THE CHALLENGE OF THE SEVENTIES

For the benefit of both old and new readers we take this opportunity, in our first issue for 1970, of stating frankly what we are about. On Target is published weekly by The Australian League of Rights, a national non-party political organisation primarily concerned with the defence of the free society against all policies of totalitarianism, both external and internal. The League is a voluntary association of individuals working in a co-ordinated manner to defend limited constitutional government, the rights and freedoms of the individual, and the Rule of Law. It believes that systems and institutions exist to serve the individual; that Governments belong to individuals instead of individuals being regarded as the property of Governments. The League's philosophy is the traditional Christian philosophy.

On Target is not light, escapist reading. It is concerned with grim realities, and challenges those who would preserve freedom to face those realities. "The truth shall make ye free." On Target provides a week-by-week analysis of the real meaning of the flood of "news" which tends to suffocate and confuse the individual. This confusion cannot be dispersed by asking the individual to read and see even more news but by the application of the spotlight of truth. The greater the darkness the more vivid is the striking of a match. Never before has the small analytical publication been more important. Not dependent upon advertising, it can devote itself exclusively to the purpose of telling the truth.

The post Second World War years have seen a revolution greater than any experienced by man during a similar period. The dramatic global advance of International Communism is but one aspect of this revolution; there is an ever-increasing disintegration of the societies of the non-Communist world, with growing manifestations of chaos and violence. During the seventies a new generation will pour out of schools and Universities where they have been subjected to the influence of many teachers and lecturers who are dedicated apostles of the destruction of the existing social order and the values which gave rise to it. These young people must be challenged to use their energies constructively instead of destructively.

It is certain that the disastrous financial and political policies of centralism will be intensified - unless challenged by enlightened and determined individuals insisting upon defending their heritage of freedom. The smell of decadence is everywhere, with drug taking the "in" thing, and pornography masquerading as "realistic art". The quickest way to fill a theatre now is for the "actors" and "actresses" to take off their clothes. Behind much of this decadence are highly organised political forces. The rot will not be halted unless these forces are exposed and opposed. Another ten years like the last ten years could write finish to man's greatest and noblest Civilisation. But sufficient individuals inspired by faith in the eternal truths, and dedicating themselves to serving those truths, can still turn the tide. This is the challenge facing readers, both old and new, as man enters the 'seventies'. On Target exists to help meet this challenge.

FINANCIAL GIVING AN EXPRESSION OF FAITH

PROTESTING FARMERS TO MARCH

"An agricultural group is trying to get more than 10,000 farmers to march through the streets of Melbourne late next month to protest against the lack of Federal and State Government action to improve the economic plight of farmers. " - The Australian, January 6.

One of the most significant developments in Australia at present is the rapidly growing unrest amongst the nation's primary producers as they experience the mounting pressure of rising financial costs, which unlike other industries, they are not readily able to pass on in increased prices. There has been much loose talk about the Australian community subsidising "uneconomic" primary industries, but the facts clearly prove that while sections of the community have been attempting to offset inflation through higher prices and higher wages (these providing no permanent solution to a basic finance-economic problem) primary producers have generally speaking had to try to absorb increased financial costs without increasing prices.
Efforts at greater efficiency have in turn helped to create the problem of over-production. In the process the financial indebtedness of the primary producers has increased astronomically.

The only solution offered by the Government planners is for the smaller farmers to be amalgamated. As shown in the book, They Want Your Land (price 36 cents from Box 1052J, G.P.O. Melbourne), this is the long-term programme of the Fabian Socialists. Consumers who believe that they are going to obtain cheaper food as a result of the rural communities being stripped of their populations, and of large-scale company farming (the forerunner of collectivised farming), are deluding themselves.

No genuine solution to the problems of the Australian primary producers is possible within the framework of the present Fabian financial policy of increasing debt, inflation and high taxation. Desperate primary producers are being driven to the point where they feel that only big protest marches in the capital cities will bring their grievances graphically before the whole community and have some impact on the politicians.

Without in any way decrying the efforts of those planning to protest by marching, we do suggest that coinciding with this there should be put forward constructive financial proposals which would benefit both producers and consumers. Basic causes must be tackled, not effects. Unless the Gorton Government can come up with some proposals to ease the pressure of mounting financial costs on the Australian primary producers, it should not be surprised if it is severely censured electorally once again at the Senate Elections at the end of the year.

COMMUNIST INFLUENCE IN INDONESIA

"The Indonesian National Security Agency today accused Major-General Saudi, former Indonesian Ambassador to Australia of being involved in the attempted communist take-over of 1965 and helping the former President Sukarno." - The Australian, January 7.

Following the attempted Communist take-over of Indonesia in 1965, President Sukarno managed to provide sufficient time for a significant section of the massive Communist movement to go underground, holding itself in readiness for an opportune time to come into the open again. In his New Year Day Speech, President Suharto foreshadowed action against a number of military and naval leaders when he referred to a lingering Communist presence in Indonesia. He promised that the armed forces would fight towards its complete elimination.
Suharto's New Year Day speech came two days after the first news had leaked out of General Saudi's arrest. Two other top ranking military leaders, Major General Sudirgo, military police commander, and Major- General Mursjid, former Ambassador to Manila, were also arrested. These arrests were followed by arrests of a number of navy leaders, the most prominent being Commodore Sutjipto. The Soviet leaders publicly dissociated themselves from the Peking-oriented coup of 1965, and ever since have been steadily working to restore their own influence in Indonesia. Indonesia is the major prize in South East Asia. Soviet strategists are well aware that there are still many Communist sympathisers left in Indonesia.

