.

Once again economic injustices are obvious amongst the depressed peasantry. Injustice, which is being exploited to further revolution by those who do not want. As in France where neither food nor the where-withal for material security is no problem, the means to this end is denied by harsh financial policies. The same financial policies being used by Wilson to breed discontent in England. The same financial policies destroying stability in Australia, Canada, America, and the rest of the Western world.

More needs to be known of one of the chief forces stirring the secular conflict, the Rev. Ian Paisley. He emerged from the USA some few years ago with a divinity degree from an obscure American theological college, and with sufficient funds to travel to any point of the globe where the protestant-catholic issue could be exploited, while making Northern Ireland, the flashpoint of secular bigotry his home base. His influence, more than any other is responsible for the violence now sweeping Northern Ireland. He has never lacked either publicity or funds. His riots always get good coverage by TV and press. Is it mere coincidence, or is there another reason?

AUSTCARE - CHARITY THE EASY WAY

"Austcare is the abbreviation of Australians Care for Refugees. Austcare was formed by the major voluntary aid bodies in Australia to work together for refugees. Thus Austcare has become the symbol in Australia for our concern for some fifteen millions of people who have as the result of war and its aftermath, persecution on racial, political or religious grounds, fled or been driven from their homelands."

So runs the advertising blurb designed to attract financial support from all section of Australians for what the Americans call a "package deal". The package deal was a gimmick designed to sell a number of items in one lot. You took what you wanted along with a lot of what you did not want. The first thing noticeable to those who understand the basic cleavage operating in the world, is the way Christian churches have been drawn into an organisation in which while their numbers predominate, it is highly doubtful that fundamental Christian doctrine plays a leading role.

The predominant role played by the United Nations and affiliated bodies, and such organisations the Australian Council of Churches which never fail to follow the Communist line, is most noticeable in the Austcare brochure. Christian churches and clergy are almost compelled to go along with such an appeal.

Charity is one of the great Christian virtues, and all Christians are called upon to practice it. Few can stand aside when a powerfully loaded appeal such as Austcare is presented to them. However the most objectionable feature of Austcare is the complete lack of emphasis on the first priority of teaching Christianity as the basis of solving material problems. Is this because such fundamental doctrine is no longer understood in Christian churches? If so it explains why Christian churches can be gulled into co-operating with secular enterprises which skim off badly needed funds for fundamental Christian and missionary work.

Another grave objection is the breaking down of individual responsibility. It is easier to give for a highly publicised group organisation than to a small group or an individual as is often the case in Christian missionary work, and where faithfulness and consistency in giving is called for. Such giving is backed by a personal knowledge of what the funds are doing. Such funds are accounted for and given on a basis of personal responsibility and is the first method Christians traditionally employed to help the oppressed and needy. It should remain the basis of Christian giving.

TRUDEAU GOVERNMENT FACES INCREASING CRITICISM

Mr. Eric Butler reports from Canada:

A Canadian political commentator recently said that the honeymoon between Prime Minister Trudeau and the Canadian daily press was now over, it is, of course, in the nature of political reality that most Government's start to lose popularity once they are elected. But there was so much hysteria surrounding the election of Mr. Trudeau last year, that it would have been a miracle if his post-election support had not dropped. However, it is clear that the Trudeau Government is starting to run into deep trouble.

This first thing which has struck me this year compared with last is the chaotic postal "service"'. Mails have been taking up to two weeks to travel from Toronto to Vancouver. There is a growing chorus of letters of protest to the daily papers, and the Federal Minister in charge of the postal services has been subjected to scathing criticism in the House of Commons. A new storm of protest has been precipitated by the use of new postal regulations to deprive many publications of second class mailing.

The Government has not been helped by the revelation that Communist and hippie papers have not lost their privileges, while Mr. Ron Gostick's Canadian Intelligence Publications have. The Government claims that it is putting the mail services on a strictly business basis. Critics reply that a drastic deterioration in mail services does not appear too business-like.

Perhaps the first real open crack in Mr. Trudeau's parliamentary ranks has come with the resignation of Senator John Black Aird as chairman of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association because of his disagreement with Prime Minister Trudeau's decision to reduce Canadian participation in the alliance. The significance of Senator Aird's resignation goes beyond his position as a member of the NATO committee. Until last July he was treasurer of the Liberal Party and arranged party financing in all general elections since 1962. One senior Liberal has described Senator Aird as one of the most influential Liberals in Canada. He is definitely not the sort of person who goes off on a tangent.

First German Foreign Minister Willy Brandt flew into Ottawa almost immediately following the announcement by Mr. Trudeau that he was reducing Canadian troops in NATO. While Mr. Brandt was most diplomatic in his language, he left little doubt that his Government was worried about the effects of the Canadian decision, not only on other NATO members, but on the Soviet Union who may well believe that in time NATO will collapse.

While many Canadians are vitally concerned about foreign policy issues, including the moves to ascertain whether diplomatic relations can be established with Red China, it is mounting domestic problems, which appear to be causing the most concern. Former Conservative leader John Diefenbaker, who continues to act like the only leader of the Opposition, has blasted the Trudeau Government's legislation, which does little to meet the main problems, which he lists as the highest cost of living, the highest interest rates, the highest income tax and the highest general level of taxation in history.

A recent statement by Mr. Louis Raminsky of Canada's Central Bank sounds ominous to those who understand the significance of such statements. Mr. Raminsky warns about the present rate of inflation and suggests that unless it slows down, "fiscal restraints" will have to be imposed. As an old London School boy, Mr. Raminsky must be aware that Fabian Socialist Financial policies mean either inflation or deflation - with disastrous results whichever policy is pursued.

PRISON CAMP HORRORS IN THE SOVIET

Angry questions have been asked in the House of Commons about a report published in the London Daily Mail, according to an article in the Sydney Daily Telegraph (6.4.69.). The report is the first authentic account of the prison life of Gerald Brooke, the British School teacher jailed in 1965 on charges of allegedly smuggling anti-Soviet pamphlets into Russia. The article continues "Three German students who shared a cell with Brooks, and who have now been released in "exchange for a Soviet spy jailed in Germany, told their stories to the Mail…Prisoners at the forced labour jail are driven by despair to mutilate and brand themselves. Some use nails and ink to tattoo slogans on their foreheads such as "Death to the Communist Party". One man stitched up his own mouth: Another cut off his own nose and ears. Another nailed himself to a table. Yet another prisoner took his own life in the workshop by holding his head against a circular saw. Several other men committed suicide by jumping from the incinerator chimney. Others deliberately ran out of bounds so they could be mown down by the guards' machine guns. The report says most ordinary Russians do not know these horror camps exist. One prisoner said: "We console ourselves by saying: The real prisoners here are the Russian people. One day we shall be out. But there is no release for them."

Communist propaganda has consistently attempted to seduce the West into believing that physical atrocities of this nature disappeared at the end of the Stalin era. That this propaganda has succeeded to a large extent is clear. Not only Church leaders but also parliamentary representatives and trade officials have been gulled into silence and even into complicity with the communist perpetrators of this type of horror. As far as we are aware, no attempt has ever been made by the United Nations, that "champion of Human Rights" to alleviate the distress of oppressed people in Russia. It might well be asked why it is that the righteous and hypocritical condemnations, which have been directed against countries, like Rhodesia, South Africa. Angola, Mozambique and, incidentally, Australia in her parent role in New Guinea, should fade to such complete silence when the Communist system is under scrutiny. For all their imperfections, these countries have never had to resort to "Berlin Wall" tactics to prevent their citizens from voting with their feet.