REALITY BREAKING THROUGH ON E.E.C.

"The Wilson Government remains committed to the application to join the Common Market and so, officially, do the Conservative and Liberal parties. Yet there is apparent among Ministers a decline in enthusiasm and a lack of candor that cannot be wholly explained by prudent desire to tread carefully." - Claude Forell reporting from London in The Age, Melbourne, August 6.

In an interesting report Claude Forell reveals how the deeply entrenched opposition to the Common Market proposal is now so obvious it cannot be ignored by the political parties. While the political party leaders are still forced to give lip service to the entry of Britain into the European Economic Community, deep divisions within the ranks of the parties are now openly appearing.
Forell comments,
"Public opinion surveys reflect a mood of growing apathy, apprehension and hostility. European partnership as an ideal has never really fired the imagination of the British people."

The financial and business tycoons of the City of London, that minority which has always pushed the Common Market proposal, were forced to stage a prestige dinner at the Guildhall in an effort to rally flagging support. Forell emphasises two points long pointed to by opponents of the Rome Treaty provisions. "The fear that Britain would eventually have to surrender some of her sovereignty to a remote and undemocratic bureaucracy of 'Eurocrats' in Brussels."
Also Britain would be economically penalised and her agricultural industry all but ruined. With the higher prices she would be forced to pay for European primary products Britain's balance of payments would increase from £225m. to £300m.

It appears the myths are being destroyed, and reality is asserting itself. If this is so, it is a tribute to the unflagging educational work of small groups, which never had lost touch with the basis on which political and economic freedom is built.

THE INTERNATIONAL CHESS BOARD

A commentary by Eric D. Butler:

The decision by the European Common Market's council of agricultural ministers to start a price war for grain exports will come as no surprise to those who understand that no policy of centralisation can solve the basic defects of the subversive financial policies of the non-Communist nations. Lenin understood the nature of these financial policies and correctly predicted what would happen in the future as the "capitalist" nations fiercely competed to export through trade warfare their surplus productions.

History is starting to repeat itself as the Japanese strenuously resist the proposal that they should pay a higher price for their substantial wheat imports than, for example. Red China. This type of pressure on the Japanese could result in disastrous developments. The Soviet Union, Rumania and Bulgaria all now have wheat surpluses, which they are offering at prices below the minimum agreed to in the international Grains Agreement. They use their trade policies to help produce the type of political results they desire to further Communist strategy.

In spite of the growing problems and friction inside the Common Market (at the time of writing, one major member, Italy, being without a Government!) leaders of the three major political parties in the United Kingdom, Mr. Wilson of the Labor Party. Mr. Heath of the Conservative Party, and Mr. Thorpe of the Liberal Party, have stated at a recent dinner given in London by European organisations, that they favour British membership of the European Economic Community. Mr. Wilson called on Europe to move towards "more effective political unity."
Mr. Thorpe best known for his advocacy of British bombing of Rhodesia, was at least honest.

As the Common Market grew "it became increasingly important to strengthen democratic control through a European parliament." In the meantime the British suffering under "The New Despotism" warned about over 40 years ago by the former Lord Chief Justice of England, Lord Hewart, are unable to control their own parliament. All public opinion polls show that a majority of British people still refuse to agree to surrender their national sovereignty inside the European Economic Community.

The latest bureaucratic madness inside the E.E.C. is the attempt to "rationalise" regulations covering the ingredients that can be used in beer! Bavarian beer makers, proud of their traditional "purity laws" going back hundreds of years, are in revolt. Every new step towards bureaucracy takes the non-Communist world another step closer to the Socialist State. Fabian Socialist Harold Wilson has come forward with another of his ingenious explanations about the state of the world. The real motive for the Soviet's thrusting global strategy is that the Soviet leaders are afraid. Australians and New Zealanders according to Mr. Wilson should not be too concerned about the Soviet' s naval forces filling the vacuum he has created by his retreat from East of Suez. " The Soviet are only doing this because they are afraid - of Red China."

We might recall that the Soviet justified their brutal treatment of the Hungarians in 1956 by claiming they were afraid of a "fascist" state being created on their borders. And the massive invasion of Czechoslovakia was necessary because the Soviet was afraid of West Germany. Presumably Soviet "fears" are driving them to intensify their penetration of South-East Asia at the very time the Nixon Administration is making it clear that it is disengaging from the Vietnam conflict. President Nixon's words must sound like music in ears of the Communists as he promised more economic aid for Asia while at the same time predicting that military involvement and military aid programmes would recede.
Mr. Nixon said that "The greatest threat to world peace came from Asia, with China pursuing an aggressive foreign policy and other threats coming from North Korea and North Vietnam."
It is significant that there has been no mention of the greater threat of the Soviet Union, the Communist base from which North Vietnam and North Korea obtain most of their sophisticated military equipment. But perhaps President Nixon like Prime Minister Wilson, believes that Western leaders must "understand" the Soviet's fears, and co-operate with the Soviet in attempting to prevent the expansion of Red China.

As foreseen by mature observers of Soviet strategy and tactics, Mrs. Ghandi of India has not only accepted the Soviet story of how the kind men in the Kremlin wish to help India to survive against Red China, but with her nationalisation of the Indian banking system (implementing a step further the Marxist principle of centralising control of financial credit) she has started to move towards applying the Soviet tactic of creating in India a hardline Socialist Government. The Soviet strategists clearly hope that before long the Indian Government will provide them with the naval bases they desire in the Bay of Bengal.

