N.S.W. PREMIER ATTACKS LIBERAL - SOCIALISM

"The Premier (Mr. Askin) yesterday attacked the Federal Government over Commonwealth - State financial relations and the increasing concentration of power at Canberra." - Sunday Telegraph, (Sydney) September 14.

The central thesis of Premier Askin's address to the N.S.W. Liberal Party Convention last week was that Canberra was exercising too much power over the States. He said that he agreed that the Federal Government should tax the States for major items like defence and immigration, "But I object to money being taken away by taxation and lent back to us at high interest rates for such things as education…. I don't like the idea of our money coming back to us with strings. This is remote control and smacks more of Socialism than Liberalism."

Irrespective of what it is termed, centralised power always produces the same disastrous results in terms of individual freedom and rights. This is one of those fundamental truths, which Prime Minister John Gorton obviously feels he can legislate out of existence. In spite of the growing criticism amongst Government supporters of his centralist policies, the Prime Minister stubbornly continues to persist with his campaign to have the Liberal Party policy on Federalism modified. Speaking at the Wesley Church, Melbourne, on Sunday, September 14, the Prime Minister said
"The Constitution was drawn up long ago under different conditions. There is a need to examine its working today."

Mr. Gorton is merely repeating what the late Dr. H.V.Evatt used to say in his campaigns for changing the Federal Constitution to give Canberra more power at the expense of the States: "The Constitution was a product of the horse-and-buggy era and must be changed in accordance with modern conditions." All constitutionalism has to do with the question of power. The fundamental issues dealt with in Magna Carta are just as relevant today - even more so - as they were when this historic document was forced upon King John for his signature.

Fundamental principles concerning power are not altered by the fact that modern man has electric light and jet planes whereas his forebears didn't. It is dangerously superficial thinking to say that because the law of gravity was discovered and formulated "long ago under different circumstances", "There is need to examine its workings today." Like the law of gravity, the law concerning centralised power continues to produce the same results that it always has since the beginning of man's history.

Premier Askin and other State Premiers must be encouraged to resist all proposals to centralise still further power in Canberra, And Prime Minister Gorton and his colleagues should be asked to state specifically where they stand on this fundamental issue before October 25.

DETERIORATING MAIL SERVICE

MORE "EXPLANATIONS" FROM MR. FREETH AND MR. GORTON

"Australia's aim in holding talks with the Soviet Union over the past year has been to contribute towards the general Western effort of pursuing a detente with the U.S.S.R. It has also been aimed at reducing the possibility of a conflict from a misunderstanding, and discussing Sino-Soviet relations. These intentions were set out yesterday in the annual report of the Department of External Affairs, which was tabled in Federal Parliament by the Minister, Mr. Freeth. In a section dealing with Russia the report gave details of some of the bilateral talks between the two countries over the past year." - The Australian, September 13.

The fact that the Australian Government seriously believes that it is possible for the West to pursue any realistic policy of agreement with the Soviet Union, simply provides more disturbing evidence of the superficial understanding of the real nature of International Communism by Prime Minister Gorton and his Minister for External Affairs Mr. Freeth. Those sections of the daily press, which have editorially rushed to the defence of Mr. Gorton and Freeth are not noted for their understanding of Communism.
Mounting criticism of statements on foreign policy by Mr. Gorton and Mr. Freeth at last forced the Prime Minister to make an attempt to end the criticism by stating that the Government had no intention of entering into any military pact with the Soviet.

The Prime Minister concentrated upon this point, but then said that if the Soviet eventually were to put forward proposals to help build the economic strength of the countries in South-East Asia - and the proposals had "no strings attached" -Australia should at least be prepared to examine them. "We should also be prepared to examine proposals put forward to lend influence to persuade countries of Asia to join a collective security pact among themselves without a Russian military presence."

There is no need for Australia to waste its time studying any Soviet proposals in the hope that they will serve Australia's genuine interests. All Soviet proposals are designed to advance the Soviet strategists' global plan for world conquest. It may be true that both Prime Minister Gorton and Mr. Freeth are merely naive, and did not realise the implications of the advice given them by the "experts" in the Department of External Affairs. If this is the real explanation of a most frightening affair, then it is further evidence why Australia cannot trust itself any longer to the leadership of Prime Minister Gorton.
The Government Parties can be best assisted to bring about a change in leadership by severe electoral punishment on October 25.

WESTERN EUROPE THREATENED BY REVOLUTION

"A growing strike movement yesterday threatened the French Government, already pressed by the breakdown of negotiations to end a nationwide railway strike. The communist-led General Confederation of Labor called on dockers all over France to hold a one-hour token strike on Tuesday as workers on the Paris subway and bus system planned to discuss a strike call tomorrow." - The Australian, September 15.

