IN GREAT BRITAIN NOW : ENTRY INTO EUROPE, : HOW CERTAIN?

Mr. Eric Butler forwarded the following report on the eve of his departure from the United Kingdom for Southern Africa

Last Friday evening, May 7, I shared a platform at Caxton Hall, London with Mr. Edward Holloway, of British Commonwealth Industries, and Mr. Russell Braddon, the well-known Australian author. Mr. Braddon, who has lived in England for many years, was the final speaker, giving a brilliant performance in which he made his audience either laugh at his critical comments directed against British policies concerning the Commonwealth or become extremely angry about what they regarded as Mr. Braddon's insulting anti-British remarks. Mr. Braddon was highly amused by all this, as he had said at the outset of his address that he was going to be quite different from the first two speakers.

With a deadpan face he said that he was going to be both "cunning and devious". You will not like me for what I am going to say to you. But I do not care. The general reaction to Mr. Braddon's effort was such that it convinced me that the British people are far from down and out, as many critics would have us believe. They still possess the maturity to laugh at jokes told against them, and can still respond to the truth, however unpleasant when it is put to them. It never pays to be too dogmatic, but I am prepared to say that as I write the odds are lengthening considerably against the proposal to force the United Kingdom into the European Economic Community. The United Kingdom will not join the European Economic Community this year.

At the Caxton Hall meeting Mr. Holloway, who maintains a close contact with many Members of the House of Commons marshalled a very formidable array of evidence that Mr. Edward Heath would be risking political suicide by seeking a vote on the Common Market in the House of Commons. The numbers were moving steadily against him, and could be expected to move further as British public opinion moved more strongly against the Common Marker concept. It is significant that strong pro-Market papers like The Daily Telegraph have started to admit editorially that Mr. Heath is now facing an almost impossible political task.

The fact that the New Zealand issue is regarded as one of the major factors in the Common Market battle, provides evidence that there is still an innate sense of decency and fair-play amongst a wide cross-section of the British people. The truth is that in spite of the permissive society, the impact of sordid commercialism, and the deadly influence of the "telly", there is still plenty of real character left in Great Britain.

A recent comprehensive survey showed, for example, that British youth are not quite as decadent morally as many have accepted. One got the impression from some commentators on the results of the survey that they were almost annoyed because the situation was not as bad as they would like it to be. The problem about the mass media is that it features and exaggerates bad news, but generally ignores good news. It seems to be clear that the great majority of British young people do not believe in "sleeping around". They believe in loyalty in marriage. And I am satisfied that it is a major mistake to regard every young male wearing his hair long as morally decadent.

Perhaps one of the most significant developments I discovered while in the United Kingdom this year, is that an increasing number of American University Professors and lecturers, many of them senior lecturers, are applying for positions at British Universities. Some of the main reasons given by the Americans are: A desire to escape from the mounting turmoil in the U.S.A., particularly on the University campus; preferment for the "British way of life"; and to have children brought up in "a more civilised environment". Many of those applying said that they were prepared to accept substantial drops in their salaries in order to obtain British University appointments. A few even said they preferred the British climate.

If the British can escape the Common Market trap, it may well prove that in the long haul of history they will demonstrate a much greater survival capacity than their detractors have thought possible. A student of history observed at my last British function, a Social Dynamics School in London, that the Duke of Wellington has said just before he died, that all was black and rotten, that there was no hope anywhere. The British were then on the eve of the most glorious era in their history.

THE GROWTH OF FOREIGN BANKING IN AUSTRALIA

"The legislative barriers established by the Federal Government to stop foreign banks setting up in Australia has become something of a joke". Peter Cairns in The Herald, Melbourne May 15.

Further to our report in On Target April 30, Mr. Cairns reveals to a further extent the inroads into the money control business made by foreign banks. Thwarted in the trading bank field they are buying heavily into merchant banking and hire-purchase fields. Besides the combined interests Warburg-Morgan-Bank of Japan in Australia's largest merchant bank, Australian United Corporation, Peter Cairns listed the following. No doubt his interest was motivated by the announcement that the New York banking house, the First National City Bank of New York last week acquired a 40 per cent, $30 million investment in Australia's second largest finance company, Industrial Acceptance Corporation. (IAC)
* The Bank of America - 20 per cent of CAGA
* The Chartered Bank of London - 40 per cent of Mutual Acceptance.
* The Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corp. - 30 per cent of Mercantile Credits.
* The Royal Bank of Scotland - 28.6 per cent of Associated Securities.
* The Bank of Tokyo - 20.4 per cent of Beneficial Finance.
* Fidelity Bank of Philadelphia - 10 per cent of Network Finance.
* National Westminster Bank of London - 100 per cent of Lombard Australia.
* Lloyds Bank of London - 100 per cent of Balfour Williamson Finance.
* First National City Bank of New York - 30 per cent in IAC.
* First National City Bank of New York - 50 per cent in Waltons.

