WHAT'S IN A NAME?

"The Australian Labor Party national conference beginning in Melbourne today will be probably the most important in the Party's history since 1921, when Australian Labor committed itself to Socialism." The Australian, July 27th.

When the famous "socialist objective" was last restated in 1955, it ran: "The socialisation of industry, production, distribution and exchange to the extent necessary to eliminate exploitation and other anti-social features in those fields in accordance with the principles of action, methods, and progressive reforms set out in this platform." The Australian Editorial of above date correctly draws attention to the wording remarking that this is an "escape clause" which can prevent Labor Parliamentary leaders from becoming captured by the extreme left of the Party. The new platform is to read, "The Labor Party is a democratic socialist party and has the objective of the democratic socialisation of industry,"etc., etc. The point we are highlighting is that - what is the difference between nationalisation, socialisation, and democratic socialisation. These are "buzz" words which people accept or reject more on an emotional level than by logic. All the buzzwords in the world will not disguise the nationalisation objective of Australian Labor, which became official Labor policy in 1921: things haven't changed.

NORTH SOUTH, YOU'RE OUT!

"Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser's obsessive determination to emerge as the Western champion of the rights of developing countries threatens to become his Achilles heel." Russell Schneider, in The Australian, July 25th.

Mr. Fraser has been completely sold on the New International Economic Order; it has become an article of faith with him. Perhaps as a shrewd politician with the so-called "gut" feeling for the "drift" of world events, he senses that this is the issue that powerful forces of finance and politics favour. We have already remarked that Mr. John Stone, the head of the Treasury Department has disagreed with Mr. Fraser on North-South, and the down to earth Mr. Bjelke-Petersen has correctly stated that charity begins at home, and wants a cut in overseas aid rather than cuts in funds to the States.

What Mr. Schneider of The Australian refers to is the electoral danger that Mr. Fraser will become so obsessed with his "image" of the World Statesman that he will lose touch and "fumble the ball" at home. Accordingly, many Liberals are jumpy about all this. The kite has already been flown on the issue of the reduction of tariffs. It is known that the Treasury Department is pushing for tariff cuts on various overseas articles of trade as a measure to force Australian industry to become more competitive in the face of cheaper imports, particularly from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, etc. Mr. Fraser, too, wants tariff cuts, but more to again bolster his image as the champion of North-South than as an anti-inflationary measure, as he would see it.

As can be readily understood, Australian manufacturers won't be taking kindly to tariff cuts, as this will mean that hundreds of smaller factories will be forced to close, throwing thousands of Australians on to social security. Mr. John Howard, the Treasurer, is elated at the lower inflation rate for the last quarter (approximately 9%), and this has been achieved at the social cost of some 5% (approx) of the work force on social security. This real "social cost" is hard to measure as the true cost is so much more than just the amount of social security payments paid out by the Commonwealth. For example, what about juvenile delinquency? What about the escalating crime rate; much of it violent, and committed by youth? All very expensive to contain (if possible) and correct, as involved are the police, the courts, social workers, probation officers. What about the hundreds, or even thousands of young people who now will never acquire a skilled trade, and because of the ever-increasing sophistication of technology become permanent unemployment risks? These are the real social costs of youth unemployment.

We fear that Mr. Howard and Mr. Fraser will have comparatively little time to congratulate themselves that their anti-inflationary strategy is working: it isn't really working at all because the slight fall in the rate will reverse itself when all the current wage rises flow through into the economy, not to mention the impact of the latest rises in interest rates. Mr. Fraser and Mr. Howard cannot win the battle against inflation as the basic arithmetic is against them. The tragedy is that they don't understand even that.

RUGBY REVOLUTION

"New Zealand leaders last night shelved a decision on the future of the controversial South African Rugby tour." The Sun, (Melbourne) July 27th.

We were forced to shake our heads when we read the words of the Secretary of the N.Z. Police Association - "You have to remember that we are dealing with a group of people who have the force of international public opinion, the moral support of at least half of New Zealand behind them, and who believe that the end justifies the means."

We have no doubt that the tools of revolution we see on our T.V. screens, screaming and chanting like zombies, aren't concerned about the means they employ to achieve their desired end. We question whether they do, in fact, have the "moral support" of at least half of New Zealand. Very many people want the Springbok tour cancelled to avoid violence: they still basically believe in fair play, and would like the tour to go ahead if only the unpleasantness and violence could somehow be avoided. With respect to "international public opinion", well, "there ain't no such animal". The so-called "world opinion" is what the mass media manufacture in their editorial policies. We know for a fact that many journalists who write editorials do not themselves, personally, accept the views they express in their own writings. They have to conform to an editorial "line" laid down by the newspaper boards; and all sorts of pressures can be exerted against newspaper boards: the threat of withdrawal of advertising by powerful customers is one; union pressures another. There are others. Real "world opinion" doesn't exist, it is a Chimera.

The central point about the Springbok tour is that if it is cancelled, then the dupes of world revolution have been successful for their masters, whom most of the dupes don't know exist. The noisy, screaming dupes we all see on the T.V. screens are labouring for their own destruction. They want the death of South Africa. The loss of South Africa to what's left of the West will be a disaster that the West may not survive. After South Africa's death, we know that the forces of world revolution would focus all pressures short of actual military warfare (at this stage) against Australia and New Zealand. Future students of history will be astonished as they read of the idiocy of human beings in the 20th Century.