Growing industrial unrest in France is the direct reaction to the Pompidou Government's policy of severe financial restrictions following the recent devaluation of the franc and the obtaining of a large loan from the International Monetary Fund. As France is imposing the same inflationary credit policies as all other Western nations, any attempts to impose wage and price controls must create an explosive situation, which the Communists can exploit.

West Germany and Italy are also experiencing serious industrial disorders as workers strike for higher wages in an attempt to offset rising prices. The situation in Italy is now even worse than in France and unless there is some basic correction to the situation the Italian Communists will move closer to taking control.

The only good result to come out of the growing crises in the three major Western European nations, is that an increasing number of the British people are beginning to realise that most of the propaganda about the Common Market has been a hoax. British public opinion is reported to be moving increasingly against the proposal to join the Common Market. A powerful new British voice has been added to the anti-Common Market campaign: Conservative Member Enoch Powell has now come out openly against Britain entering the Common Market. British independence was never needed more urgently in the world.

STUDENT OPPOSITION TO NATIONAL SERVICE ACT

"A meeting of 1000 Monash University students yesterday condemned national service and called on the Government to withdraw Australian troops from Vietnam immediately. Only four students voted against the resolution, which was supported by all of the university's political clubs," - The Age, (Melbourne) September 17.

We have predicted over recent years that the no-win policy in Vietnam must eventually lead to a growing erosion of will in the U.S.A. and Australia to continue the Vietnam operation. Events have confirmed our warnings, as witnessed by the open admission by the Nixon Administration that it is finishing with Vietnam. A recent Gallup poll showed that there has been a substantial swing away from Australian support for continuing in Vietnam, with a substantial majority now favouring an immediate withdrawal of Australian troops. This is not surprising.
Now that Australians generally realise that there is a no-win policy, they see no good purpose in more valuable young Australian lives being lost. And this situation has enabled student opposition to national service to be intensified.
It can be predicted now that the student campaign against the National Service Act is going to rapidly gain momentum. The present Government cannot say that it has not been warned.

THE SOVIET SYSTEM

"My father was not mad", said Miss Alliluyeva, at least not in the 1930s. He was just ruthless. He knew that the party was filled with opposition to him, that people would move against him if they could.... The important lesson', she said, is that all of this did not begin with my father. So many people think that he invented the system, the dictatorship, the police, the spying. But he didn't. He inherited it all from Lenin.' " - Harrison Salisbury in New York interview with Stalin's daughter, published in The Age, (Melbourne) September 17.

The Communist system always produces the same results, irrespective of where it is imposed. In a centralised power structure, only the ruthless can get to the top and stay there. Some of Miss Alliluyeva's observations raise doubts concerning her reliability as a witness. For example, she says that Khrushchev "was a good man…he tried so hard but in the end they pushed him out. He was badly used. People around him manipulated him. He didn't understand that. But he was a kind man and he tried hard."
This "kind man" is better known in Russia as "the butcher of the Ukraine", where he acted as Stalin's chief murderer. This "kind man" was also responsible for ruthlessly drowning in blood the Hungarian uprising in 1956.

Stalin's daughter does, however provide a clue on the identity of those who do the manipulating of the Soviet politicians. She says that Mikhail Suslov, party ideologist is a strong man behind the scenes even though he has never held high office. She describes him as "a very bad man." There is no doubt that real power in the Soviet tyranny is in the hands of the permanent top officials, including the Secret Police. And there is no doubt that these power hungry barbarians mean to conquer the whole world.

SUBSIDISATION

"The Country Party is strongly backing a proposal that the Commonwealth should subsidise the State railways so they can make concessions on rural freight. The Minister for shipping and Transport, a senior member of the Country Party, is expected to submit the proposal to Federal Cabinet this week." - The Australian, September 17.

If the States accept the Sinclair proposal, this would mean a further loss of their sovereignty. The proposal involves Federal spending of $20 million over a number of years, and if accepted by the States would mean they would lose control of the most important part of their freight rates.

Country Party leaders strongly oppose any proposals to deal with the basic cause of primary producers' problems of rising financial costs, but do support the principle of subsidisation when applied to fertilisers and to freights. If the principle is correct in some cases, then why cannot the principle be extended? And why cannot it be financed by new credits instead of being taken from increased taxation?

These and similar questions might be profitably asked of Country Party candidates during the Federal Election campaign. All those supporting the "inevitability" of further inflation, and the progressive economic liquidation of more primary producers, should be firmly told that their services are not required at Canberra.
If finance can be made available to impose increasing centralisation, it can just as easily be used to foster decentralisation.