"NO" VOTE SETBACK FOR CENTRALISERS

"Canberra. - The Federal Government is considering dropping its proposals for five referendums to be held in conjunction with the Senate election next year. Senior ministers said last night they felt there was no chance of the referendums would be passed after Saturday's resounding 'no' to the prices and incomes referendums." - From Canberra correspondent John Lombard in The Sun, Melbourne, December 10th.

The massive Australia-wide rejection of the Whitlam Governments bid for increased constitutional powers was a tonic, coming at a time when many felt that under the influence of years of brainwashing by the collectivists, and the impact of a relentless inflation, Australians might be willing to vote to weaken a Federal Constitution which fortunately still curbs the appetite for greater power at Canberra.

For our own part, we must confess that we were uneasy about the possible outcome of last Saturday's referendum, feeling that perhaps Queensland would be the deciding State on the prices question. It appeared possible that the urbanised electors of Victoria and New South Wales could vote in favour of granting power over prices to Canberra. There was little doubt about Western Australia and Tasmania. While the nation-wide League of Rights grass-roots movement operated magnificently everywhere (the large number of excellent League letters published by the press being most effective) some special attention was given to the Queensland "front."
It is now clear that as December 8th, approached, electors got down to seriously considering one basic question, could any Canberra Government be trusted with increased power?

C. H. Douglas has observed that people rarely react to theories; they react to facts, to experience. Australian electors do not like the facts concerning the Whitlam Government. The will-to-power has been showing through all too clearly. And electors have noted the bureaucratic Empire-building at Canberra, the lavish spending, and have a healthy dislike of what is happening.

Genuine democracy has been defined as basically the right to accept or reject one proposition at a time. When electors get an occasional opportunity to make a decision on one basic question at a time, there is a much more responsible vote. At no time in history have Governments ever been over-keen on providing electors with the opportunity for an effective say concerning policymaking. But modern Governments have become progressively more totalitarian, displaying the utmost contempt for the rights of electors.

"Conservative?" Edward Heath flatly refused to permit the British people to have a say concerning the Common Market question and their future as a people. Premier Hamer of Victoria, after paying lip service to the philosophy of freedom before the last Victorian Elections, tells Victorians that his Government is going to dose them compulsorily with sodium fluoride. No old -fashioned nonsense about individuals having freedom of choice. A referendum on compulsory mass medication would be rejected in the same way that the Whitlam Government's referendum proposals were rejected.

So far from accepting the electors' decision on December 8th, Mr. Whitlam announced at Canberra on Tuesday of this week that he is planning to go ahead with several referendum proposals to coincide with the next Senate poll, anticipated to take place in May. Mr. Whitlam wants to make it easier to change the Constitution, as the present constitution is "grossly inadequate". He also said that referendum proposals should be put to the people more often "so that they became educated to the idea that the constitution had to be modernised."
In other words, the campaign to centralise power is to continue. And, of course, the Whitlam Government, following the same tactics as its predecessors, will use its financial powers to keep whittling away the powers of the States and Municipal Government.

One of the most significant tests concerning the intellectual and moral health of the Australian electors will come with the referendum that seeks to make it constitutional for the Federal Government to make direct financial agreements with Municipal Councils. This will be a clear-cut case of attempting to bribe Councils reeling under the present rate of inflation. And where will Mr. Snedden and his colleagues stand in view of the fact that they supported the Commonwealth Grants' Bill?

Perhaps the most inane comment on the Referendum result came from Opposition leader Billy Snedden, who claimed that the result was a "vindication" of the Opposition's policies. He said that the Whitlam Government had to understand that the people had voted for "positive policies." Mr. Snedden has been talking in the clichés, which we have been hearing for years. We have carefully studied everything said by Mr. Snedden during the Referendum campaign, and apart from vague talk about a temporary "prices and incomes freeze", which would require the granting of powers by the States and which Mr. Snedden admits would not end inflation, "national conferences", lower interest rates (how much lower?), Mr. Snedden puts forward nothing new compared with what the Liberal-Country Party Coalition did for 23 years, during which time the 1949 dollar was reduced to 32 cents. Mr. Snedden boasts that inflation was "only'" 4.5 per cent, when the Coalition left office. He knows as well as we do that the Budget he brought down in 1972, with a deficit of $650 million and a policy of monetary expansion would have substantially increased the inflation rate even if the Coalition had been re-elected.

Politicians rely on the notorious short memory of the electors to assist them. But Mr. Snedden and his colleagues would be well advised to note what is happening right around the world where parliamentary institutions still exits. Long-established voting patterns are breaking up, as witnessed by the recent elections in Denmark and the by-elections in the United Kingdom. It may take another dose of Mr. Snedden and his colleagues to finally convince Australian electors that merely changing parties without changing policies is a futile exercise.

The Referendum vote was a first encouraging step towards preparing the way for the Senate Elections and Mr. Whitlam's further referendums. One thing is certain in the developing situation; The Australian League of Rights is exercising increasing influence as it clarifies the basic issues for electors.

