INTERNATIONAL CROOKS

The great Lord Acton, best known for his succinct statement concerning how all power tends to corrupt, also said that most 'great men" are evil men. The case of Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands provides striking confirmation of Lord Acton's view. Some readers of Gary Allen's bestseller, "None Dare Call it Conspiracy" ($1.30 posted) have expressed disbelief about the criticism of Prince Bernhard. After all, he was, apart from being Queen Juliana's consort, a distinguished international figure who supported worthy causes like the Wild Life Fund.

Many who had heard about the semi secret Bilderberger group thought that this was merely a group of high-minded men like Prince Bernhard, working nobly to produce a better world. The principals of the Bilderbergers have of course, worked to create a "One World" in which the Communists would participate.

A German prince of great charm, but penniless, Prince Bernhard married the ageing Queen Wilhelmina's only daughter, Juliana, in 1937 after renouncing his German citizenship. After the Second World War Prince Bernhard moved into the world of international finance in a big way and did not take long to amass a fortune. By 1966 he was able to invest $12 million in Standard Oil (now Exxon) stock. Exxon is part of the Rockefeller Empire and Prince Bernhard has been associated with the Rockefellers over a long period.

Numbered amongst those he has associated with are Robert Vesco, now living in Costa Rica as fugitive from justice, and Ali Ahmed, the Pakistani London-based financier. Vesco escaped from U.S.A. charges that he had, while Chairman of International Overseas Services, diverted more than 100 million pounds for his own use. Prince Bernhard has received a number of complaints from people whose business deals with Ali Ahmed have proved abortive.

The long-suffering Queen Juliana has had to accept the Dutch Government' s devastating criticism of Prince Bernhard's shady role in the "Lockheed Affair". As Head of State she is automatically a constitutional member of the Government and must either endorse major Cabinet decisions or abdicate. Abdication as a result of the scandal concerning Prince Bernhard would have been a severe blow to the Dutch Monarchy.

It will be instructive to know what happens to Prince Bernhard amongst his international friends of the world of international finance and power politics. His case also poses the question of whether the Prince Bernhard's of the international stage regard movements like the Wild Life Fund the Club of Rome and similar conservation movements as a means of centralising control over all natural resources on an international scale.

MISLEADING INDIAN OCEAN DEBATE

"Sydney - The Soviet presence in the Indian Ocean was in danger of being exaggerated, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, Senator Sim, warned yesterday. He said constant public discussion on Russian naval strength provided Moscow with cheap political propaganda. This is the same as conducting a propaganda exercise on behalf of the Soviet Union, by maximising the political effect of the small naval presence, Senator Sim said." - Russell Skelton in "The Age", Melbourne, August 30th.

Senator Sim's views, given at a three-day international affairs conference in Sydney, have been seized upon by the Federal Opposition, and the Communists, to charge, in the words of Mr. Whitlam, that the Fraser Government was "fabricating" a Soviet threat to Australia to divert attention from its harsh and destructive economic policies. The manner in which Senator Sim's views were headlined "played down" his qualifying remarks that "The deployment of the Soviet navy into the Indian Ocean has been undertaken mainly for political purposes. It must be seen in the context of an overall expansion of the Soviet navy and the determination of the Soviet Union to exert its influence on a world scale".

The truth is that Soviet strategists are not only determined to exert "influence" globally; they are determined to bring the whole world under Communist control. But instead of spelling this truth out, the Fraser Government has spread confusion concerning the Indian Ocean question.

