WILSON THE WRECKER

"France today struck two blows at Britain. It opposed even low-level talks with Britain on membership of the Common Market. Then it refused to take part in a U.S. 1600 million dollars plan by major world banks to shore up the devalued British pound. Opposing talks with Britain, the French Foreign Minister, Mr. Couvede Murville, said a solid British economy was necessary for membership. How this was achieved was Britain's problem." - The Australian, November 21.

It has been no secret in Europe that Charles de Gaulle of France is willing to accept the United Kingdom into the European Economic Community when the British Government completely capitulates to his terms. Prime Minister Harold Wilson has progressively retreated in the face of the pressures applied to him. de Gaulle, and those backing him, see Wilson's devaluation as only the first step towards the destruction of sterling as an international currency. Britain must break completely with the Commonwealth and reduce her international status.
Lenin's objective of the destruction of the British Empire and Commonwealth could be within sight.
The socialists in Britain have used every excuse in their attempt to justify doing what Mr. Wilson repeatedly promised they would not do.

It is true that there have been extra costs resulting from the Middle East crisis, which Mr. Wilson's Government did nothing to prevent, the main ones being heavier payments for freight around the Cape of Good Hope, and dollars of oil in the West. But there has also been Mr. Wilson's expensive sanctions policy against Rhodesia and his arms embargo against South Africa. And on top of this there have been his disastrous domestic financial and economic policies. As Mr. Wilson was President of the Board of Trade in 1949 when Sir Stafford Cripps devalued, he knows that devaluation cannot solve Britain's major long-term problems. Exports will have a short-term benefit from lower prices, but other countries will soon move to provide themselves with greater tariff protection for domestic secondary industries likely to be affected by British competition.
It is certain that living standards in Britain will be further reduced.

The disaster threatening the British, and the whole of the British Commonwealth, is quite unnecessary. The old British Commonwealth nations possess between them all the resources necessary for a modern economy. These resources include adequate food supplies. The British are still leading the world in many important technological developments. British traditions and institutions provide for a social stability and genuine progress unknown elsewhere. But all this has been betrayed and subverted over a long period until today it would appear that Harold Wilson is determined to wreck Britain and the whole Commonwealth ideal completely and finally.

What has been happening is not inevitable. And because it is not inevitable, the policies of wrecking can be challenged and reversed if sufficient people throughout the British nations make the necessary effort.

DE GAULLE INVITES RED ARMY INTO FRANCE

"On the other side of the Atlantic.... there are those who regard de Gaulle as a long-term Kremlin favourite, increasingly playing the Communist game as events unfold. They can trace, they believe, an association with Russia and with communism going back many years. The French withdrawal from Algeria, and then from NATO, followed by a cordial visit to Moscow in June last year added fuel to the flames. And the blaze will be the greater from the latest revelations, that Red Army troops are already training with French forces on French soil, as part of the Franco-Soviet military exchange programme." - John Paul in Political Intelligence Weekly, England, November 17.

There has been comparatively little publicity about a development of the most sinister nature, not only for France, but also for the rest of the Western world. Effective censorship by de Gaulle has been responsible for most of the lack of publicity about the revolutionary policy of having Red Army troops train in France. There were French Generals who would never have tolerated this, but they have all been purged since de Gaulle came to power with the support of these same Generals. The Soviet placed the greatest importance on the Red Army training in France, as witnessed by the presence of the Soviet Chief of General Staff, Marshall Zakharov, who spent ten days in France from October 8 to October 18. Marshall Zakharov also attended a meeting of the French General Staff.
The French Chief of Staff, General Ailleret, speaks fluent Russian.

It is interesting that the airborne school visited by Marshall Zakharov and his troops had been used by France's NATO partners in the past. Also that the Marshall's visit coincided with the biggest French air maneuvers held since the war, these being conducted on the basis of a French air strike in co-ordination with NATO forces meeting a Red Army thrust towards the Rhine!
No doubt Marshall Zakharov was highly impressed with what he saw and learned.

This latest development in France's relationships with the Soviet Union provides more evidence to support the thesis of those who claim that de Gaulle is determined to bring Communism into Western Europe. It would be instructive to learn what Mr. Harold Wilson thinks of this.

