MARCHING DOWN THE SOCIALIST ROAD

"The president of the Queensland branch of the Country Party. Mr. R.L. Sparkes yesterday called for a $400 million national authority to acquire and market Australia's total wool clip. Mr. Sparkes said the poor response at last week's reserve price scheme was not achieving the desired effect. 'We must now look to an acquisition scheme which will give the wool industry the same degree of control over its affairs as its competitors.' he said." - The Australian, September 7th.

Sir William Gunn, whom we are informed describes himself in private as a supporter of Socialism, has for years been a strong advocate of the policy of compulsory acquisition of the Australian wool clip. There are those who claim that the Gunn policy was in fact the policy of his former Governor of the Reserve Bank, the Fabian Socialist Dr. H.C. Coombs. Compulsory acquisition of any form of production, irrespective of the terms used to describe the policy, is the very essence of Socialism. And so the President of the Queensland Country Party joins the ranks of those "anti-Socialists" (generally just before elections:) taking Australia down the Socialist road at an ever-accelerating rate. Both the Liberal and Country parties now have large numbers of members who make little effort to disguise their belief that more Socialism is the only answer to Communism. Karl Marx would be delighted to hear such dangerous nonsense.

All Marxists teach that Socialism is the first and most essential step towards the Communist State. The essence of all Socialist policies is to take more power away from the individual and to vest it in organisations over which he can exercise no control. The program to progressively control the primary producer through Boards and "Authorities" was laid down a long time ago in the Marxist textbooks. The wool industry has been one of the last major bastions of the genuine free enterprise, private ownership economic system in Australia. Around that industry has been centred an enormous amount of Australian development. It permitted the development of a way of life, which was detested by the Socialist-minded. The much-criticised "rich graziers" may, as a group, have had their faults. But they have contributed far more of value, and have done much less damage to Australia than some of their critics in the big city press and the Government bureaucracies.

It is instructive that those like Mr. Sparkes who are advocating a wool acquisition scheme, do not appear to visualise any problems in financing such a scheme. Mr. Sparkes calls for a $300 million scheme. There is no mention of where this money would come from. Presumably it would be provided by overdraft from the Reserve Bank, in the same way that overdraft facilities are provided for the Wheat Board. It would therefore be created in the normal manner. Which raises the question, and a most important question, of why the same $300 million could not be provided to enable the wool producer to continue operating as a free man.

The investment of $300 million annually in the Australian wool industry would at present be a complete lifesaver. If paid as a subsidy on every bale of wool sold, and to finance a consumer subsidy on all woollen articles sold at the retail counter inside Australia, it would be a major break away from the financial policies now driving every non-Communist nation to accept increasing Socialism.

Consider the present plight of the U.S.A. Ever since President Nixon made his statement last year that he had become a convert to Keynesian economics; he has accelerated the American drive down the Socialist road. Nixon's dramatic change of policy on Red China was the logical conclusion to his open surrender to Socialism. Keynesian finance-economic policies, with progressive inflation coupled with high taxation, have reduced Australia's most sturdy individualists to the desperate plight where it hoped that they would surrender their independence so that some of them are permitted to survive by those who wish to control them completely.
The tragedy is that far too many leaders of the Country Party, instead of exposing and opposing the enemies of the independent primary producer, are acting as their allies.

SURRENDERING TO THE RULE OF THE VIOLENT MINORITY

"Sir, Apart altogether from the racial issues surrounding the proposed visit of the South African cricketers, does anybody seriously consider that Australia can afford this luxury? Protection of the Springboks cost the public millions of dollars, and the cricket tour, if it goes on, will cost much more. How many people are interested in cricket anyway? And why should millions who are not have to put up with the expense and disruption this visit would entail?" - Correspondent in The Age, Melbourne, September 7th, 1971.

The Australian press, almost uniform in its opposition to both South Africa and Rhodesia, has featured the most recent criticism of the proposed South African cricket tour by some Church spokesmen. These gentlemen all appear to have very selective consciences. We do not recall any of them protesting against the policy of the World Council of Churches providing African terrorists with financial assistance so that they can get on with the business of killing and maiming their fellow-Africans. And needless to say, there will be no national campaigns to prevent sporting teams from Communist-dominated countries from visiting Australia. "Cultural exchanges" will continue unimpeded.

Every authority on Communist global strategy knows that Southern Africa is one of the top targets of the Marxist strategists. When the Moscow criminals permitted the puppet Russian Orthodox Church to join the World Council of Churches in 1961, they did so with the long-term intention of enabling them to influence "world opinion."
If any Christian clergy wish to undertake a course of reading and study on how the Marxists exploit the "useful innocents" to advance their plans, we will be pleased to help them. But some are so irrational that facts and logic make no impression. Consider the state of mind of so-called educated men who can endorse the line of "argument" advanced in the letter we have quoted from The Age.