ALP LEADER WHITLAM IRRESPONSIBLE ON PAPUA - NEW GUINEA

"A Labor Government would give Papua-New Guinea immediate self government and would provide increased financial aid for at least the next 30 years, the Federal Opposition Leader (Mr. Whitlam) said yesterday. In a manifesto on Labor policy for the Territory released in Port Moresby, Mr. Whitlam said that while the Territory would decide for itself what form of independence it would have the fact of independence already has been decided." - The Age, Melbourne, January 15.

Prime Minister Gorton acted correctly in publicly rebuking Mr. Whitlam for his behaviour in Papua- New Guinea. He has helped to worsen the situation. The Two senior native members of the Papua- New Guinea House of Assembly who severely criticised Mr. Whitlam, Mr. Sinaka Giregire, Ministerial member for Posts and Telegraphs, and Mr. Tore Lokoloko, Ministerial member for Health, were both attached to the Australian delegation at the UN during the last UN debate on Papua- New Guinea. Both members have said that it would be premature to rush into independence before the results of the Papua- New Guinea's second five year economic development plan, due to be completed in 1978, were known. Mr. Lokoloko has warned that he is afraid that Mr. Whitlam's words "may encourage more pressure from the Afro-Asian bloc at the United Nations to be critical of what Australia is doing in Papua- New Guinea."

In spite of its vital importance to Australia, and the fact that many Australians served in Papua- New Guinea during the war against Japan, comparatively few Australians are informed on the realities of the situation in Papua- New Guinea. The idea of immediate self-government in Papua- New Guinea is most explosive. It is time the Gorton Government gave some much better leadership on the Papua- New Guinea issue explaining in detail what its policy is. Some of its bleatings on the issue suggest that it is so afraid of "world opinion" that it is little behind Mr. Whitlam in attempting to encourage premature self-government.

THE INTERNATIONAL CHESS BOARD

If reports from Lagos are correct, the decisive factor in the sudden end to the Nigerian-Biafran war was the special military equipment supplied by the Soviet Union. A major feature of the Nigerian military break-through was the use of long-range heavy artillery recently supplied by the Soviet. Capture of the vital Uli jungle airstrip was preceded by heavy bombing by Soviet Ilyushin bombers flown by Egyptian pilots. MIG fighters were also used. As there was every reason to believe that the Soviet was not concerned originally with a quick end to the Nigerian war against Biafra using the prolonged conflict to increase its influence in Nigeria, it would now appear that the Soviet is satisfied with the influence it has gained and believes that news of its vital military contribution to the Nigerian break-through will have far-reaching effects throughout Africa. ]

The chief benefactor from the Nigerian tragedy could prove to be the Soviet strategists. There will, of course, be no repentance from those responsible for premature "independence" for Nigeria. The fact that the one-man-one vote dogma ended in yet another bloody African shambles will not deter its devotees from continuing to agitate for its immediate introduction into Rhodesia. These dogmatists are the greatest allies the Communists have in their strategy to subvert and eventually, control the whole of the African continent.

The Soviet continues its naval build up in the Middle East, with a further shift in the situation in favour of the Soviet as the Government of Lebanon decides to allow Soviet ships to dock at Lebanese ports if the Soviet Union seeks port facilities. The loss of a sophisticated Soviet radar unit by the Egyptians to the Israelis is being exploited by the Soviet to demand a more direct control over this type of equipment. If the Arabs yield to these demands, Soviet penetration of the Arab world will have taken another major step forward.

Judging by Israeli protests, some belated realism appears to be manifesting itself in President Nixon's Middle East policies. The American plan for a first step towards stabilising the Middle East is that Israel should withdraw from the West Bank of the Jordan taken during the 1967 conflict, and that Jerusalem should be internationalized. Israel and Jordan would then enter into direct peace negotiations.

SUBJECT FOR DISCUSSION
"What Is Progress?"

The start of a New Year is an opportune time to discuss the question of whether one generation has made more progress than previous generations simply because it lives in what is called a later period in time. The first essential is to define progress. Compared with the Golden Age of Greece, modern man has infinitely more power at his command. His material achievements are therefore enormously greater. But the true end of material activity is to enable the individual to develop himself to spiritualise his life.

True progress has been defined as moral progress. How does modern man's self-development compare with that of the Greeks? Where are our Aristotles and our Socrates? Where is that flowering of the human spirit, which was so profuse at the high noon of the Greek Civilisation? By an improvement in technology, it is possible to fly from Melbourne to London in a much shorter time. This is important. But of real importance is what does the individual do with the time saved?

The true end of man is to spiritualise his life. This has become increasingly possible with the solving of the production of the material requirements of life. Economic freedom is the basis of real freedom. But at a time when the potential for human freedom is greater than ever before, with the possibility of man devoting himself to developing himself, he is being driven down the scale of human existence, with every effort being made to pander to and foster his baser instincts. The Creation of millions of "technical barbarians" performing more complex technological feats is not progress.
Actionists might briefly discuss whether the quality of life, compared with the development in the physical sciences, has improved in the last 100 years.