MR. WALTER LIPPMANN'S FRANK ADMISSION

"Mr. Lippmann said staying out of Vietnam would have improved Soviet-American relations and U.S. prestige in the world would be very much greater. Asked if he meant 'a communist state in Vietnam would be the best thing for U.S. interest' Mr. Lippmann replied 'yes"' - The Age, Melbourne, November 21.

This frank admission by America's most influential long-time Fabian Socialist provides further confirmation of the consistent pro-Communist policy he has supported for so long. Mr. Lippmann was appearing in a television broadcast, during which he said that the United States was going through the worst times it had during his 77-year life. He said "I think the man who ought to he next President is Rockefeller."

There is no doubt that Soviet-American relations can be improved along the lines suggested by Mr. Lippmann. All that the Americans have to do is to progressively surrender to the Communists. As a columnist read all over the world, Walter Lippmann has demonstrated what just one pro-Communist publicist can achieve.

MIDDLE EAST CRISIS DEEPENS

"This continuing deadlock gives cause for pessimism about the future of the Middle East. If the peace efforts fail, then the Arab States will, as they have already stated, 'take steps to eliminate the consequences of Israeli aggression.' This means that we can expect to see the whole panoply of subversion - as practised by the Viet Cong in Vietnam - unleashed in Israeli-held territory. The belligerent Syrians have already embarked on this dangerous course." - The Herald, Melbourne, November 21.

As we have previously stressed, there is no hope whatever of stabilising the Middle East until the basic problem is dealt with realistically. The basic problem is the State of Israel and its policies. Created by aggression, it still supports aggression. The Australian press did not report that Israel lined up with the Communists and Afro-Asian bloc at the UN General Assembly on November 3 to vote in favour of the use of force against Rhodesia. King Hussein of Jordan had made it clear that he and other pro-Western Arab leaders will accept an independent "de-Zionised" Israel so long as its borders are fixed and guaranteed by the Western nations. Failure by the Western nations to take this stand is aiding the growing Communist penetration of the whole of the Middle East.
In the United States the American Council for Judaism continues to protest that Zionists who put the interests of Israel ahead of the interests of America "menace the good relations between Christians and Jews in our country....

SUPPORT SPECIAL LEAGUE CHRISTMAS CARDS

COMMUNISTS PREPARE FOR INDONESIAN COMEBACK

"Indonesia's communists, inspired and supported by Peking, appear to be stepping up their efforts to stage a comeback. Their strategy is to undermine the unity of their opponents. Their tactics include guerrilla warfare and economic subversion." - The Australian, November 16.

Although Communism received a major setback in Indonesia following the abortive Peking-backed coup of October 1, 1965, it was far from being completely destroyed. Sukarno fought a rear-guard action for a sufficient period to allow much of the Indonesian Communist movement to go underground. But now it is starting to test the situation. There have been a number of guerilla attacks, a major one taking place early this month in Borneo, where Chinese Communist guerrillas suffered heavy casualties in a clash with Indonesian armed forces. The Communist underground is starting to take advantage of the growing conflict between the armed forces and the student's organisations, a conflict stemming primarily from the army's failure to solve Indonesia's serious economic problems.
A study of all the available evidence indicates that the Communists believe they can stage a major come back in Indonesia within four years. Indonesia provides further evidence of the fanatical faith of the Communists in the face of obstacles and major setbacks. Australians have no reason to be complacent about Indonesia.

EXPANSION FUND FALTERS ON EDGE OF SUCCESS

As we go to press, just seven days before the closing date of the League of Rights' special 25, 000 dollar expansion fund, total donations and pledges total 23, 060 dollars. This leaves the comparatively small amount of 1,940 dollars to be found within the next seven days. Success or failure of the venture now depends upon the great majority who have so far joined the campaign.

The outstanding feature of the Expansion Fund campaign has been the comparatively small number of supporters who have joined, and their dedication. This means that the average donation has remained very high. Last week there were a number of donations of 100 dollars, with the majority being 20 dollars or over. We must make a special mention of several who have contributed most generously in spite of the fact that they are struggling in the grip of severe drought conditions, Surely many more will match this spirit, and that of the widowed pensioner who sent her few dollars (what a sacrifice that must have been with a rising cost of living), or that of the elderly Parish Priest who sent 25 dollars with the short note, "God bless your endeavours." If this spirit can be matched over the next seven days, the Fund will succeed.
All donations or pledges to Box 1052J, GPO, Melbourne, 3001. Let's announce success this week.
Election comment authorised by Eric D. Butler 273 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, 3000.