In a recent interview over the issue of payroll-tax levy by the Commonwealth against the States, Sir Henry Bolte gave as his opinion that The Treasury was the enemy of the States in obtaining their just financial requirements. The same could be said for investment capital. Australian people and Australian banking could supply the need if not being driven increasingly into financial impoverishment through Treasury policy. The runaway debt-taxation-inflation policy generated by Treasury policy leaves Australians with their natural resources bereft of capital, sitting ducks for overseas interests.

PROPROSED SALARY INCREASES FOR M.P'S

"The Prime Minister, Mr. McMahon is under strong pressure to grant pay increases to Federal MPs". The Sun - May 11.

According to Laurie Oaks writing from Canberra secret meetings on the subject have been taking place in the past few weeks. The incredible gall and greed of the politicians after having staged one of the greatest publicity stunts of all time on the question of inflation quite staggers the imagination. Evidently there is no morality left in politics.

Picking the carcass for what you can get is the rule of the day and all the talk a few weeks ago by some politicians that they should consider taking a salary cut to give a lead in the anti-inflation fight was so much vote catching publicity. If there was any sincerity in the talk about fighting inflation the Government could have given a lead by freezing their own salaries and those of leading public servants until inflation had been dealt with. However, we delude ourselves if we believe the politicians will do anything unless the electorate speaks with a firm voice.

It is time the principle of PAYMENT BY RESULTS was introduced into the Parliaments of Australia. We would agree the politicians had a case for a pay-rise if interest rates and the debt structure of the whole Australian community was lowered, and the money saved channelled back into the hands of the Australian community so they could meet their outstanding obligations.
It is about time the politicians got the message loud and clear that the Australian community is sick and tired of politicians grabbing themselves pay rises which they have not earned and are therefore not entitled to. Electors should ask their individual M.P's immediately if they are amongst those asking for an increase.
Demand petitions signifying that electors will not tolerate such increases unless steps are taken to bring down the cost of living reduce indebtedness and increase the purchasing power of the dollar, should be the next step.

QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN NSW SUPPORTERS : DON'T MISS THIS OCCASION

RECOGNISE RED CHINA AT YOUR PERIL

Such was the title of an article written by Admiral Arthur W. Radford in 1962 and published in the Readers Digest. Former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Radford had many years of experience in the Pacific. Much of the matter he wrote in 1962 is just as relevant today. Much has been clouded by the so-called Sino-Soviet split which always heals when the interests of expanding Communist control in Africa, Cuba, and the Middle East are at stake.

Admiral Radford warned that Red China would combine with USSR to do the lobbying in General Assembly to get the votes needed to reorganise the U.N. for communist purposes. Most will agree the U.N. is already doing a splendid job for the Communists. The political consequences of Red China's admission to the U.N. amongst the South Asian nations, already uneasy, and conceding that they will be forced to get on side with Red China when the U.S. finally retreat out of Vietnam, would he the final straw. Between China and the USSR all the pieces would be picked up to establish the area as a complete preserve of Marxism-Leninism.

Admiral Radford in 1962 said the American Government could not ignore its responsibilities to Asians. He could not have foreseen the deterioration in morale caused by the no-win policy adopted by the Americans in Vietnam, which has all but destroyed the confidence of the small nations in South East Asia.

FROM THE RECTOR'S COLUMN

The following needs no comment.

My Dear Friends, The World Council of Churches reached an all time low recently when it appointed a Buddhist to an executive position on its staff. To make matters worse the action was taken deliberately and not as a matter of expediency. It was done despite its official basis that the W.C.C. is a fellowship of Christian Churches which confess the Lord Jesus Christ as God and Saviour according to the Scriptures and therefore seek to fulfill together their common calling to the glory of the one God, Father Son and Holy Spirit. A Buddhist does not recognize even the existence of God, let alone belief in the Trinity.

This decision follows hot on the heels of another decision to support movements in Africa committed to violence and rebellion, and of another to offer financial assistance to deserters from the American forces who have sought refuge in Canada. Further still a sub-committee has called for suspension of all missionary work among the Latin American Indians.

The extreme left wing policies of the World Council of Churches make it politically suspect and wide open for exploitation by Communism. If this is the price of "unity" then at least we have been warned.

"All in together boys" is a plausible cry but loyalty to Jesus Christ as God and Saviour is the real issue. Is it any wonder that withdrawal from the World Council of Churches is now being openly advocated by many within the Church of England?
Yours very sincerely, (Canon Loane is Rector of St. John's, Parramatta. N.S.W.) K.L. Loane