THREE CHEERS FOR SIR HORACE PETTY!

" People have called me a racist - but that's a lot of bloody rot', said Sir Horace Petty. 'Ninety nine per cent of them don't know what they are talking about… and half the rest have never been to countries with race problems." Sir Horace, 65, returned to Melbourne yesterday to retire after 51/2years as Victoria's Agent-General in London." - The Age, Melbourne, December 1, 1969.

While Sir Horace's straight-forward defence of Australia's immigration laws will be warmly welcomed by the overwhelming majority of Australians, it irritated that small minority of self-styled intellectuals who persistently attempt to bring into Australia problems which do not at present exist. They are aided by starry-eyed do-gooders who appear to be incapable of learning from experience.

In a vicious editorial attack on Sir Horace, The Age of December 2 commented on "offensive, racially prejudiced remarks", and recalled how last year Sir Horace had written a letter to The Times London, pointing out that South Africa, Rhodesia and Australia were "resisting the march of communism in the Southern Hemisphere." Sir Horace has made it clear that he had not "backed down" on his pro-Rhodesia and South African views. The Age and other critics are upset because Sir Horace not only vigorously defends Australia's traditional immigration policy, but says they should be tougher." More statements like this are required from public men.

It is pleasing to notice how Australia's High Commissioner in the United Kingdom, Sir Alexander Downer, has also recently urged that Australia maintain its immigration policy. Sir Horace Petty said that, "I didn't realise until I went to England just what a problem this (race issue) is. They talk about integration, but it hasn't worked there… it hasn't worked anywhere. I have never been anywhere in England where people haven't said how fortunate Australia is not to have a color problem."
Sir Horace has made a most telling point with his observation that "we are no different from any other country with restricted immigration. You and I couldn't go and get a job in Japan...we couldn't own land in India."
Sir Horace could no doubt give many other similar examples.

It is most refreshing to hear this sturdy commonsense. Sir Horace does not object to African and Asian students coming to Australia under the Colombo Plan - but he objects to any suggestion that they stay permanently.
One of the first essentials for a stable society is that it is homogeneous. Australians have every right to say who is going to come into their country. The few non-Europeans who marry Australians are readily accepted, and there is no barrier to non-European business and professional men who have legitimate reasons for being in Australia. Sir Horace Petty's defence of Australia's immigration policy comes at a most opportune time. It is unfortunately true, as The Age boasts in its editorial attack on Sir Horace, that over the past three years there has been a significant liberalisation of the immigration laws. The Age states of last year Australia had nearly 41,000 non-European residents, 20,000 of them with Australian citizenship. To the British, Americans and others with growing race problems, Australia's non-European population must seem completely insignificant. It is of no great significance at present. But it could be used as the thin edge of the wedge. For this reason Sir Horace Petty's warning is most timely.

CAN WE NOW KEEP THAT FUND MOVING?

CANBERRA CENTRALISM ATTACKED IN QUEENSLAND PARLIAMENT

"The Federal Government's increasing tendency to centralism should be curbed, the Treasurer (Mr. Chalk) said in State Parliament last night. 'More and more money made available by the central Government to the States has strings attached', he said. 'These strings not only direct the specific avenues in which funds must be spent - more importantly they often require matching expenditure by the States. The net offset of this type of conditioning is that the volume of funds in the State's discretionary use is dwindling. This is undesirable and can lead only to stronger central Government and weaker State Government." - The Courier - Mail, Brisbane, November 28.

The Queensland State Treasurer is certainly correct when he says that, "Commonwealth - State financial relations were one of the most important public issues." Centralised control of finance in a country the size of Australia must inevitably result in a growing bureaucratic despotism. In our special post-election issue of November 21, we quoted from an excellent address on the Commonwealth's financial strangulation of the States, by the Victorian Minister for Local Government, the Hon. R.J.Hamer. The complete text of this address is given in the December issue of The Intelligence Survey.

One of the most active of the backbench Members in the Queensland Parliament, Mr. Charles Porter, also provided some extremely valuable information in an address on October 17, 1968. The following is one of the most relevant portions of this address: "This vastly changed picture as between the Commonwealth and the States is seen again if we look at the share of each in the total Australian indebtedness. In 1949 the States owed 37.4per cent of the total Australian indebtedness and the Commonwealth owed the lion's share of' 62.5 per cent. By 1958, less than 10 years later, the position had altered to 56.16 per cent for the States and 43.9 per cent for the Commonwealth. In 1967 the Commonwealth owed only 32.1 per cent, of all Australian indebtedness, while the States owed 67.8 per cent. In less than 20 years the situation as become completely reversed, which means, of course, that in 20 years the State share of Australian indebtedness has gone from 37.4 per cent to 67.8 per cent, and the Commonwealth's share has fallen from 62.5 per cent, to 32.1 per cent."

The situation outlined by Mr. Porter has further deteriorated to the detriment of the States. If the deterioration is permitted to proceed much further, the States will be nothing more than administrative conveniences of the Central Government. Self Government will be ended. Government by centralised bureaucracy will take over.
Australians, who cherish their heritage of decentralised self-government, must encourage their State Members in every way to resist Canberra's centralism.