A little closer to Australia, the evidence is mounting that the Communists are well on the way to staging a comeback in Malaya. Race friction between the Malays and Chinese is being skillfully increased and exploited. Malay students are demanding that the Chinese accept apartheid or face the alternative of an "all-out racial war." Secret societies, some obviously being used by the Communists, re-emerging in Malaya after many years, are adding to the growing tension.

In the face of the ominous developments in all countries bordering the Indian Ocean, including Africa and the Soviet naval thrust into the Indian Ocean, the Gorton Government's foreign and defence policy can only be described as negative and confusing. Prime Minister Gorton may win the coming Federal elections by concentrating on bribing the Australian electors with more doses of the welfare State, this necessitating a greater degree of centralisation, but this will not save Australia in the perilous years that are not so far ahead.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S ANNUAL LEAGUE DINNER

N.S.W. CLERIC JOINS REVOLUTIONARIES

The University of New England, hitherto one of the more responsible centres of learning, has become the focus point of a growing revolutionary situation. The formation of an organisation known as Impact, providing a platform for such student leaders as Julian Layer from Queensland. From a slow beginning, the stage has now been reached where illegal literature is now circulated in the streets of Armidale, as well as at the local High School. The Armidale Express (30-7-69) carried an article, which contained the following comment:
"The Australian Government that introduced the National Service Act was the same sort of government that crucified Christ 2000 years ago. Professor H.J.Bishop told a meeting of 300 students on Monday."

The Professor Bishop referred to is an ordained Anglican Minister, and head of the Classics Department at the University. While pointing out that he was a conscientious objector, and had been one during the last war, the Professor had no compunction in urging students to disregard the law, and promised his help to any young man who was opposed to the National Service Act. Other speakers at the forum included the usual motley collection of left-wing liberals, humanists and communists.

An "act of defiance" was issued by the assembly, in justification of which students were urged to unlawfully distribute pamphlets in the future. So the gauntlet has been thrown down, and a challenge of will between the subversives and the government is inevitable. The government is in a difficult position. Any lack of will now will lead to much greater excesses and violence in the future. The task would be very much easier if the overwhelming majority of citizens who are opposed to deliberate disregard of the law would only express themselves. It is ultimately only the vigilance of the people, which can provide the atmosphere in which the law can be made to work. Silence at this time is unforgivable.

DEFENCE ARRANGEMENTS QUERIED

"Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman described as useless new five power defence arrangements for Malaysia after Britain withdraws…The Tunku said that during the defence talks in Canberra in June, Australia and New Zealand had shown themselves as "not too keen to take the responsibility for the defence of the region." - Daily Telegraph 2.8.69

The indecision and fear, which has led to such compromise in Vietnam is, as the Communists anticipated, having the most sapping effects on the morale and will of Western Nations. The impression which one gains from the Australian government attitude is that they have their eyes shut in the belief that the problem will disappear. But in the meantime the security of the whole S.E. Asian area continues to deteriorate. This fact must be faced realistically. If we could muster up the will to take a positive stand now we could yet secure freedom in the future. The Communist machine has many problems, and only continues with our unspoken permission. Our self-discipline now could well smash the Red expansion.

FRANC DEVALUED - WHO GAINS?

"By devaluing the franc when nobody expected it President Pompidou caused as great a shock as General de Gaulle did last November by not devaluing." - The Age, August 11.

When Britain devalued the pound sterling Mr. Wilson said it would give a boost to British exports as devaluation made the price of British goods cheaper. The same is being said in relation to the devaluation of the French franc. In this situation we see the stupidity of the economic fallacies dominating the nations in the West. Frenchmen and Englishmen must suffer a savage depreciation of their own savings and buying power to satisfy the need for a favourable balance of trade.

It should take little perception to note that this policy promotes political discord at home, while driving the West to increased trade with the Communists, who never seem to be short of the cash to facilitate the process. The international bookkeeping would appear to be operating in a one-way street.

ON TARGET BULLETIN

SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
MORE ON ECONOMIC POLICY

It has been suggested that our reference recently to the Arbitration Court could lead to the impression that the Court is the body mainly responsible for economic policy. This is of course quite incorrect.
The Arbitration Court IS THE SERVANT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR ECONOMIC POLICY.

The functions carried out by the Arbitration Court are those functions, which the Act of Parliament, under which the Court operates, allows it to adjudicate upon. Therefore those primarily responsible for economic policy are our parliamentary representatives. Under a parliamentary democracy we should be able to obtain the reforms needed. Unfortunately as most of us are only too aware, the sovereignty of parliament has been usurped by the entrenched bureaucracy.

Our problem as responsible citizens is to restore the sovereignty of parliament and make our representatives in parliament responsible for economic policy. If this point is clearly grasped then Mr. Anthony and Mr. McMahon along with every individual Member of Parliament are the individuals responsible for the economic plight of the Australian community. If we can get the individual M.P.'s to accept their responsibility we will obtain the necessary reforms to economic policy and to bodies such as the Arbitration Court.

The individual citizen is not an expert on the details of how economic policy should be administered. His function is to state as clearly as possible his policy. i.e. the results he desires. His further task is to insist those results are within the bounds of physical possibility, if this is the physical reality, and that the M.P. must obtain the desired results from the experts employed to administer economic policy. Thus we work through our political parties, farmer's organisations, employer and employee organisations to get those results.