WHERE ARE OUR LEADERS?

The following letter appeared in The Shepparton News (July 17th) under the above heading:

"...One only had to see the Treasurer on T.V. the other night and hear his report on the foreign and financial invasion of Australia being portrayed in glowing terms to realise the idiocy of our financial policy. "Don't we have any loyal Australian bankers left who will give a lead and speak our against this nonsense?"
What about the business community? Where is the spokesman for the Chamber of Commerce? Silent! While his customer works from January 1st to July 14th to support government and less than half a year to support himself and his family. "Where are all those community minded business tycoons in the service clubs? Why cannot they recognise the dissolution of our economy with the artificial evil of inflation? "And those smart young businessmen in their smart suits and smart hair styles, off to the bistro for lunch each day, completely oblivious of a debt system that forces a young married couple to pay for a house three times over in interest charges.
"Those so respectable Sunday churchmen, too respectable to follow the example of the Leader for which their religion is named, who challenged the policy of usury. Too soft to say NO to evil, and as a result, too silly to know that the Marxism they condone and accept in silence is the very antithesis to the Christianity they profess. "And where are those men of the earth - the farmers? Those steady, slow thinking types who, working with nature, turn mud and sunshine into bread and butter, only to see galloping costs gobble up would be profits. 'Let's milk another 10 cows', they say, and their thinking comes to a complete halt.
"No wonder Parliament is a failure. No wonder the present Government is engaged in so many idiotic and potentially damaging policies. How can our representation be any better? How can Mr. Lloyd (Federal Member for Murray-National Country Party) even if he knew how, turn the tide single handed, against the developing financial dictatorship while so many of the people he represents are experts at counting money - but idiots at understanding it?"
This letter was above the name of a "T. Fielder", of Numurkah VIC.

BRIEF COMMENT

The N.S.W. division of the Young Liberal Movement is advocating that Australia become a republic by 1988. Its President believes that it would be a wonderful idea to celebrate Australia's bi-centenary by becoming a republic. He said that the Westminster system of government is not adequately fulfilling its role. We may well ask just what system of government is adequately fulfilling its role? The Westminster system is proving remarkably resilient considering the fact that it is under subversive attack; from organised subversion, and even more importantly, from the effects of a disastrous finance/economic system which are exploited by the agents of subversion.

The Vice President of the Concerned Parents' Association, the Rev. John Cromarty, was recently invited to address first-year students of the Faculty of Education at Deakin University, Geelong. He said secular, Humanistic education was based on five common assumptions, all of which were false. These were that:
1. The mind of Man is supreme.
2. Man, including his mind, is in a normal state.
3. Man lives in a world of chance.
4. Man's good, and Man's development is the goal of education, and
5. "Time" and "this world" are to be the exclusive sphere of Man's concern.
He said it was the Humanistic educationist who was narrow minded because he positively excluded Christian absolutes and "the great spiritual and eternal realities of the Christian faith. On the basis of these narrow, earth bound assumptions, a whole pattern of thought and system of education is being foisted upon the children and young adults of our generation", he said. "Secular Humanism had deified Man's mind and reason and was positively idolatrous.
Mr. Cromarty quoted from a paper in a study guide the students were using (an examination of the M.A.C.O.S. controversy in Queensland by Smith and Knight): "In our society men have learned to base decisions on the authority of their own intelligence." Mr. Cromarty challenged students and lecturers alike to reconsider the philosophy underlying their course of study, which ridiculed Christian principles.

M.A.C.O.S. Man: A Course of Study.
Is a flexible one-year social studies course usually taken at the 5th or 6th grade primary, or 1st or 2nd year secondary level. It was developed by the Educational Development Centre in Massachusetts, U.S.A The course was first introduced into Australia in 1972, and is now being taught in N.S.W., Vic., W.A., A.C.T., N.T., & S.A. by teachers who have undertaken the compulsory 30-hour workshop. The course is also studied in most teacher training institutions throughout Australia as a model of social science curriculum, with many lecturing staff having participated in workshops. As Dr. Rupert Goodman, of Queensland University, has said, there is no question about the scholarship that underlies the course, and the detailed planning and organisation that have gone into it. Most teachers are happy with it because all the work associated with the course has been done - all the materials are there; books, games, films, teachers' manuals. At a price of $3,830 for a classroom kit and set of films. Children enjoy the course - it is unusual and interesting. But neither parents nor the public can buy the books over the counter, nor can children take the books home. The whole course would take at least three weeks to read, view and assess. It consists of 30 classroom booklets, nine teachers' guides, 15 films, and various records, maps, murals, games, and filmstrips. M.A.C.O.S. is the brainchild of Professor Jerome Bruner, described as "arch-priest of behavioural sciences in the U.S."
An expert on brainwashing, he was chief of staff in the U.S. Department of Psychological Warfare during World War 2. The teachers' seminar book associated with the course contains much written by John Dewey, first President of the American Humanist Society and a signatory of the First Humanist Manifesto, as well as "Father" of the "New Education", of which M.A.C.O.S. is part. Its aim is to bring children to question the values, beliefs, and loyalties they have absorbed from their families and culture, and to develop in them values related to a global community organised on a collectivist basis. Children are programmed toward group response, and any who do not believe in "one world, the species", but hold the Christian values are regarded as mentally ill by Dewey and his followers. They must be cured of their illness by teachers."