Consider the following
On June 1st, Prime Minister Fraser warns of Soviet naval build up in Indian Ocean.
Repeats concern about Soviet in Tokyo on June 23rd.
In press interview in Hong Kong on June 28th, Mr. Fraser denies that he is putting Australia in the anti-Soviet camp and described his Government's relationship with the Soviet as "solid and extensive".
On June 30th, Defence Minister Killen claimed that the Soviet presented a military threat to Australia. After a consultation with the Prime Minister he "clarified" his original statement.
On July 4th, Transport Minister Nixon said, after returning from Moscow "it was a bit hard to jump to the conclusion" that the size of the Soviet Navy posed economic or political dangers. Mr. Fraser said on the same day that messages from the Soviet over the past few days indicated Soviet wanted friendly relations with Australia to continue.
On July 8th, before leaving for Moscow, Deputy Prime Minister Anthony calmly endorses idea of selling Australian uranium to the Soviet.
On July 18th, Defence Minister Killen writes an article stating that there is no indication that Soviet military build up is "for reasons of defence and not aggression"

Listed details of Soviet military build up.
Upon returning from the Soviet, Mr. Anthony said on July 22nd, that "I assured the U. S. S .R. of Australia's desire to be on good, friendly relations with their great country...."
Foreign Minister Peacock issued major foreign policy statement on August 20th, telling the Soviet that the Fraser Government wanted to underline common cultural, trade and diplomatic links. The Fraser Government was prepared to recognise the Soviet as an "authentic power" with legitimate interests extending beyond its own region. We repeated the old Communist propaganda line about how the Soviet had suffered so badly in the Second World War that it was naturally concerned about its security. And Mr. Peacock assured Moscow that his Government was not taking sides in the Sino-Soviet dispute.

After the above performance, Mr. Fraser should not be surprised if Australians are becoming increasingly confused about his Government's foreign policy. A professed anti-Communist Government is undermining the whole anti-Communist movement.

BRIEF COMMENTS

Only four years ago American Republic Party delegates met at Miami Beach to re-elect that "great American statesman", a pillar of homely respectability - Mr. Richard Nixon. Dr. Antony Sutton, the famous research authority on Western technological aid to the Communists, briefly testified to a sub-Committee, documenting his charge that the Nixon administration was permitting American aid to flow to the major Communist enemy in Vietnam, the Soviet Union. Sutton's explosive testimony was given the silent treatment. Nixon was re-elected in a wave of national euphoria. Today the Republic Party does not even want to hear the name of Nixon, the self admitted crook, mentioned. Sutton continues to reveal the truth to an embattled free world through his classic, "National Suicide". (Price $3.75 posted).

Federal Treasurer Lynch and his Cabinet colleagues are insisting that there are improvements in the state of the economy. The Broken Hill Pty. Ltd., Australia's largest company, cannot find these improvements. Their Annual Report says that the long awaited "recovery", particularly in the steel industry, is not yet evident "either in Australia or in the overseas markets available to us." Bureau of Statistics figures for July reveal that production fell in 22 of the 34 items considered. It is beyond argument that Australia's PRESENT productive capacity is adequate to meet all legitimate demands. What is required is an immediate increase in consumer purchasing power by reducing financial costs and prices.

Wilmot Robertson, author of the great classic, "The Dispossessed Majority" ($6.75 posted) argues that woman will play a major role in defending and regenerating Civilisation. In our issue of August 6th, we reported on the decisive role by Portuguese women last year in defying the Communists. Now comes the inspiring news from Ireland that the women have had enough of the I.R.A.promoted terror. In one of those unrehearsed events which sometimes change the course of history, one brave Roman Catholic mother, Mrs. Betty Williams, in spite of threats to herself and children, triggered a peace movement which produced last weekend's remarkable demonstrations in both Southern and Northern Ireland. It was particularly moving to note that Protestant women in Belfast reserved their warmest welcomes for a group of Roman Catholic nuns. If the women of Ireland can bring peace and order to Ireland, this will be a major setback for the Communist conspiracy.

A study of Mr. Lynch's budget figures reveals that the Government assumes that there will be an increase in unemployment of 0.5%. Our view is that, unless there are some changes in financial policy, the increase will be much higher. Socialist school teachers are telling their senior students that they will have Mr. Fraser to thank for their failure to find employment early next year.