GEORGE WALLACE SAYS U.S. SHOULD WIN VIETNAM WAR

"President Nixon's plan to vietnamise the war would only lengthen it and cause the depth of more troops, the former Alabama Governor, Mr. George Wallace, said yesterday. The war was winnable and the U.S. should fight to win he said. Mr. Wallace is one of those old fashioned types who believe that there is no substitute for victory particularly when dealing with the Communists. He gave his views after a recent fact finding tour of South Vietnam. He points out "Vietnamisation is not going to end the fighting, because we are fighting in South Vietnam and there the civilians have attacked each other every day. Consequently, the North Vietnamese go to bed each night perfectly free from rocketing and assassination attempts. This means the war is going to go on."

Mr. Wallace said that Vietnamese and American leaders in the war zone felt the war was winnable. He felt that victory could be obtained in less than twelve months. Mr. Wallace said he had no objection to Mr. Nixon's plan of American withdrawal and turning the fighting over to the Vietnamese but he believes it would take less casualties to win the war than withdraw."

The U.S.A. is now starting to pay a terrible price for the no-win policy, which has been pursued. The nature of this conflict has been such that it is probably true that there have been isolated examples of American troops engaging in atrocities. These are being exploited by the Communists and their dupes who take care to "play down" the terrible atrocities for which they have been responsible. But the truth has to be faced that large numbers of scientists, not Communists or Communist sympathisers are genuinely concerned about the long-term damage being done in South Vietnam from the use of chemical sprays and other tactics. There has been great moral damage.

Some Vietnamese want the Americans to stay inevitably because of the economics of the situation. All this could have been minimised if the American policy makers had done what was advised by the leaders. A win policy, including a cutting of the Communists' main supply line from the Soviet Union through the Port of Haiphong, would have avoided the years of bleeding and agony for and her allies. It is still not too late for the Nixon Administration to adopt the Wallace policy.

THE INTERNATIONAL CHESSBOARD

By Eric D. Butler.

In On Target of November 14 I drew attention to the Soviet Union's increasing interest in the Island of Mauritius. Now comes the news that the Soviet is pressing the Mauritian Government for naval facilities. Commenting on news of this development, newly appointed Minister for the Navy, Mr. D.J.Killen draws attention to the Soviet's interest in the field of oceanography and makes the pertinent comment that "It is likely that oceanography has greater potential than space exploration would appear to have."
Increasing Soviet naval activity in the Indian Ocean highlights more than ever the importance of Southern Africa to Australia and the whole Western World.

It is significant that there is growing Communist interest in Southern Africa and the "freedom fighters." Useful innocents like Mr. Edward St.John brush aside claims of Communist backing for organisations like the African National Congress as merely South African, Rhodesian or Portuguese propaganda. But facts are facts, and so it is important to draw attention to an international symposium held during the first part of October in Alma Ata, the capital of Kazakhstan, Soviet Central Asia, to commemorate the centenary of Lenin's birth.
Leaders of "patriotic forces" from Asian, African and Latin American countries were present.

The African National Congress of South Africa was led by one Mziwandile Piliso. This "freedom fighter said", amongst other things: "With Lenin's ideas as a guide, the oppressed exploited people of South Africa are fighting for their liberation. Our main task is to abolish the fascist tyranny and establish a revolutionary democracy...Without the support we receive from the Socialist countries, particularly the Soviet Union...our struggle would have been inconceivable. The world national liberation movement will achieve complete victory only on the road illuminated by Lenin's ideas."

The gentleman claiming to represent Rhodesia was George Silundika, secretary of the banned Zimbabwe African People's Union. He claimed that 'never before has interest in Africa in Lenin's theoretical heritage been as great as now... If we resolutely come out against colonial and imperialist aggression, we do it for the sole goal to achieve Socialism."

There were also delegates present representing the "national liberation movement in Portuguese colonies in Africa." One of these, J.Honwana expressed "...our gratitude to the Soviet Government and people who are rendering immense unselfish help to oppressed nations."

Coinciding with this symposium, President Nyerere of Tanzania was making a State visit to Moscow between October 7 to 13. In a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the visit, there was a bitter attack against South Africa, Portugal, and Rhodesia, and a promise by the Soviet leaders to do everything possible to back the various "freedom fighters." The picture is quite clear.

ON TARGET BULLETIN

SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
Is Religion Important?

In the League of Rights' Basic Course on Communism, no question creates greater interest and controversy than the one on whether or not Marxism - Leninism is a type of false religion. The correct answer is that Marxism - Leninism is a type of false religion because the Communists believe that they should base all their activities upon a revelation of truth given to them by Marx.
The root meaning of the word religion is a binding back. The Communists never tire of stressing the close nexus between theory and practice. What men believe governs what they do. A truly religious person is one who binds all his actions back to what he believes to be reality. Those with no coherent set of beliefs are like flotsam on a wild ocean. But those with a set of beliefs, which are false, are like the mariner steering his ship with a faulty compass. They end in shipwreck.

Successful action can only be based upon complete Truth. The Christian believes that his religion is the only true religion because it is based upon a revelation of complete Truth. Religion is therefore the most important subject in the world.