THE NATIONAL ANTHEM ISSUE

"Mr. Bob King MHR said yesterday the Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, had been amazed at the result of a Mail-Times poll on Australia's national anthem. Mr. King Member for Wimmera, had just handed Mr. Whitlam the result from the poll in which readers sent coupons about God Save the Queen. Mr. King told the Mail-Times he had discussed the issue with Mr. Whitlam, 'The Prime Minister was very guarded in what he had to say but was amazed at the result of the return of so many coupons indicating support for an inclusion of the present anthem in a national poll."
A total 855 readers said they supported the present anthem and wanted it included in any poll of Australian Opinion." - Wimmera Mail-Times, Victoria, November 28th.

Last week at Canberra members of the Opposition in the House of Representatives attempted to have 'God Save the Queen' included in the list of songs to be considered for the National Anthem contest. The result was a disgraceful performance by some Government Members, who attempted to reduce the debate to the level of cheap comic opera. It was suggested that "Superstar" should be the Anthem for the Prime Minister, Mr. Whitlam, and that "The Donkey Serenade" would be appropriate for the Country Party. Mr. Al Grassby, that outstanding master of double-talk, said that the motion to have the present National Anthem included in a proper national poll was only a device to deny Australians a 'badge of independence." That insulting remark must not be forgotten by Australians loyal to the Queen and what the Monarchy stands for.

When the vote was taken at Canberra, the motion to have "God Save The Queen" included in any national poll was defeated in the House of Representatives by the Labor majority. This is yet another example of the type of "democracy" supported by the Whitlam Government. It is planned to deprive Australians of their traditional National Anthem.

It is pleasing to report that the concept of providing a means whereby the people can have a say pioneered by the League of Rights special Division, The Australian Heritage Society, has now been also taken up by The Herald Melbourne, which includes "God Save The Queen" along with the three proposals acceptable to the Government. We have not the slightest doubt, as The Sun in Sydney, and The Wimmera-Mail Times, have already discovered, that the great majority of Herald readers will support retention of the present National Anthem. The Whitlam Government must have it made clear to them that Australians proud of their heritage, of which the National Anthem is a part, are not going to permit that heritage to be eroded without a massive protest.

CHAMPAGNE FLOWED ON PRIME MINISTER'S FLIGHT

"Thirty-five bottles of champagne - 17 Australian and 18 French - were drunk in the VIP plane which carried the Prime Minister (Mr. Whitlam) to Japan and China recently." - The Age, Melbourne, December 12th.

The above information was provided by Senator Murphy in answer to a question in the Senate. It has been revealed that expensive imported tiles have been used in private installed in Mr. Tom Uren's rapidly expanding Department of Urban Affairs. Old -fashioned Labor supporters must be wondering what type of "workers' Government" they have at Canberra. Mr. Whitlam and his colleagues keep on preaching with sickening hypocrisy about the "equalitarian Society:" But they believe in the good life for themselves, as witnessed by the party held on the way to Red China. And often behaviour that can only be termed vulgar. All this reminds us of the old saying about beggars on horseback.

ANTI-SOUTHERN AFRICAN CAMPAIGN INTENSIFIED

"'New York, November 21. The United Nations Security Council was urged last night to broaden sanctions against Rhodesia to include complete or partial interruption of air, sea, and radio communications...Reflecting their changed policies under Labor Governments, Australia and New Zealand voted for the resolution... - The Age, Melbourne, November 22nd.

The Whitlam Government has attempted to justify its anti-Rhodesian policies, including the seizing of literature coming into Australia from Rhodesia, on the basis of the alleged necessity of Australia giving effect to United Nations resolutions. It is significant that the media of Australia ignored one of the most vital sections of the judgment handed down by the High Court of Australia concerning the Whitlam Governments attempt to deny the Rhodesian Information Centre telephone and mail services. We quote from the judgment:
"...resolutions of the Security Council neither form part of the law of the Commonwealth nor by their own force confers any power on the Executive of the Commonwealth that it would not otherwise possess".
This historic judgment, which has been discussed widely in legal circles around the English -speaking world, is the complete answer to the constant claim by the Whitlam Government that it can use UN resolutions as a basis for policies that are in fact unconstitutional.

BASIC FUND SURGES FORWARD

We have bad news for those League-watchers who have been reporting that League support was falling away. Since last week the record shows 67 more supporters contributing between them $3,835. 90. And nothing from King Faisal, whom Mr. Edward St. John once suggested might be helping to finance the League". Only dedicated giving by Australians who are determined to find the necessary financial sinews of war necessary for the League's constantly expanding programme.

As only a minority of League supporters have now pushed the grand total to $17,286.20, we urge the majority to sweep the fund past the objective of $25,000 as quickly as possible. It would be a tremendous Christmas present to the League if this could be done by next week, when we publish our final issue for the year. In keeping with the seriousness of the situation, the League has planned a massive programme for 1974. All Northern N.S.W. and Queensland contributions to Mrs. Jean Luscombe P.O. 64 Maleny 4552, Queensland. Others to Box 1052J, G.P.O. Melbourne 3001.