As there is no suggestion that the South Africans are using their sporting teams to advance any aggressive designs against the rest of the world, surely the Archbishops and others should content themselves with exhorting those who do not like the South Africans to stay away from the cricket. Surely Christians are in favour of freedom of choice? Why not let the South Africans come and see just what Australians feel about the cricket?
But the self-styled defenders of democracy fear a free choice, because they know that they would be shown to be in a minority. So they then fall back on the "line" that a South African cricket tour can only "divide" the people, and, of course, the demonstrators will force Governments to spend money for maintaining law and order.

Now if this fascinating argument is taken to its logical conclusion, the institution of private property should be abolished as clearly a minority of the community, the criminals of all types find it offensive! And think of the enormous expense of maintaining police forces just to try to keep the minority from taking the property of other people! If, as appears probable as we go to press, the South African cricket tour is cancelled, this will not only be a victory for the Marxist strategists, but will take Australia one step closer to a break down of traditional society. Rule by the mob will replace the Rule of Law.
Only a re-generation of faith in the principles of an orderly society can avert even greater disasters in the years ahead.

FEDERAL MINISTER FOR LABOR LECTURES EMPLOYERS

"The Minister for Labor and National Service, Mr. Lynch, said today that employers should justify price rises to the public. Mr. Lynch said that the pursuit of profits should not be the sole aim of employers. A responsible pricing policy was essential he said." - The Herald, Melbourne, September 6th.

With great respect to Mr. Lynch, who is generally regarded as one of the more competent Federal Ministers, his lecture would have been more appropriate for the Government itself. We have stressed over many years that inflation is a most destructive social force, and there is a natural tendency for business organisations to try to 'hedge" against inflation, as in fact do the wage unions. But there would be a national uproar if a business organisation increased its prices at the same rate that the PMG, for example, has increased the charges for its services in recent years.

It is true, as Mr. Lynch told his listeners, that strikes and stoppages help to further inflation. But Mr. Lynch should devote his attention to basic causes instead of suggesting to employers that they can through their business organisations do much more than they are doing to stop prices from rising.

The basic cause of inflation is the type of financial policies being imposed by the Federal Government under the "advice" of men who are allegedly experts. All over the world the policy of inflation is eroding the will and capacity of the non-Communist nations to defend themselves in the face of increasing International Communist pressure. That is why the Marxists have always welcomed inflation and welcome criticism of the "wicked capitalists."

DID NAZI LEADER DIE IN RUSSIA

"Hitler's number 2 man, Martin Bormann was a Russian agent during World War II and died three years ago in Russia, according to a forthcoming book described as the memoirs of General Reinhard Gehlen. General Gehlen is the former West German intelligence chief, who retired in 1968." - The Australian, September 6th.

Truth is often much stranger than fiction, as was demonstrated for example when top British intelligence expert Kim Philby turned out to have been working for Moscow all his adult life. Then there was the incredible Richard Sorge, whom the Nazis thought was working for them in Japan during the Second World War, but who in fact was another top Soviet agent inside the Nazi movement. (See Secret Communist Agents Who Have Changed The Course Of History, by Patrick Walsh, 36 cents post-free).

It is not improbable that Borman was a Soviet agent inside the Nazi Party. Or like many other Nazi officials he may have gone over to the Russians at the end of the Second World War. The philosophy of both Hitler's movement and the Communist movement were basically the same. According to a report on General Gehlen's book in the New York Times, Bormann crossed the Russian lines as Soviet troops moved in on Berlin, and later became an advisor to the Soviet on German affairs. It is not surprising that General Gehlen's book is reported to be commanding offers close to $1 million for world publication rights.

We will wait with interest to see whether in fact the book is published, and whether it authenticates the story that Hitler's number 2 man was at any time a Soviet agent. Hitler always insisted that he was a Socialist, and a revolutionary who admired much of what he had studied in Marxism. But the mythmakers have constantly striven to present him as an extreme conservative, thus making the task of genuine conservatives so much more difficult.

AN EVENT OF NATIONAL HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE

Heritage Seminar, Saturday, September 18. It is fitting that an event of such historical significance as the launching of The Australian Heritage Society by The Australian League of Rights, should enable men of the calibre of the Hon. George Reid, Q.C., M.P., Sir Stanton Hicks and Sir Raphael Cilento to present Papers on different aspects of the Australian heritage.
We are pleased to announce that Mr. Eric Butler will now also present a special Paper, an "extra", "The Essential Christian Heritage."

One of the major features of the Heritage Seminar will be displays of weaving, spinning, painting, pottery, minerals and wines. Some of the exhibits will be for sale. In order that exhibits may be fully enjoyed, the Seminar will open at 1p.m. The first Paper will be at 2p.m., when Mr. W. G. Manifold, J.P., a member of one of Victoria's best known pioneer families, will introduce the Hon. George Reid to speak on Australia's Constitutional Heritage. Those who wish to bring a basket tea to have between the second and third Papers can be provided with a cup of tea at the hall. Excellent restaurants are not far from the Hall.
The L. Younger Ross Hall is at 110 Keppel Street, Carlton. Those using public transport should catch trams 1 & 15 up Swanston Street to Elgin Street. There is adequate car parking space. Entrance : $1 per person. Pensioners and students half price.