THE HOFFMAN CASE

"My conscience is perfectly clean", the former Japanese Ambassador to Australia (Mr. Sabura Ota) said tonight about the Hoffman spy case. The Age, Melbourne, March 11.

The Japanese Government and the Japanese press refuse to become excited over what appears to be a crudely handled incident, probably of a routine nature, amongst many others in the security field which never reach the notice of the public. What is of interest in the matter is that it is obvious to even the uninformed that there is nothing involved which amounts to a threat to our national security; nevertheless the incident is being used to generate a great deal of political heat and to absorb the attention of the public.
Why? Treason, which goes on all around us in the form of Government policies directly aiding our declared enemies, has become so commonplace as to hardly rate a mention, let alone a nationwide controversy. Aid, trade, diplomatic and cultural delegations accepted in Australia without scarcely a whimper of protest undermines our defences continuously, as the Communists continue what has become almost open espionage. There is however one important aspect of the Hoffman matter which we should note. The fact that a highly paid job can be found in private industry, on the recommendation of a public official, for one already dismissed from the public service, illustrates how dependent upon the good favours of government officials private industry has become. It is to be hoped some member of the Government still loyal to the basic objectives of the Liberal Party takes up this point.

Mr. ANTHONY THE FARMERS

"We won't dictate to farmers ", the Minister for Primary industry Mr. Anthony told Wimmera farmers yesterday. The Wimmera Mail-Times, March 5.

Mr. Anthony was addressing mainly wheat farmers when he was speaking. He promised that the Government would not tell wheat farmers how much to produce. Mr. Anthony is worried about over-production. The farmers are worried about falling incomes, rising prices, and increased costs. Mr. Anthony evidently fails to realise that the latter is the main cause for his over production problem, and that both are the result of economic policies controlled by, and the direct responsibility of the Government of which he is a very responsible member.

The farmer faced with an expanding, in fact, exploding, cost structure, increases production in an endeavour to obtain greater financial returns. The Government released increasing volumes of financial credit to finance the expanding cost structure, all of which credit goes through the farmer's - and the business man's - book keeping as increased costs. When the Government reverses at least some of its policies where the individual's purchasing power is concerned, and channels in the same credit, outside the cost structure, and as pure consumer credit, rising costs will be arrested, and automatically production will find its own level.

It is hypocritical of Mr. Anthony to say he will not force farmers to accept more and more control over their personal lives and how they farm their properties when the policies of his Government are directed toward that end.

STUDENTS : 1969 THE YEAR OF STRUGGLE

"The administration and staff of Monash University are bracing themselves for a year of challenge, and the threat of student revolution." - The Sun Melbourne, March 7.

David Freeman, The Sun's Monash correspondent reports that Michael Hyde and Albert Langer of the Labor Club and prominent in student revolutionary activities in the past years, are confident of stepping up student revolution this year. Langer makes a significant point when he remarks, "For the first time we are getting high school kids who are really aware of politics and the faults of our system of government."
"Underground newspapers with aid from the Monash Labor Club, thrived last year and many of their staff are coming to Monash this year".

The unhealthy relationship between staff and student was revealed by the acting Vice Chancellor of Monash Professor Westfold. He refused to reveal any plans for coping with revolutionary activity on the campus. "If we have to regard them as the enemy I don't see why I should give any information away to them. "But if we lose control of the university, if demonstrations stop us going about our teaching and research, we will have no hesitation in calling the police on to the campus…"

David Freeman makes it clear that the revolutionaries are hoping for a showdown with the police. Much could be said about the fundamental causes of teenage revolt against authority, the deliberate perversion of moral and ethical codes resulting from the capture and infiltration of key institutions, educational and religious. But the fact is the house is now on fire, and those immediately responsible should be dealt with now.

The R.S.L. and other responsible bodies advised that measures should be adopted to remove the chief firebrands by curtailing their privileges and financial support. This has not been done because of a weak administration coming right through from Federal levels where financial policy control is exercised. As a result we are to see innocent students and teachers, the vast majority, victimised by the militant minority.

CHURCHES CLOSING THEIR EYES TO REDS? SAYS M.P.

"Dr. Mackay, a Presbyterian minister and a N.SW. Liberal backbencher, last night accused Australian churches of being unable and unwilling to listen to the truth about Communism." - The Age, March 5.

Dr. Mackay has rendered a signal service to the cause of Christianity and freedom with his outspoken remarks. Space here precludes a full report on what was said by Dr. Mackay. It is significant that after publication in the early edition of The Age the full column length report was deleted from later editions. Dr. Mackay reported the true situation when he said. "There are many, many churchmen in Australia today who talk and act as though they believed that Communism would be good for Australia, even if the Church was crushed as a result."

Dr. Mackay derided the leftists who exploit the opposition knowing that many have gone soft on basic issues and are "ignorant of Communism's fundamental corruption." He pointed to the "vital battles for our national security...being waged not only in Vietnam or in our trade unions but in our churches, our universities and our high schools."

Dr. Mackay mentioned he was working on a booklet he has called "The Deceivers", which gave details of the activities of people "who pervert and falsify evidence" designed to destroy resistance to communism.

VISCOUNT DeLISLE's REALISM ON IMMIGRATION

"Britain had been wrong in her attitude to colored immigrants and Australia should try to avoid a similar situation" - The Age, March 5.

Viscount De Lisle stressed that the British color problem IS a problem. There is no good pretending it isn't. Such remarks are not likely to endear our former Governor-General to those wooly idealists who contend that apart from all the disastrous side effects, we would be a better people with a large dose of cross breeding. However, many of the usual protagonists for changing our immigration policies have been silent in regard to Lord De Lisle's remarks. Which illustrates the weight attached to comments coming from men of his standing, and how valuable leadership is when dealing with vital matters.

REALISM DEMONSTRATED BY NEW GUINEA M.P's

"The Papua-New Guinea House of Assembly yesterday described a recent united Nations resolution as unjustified and insulting" The Age, March 5.

In similar vein to the realistic remarks of Lord De Lisle was the unanimous rejection of a resolution passed in the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 18 last, which called for free United Nations supervised elections in Papua-New Guinea. A Native M.P. was very much to the point when he said, "The United Nations is not really interested in the well-being of Papua-New Guinea but only in the promotion of political formulae. It would be more usefully employed ensuring that West Irianese have their act of free choice carried out in the same spirit of freedom afforded the people of Papua-New Guinea."

Such sanity applied to the U.N's double standard on West Irian will however fail to stop that body from pursuing revolutionary aims. Withdrawal of support and the financial liquidation of the U.N. is the only means by which that measure will be achieved.

DEFICIENCY FUND ADVANCES

DR. BILLY GRAHAM SPEAKS OF LACK OF SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

"Our moral and spiritual progress is lagging behind technological and material progress." - The Herald Melbourne, March 10.

Dr. Graham is endeavouring to restore truths established 2000 years ago as the only means of ensuring continuing moral and spiritual progress. There is no one more unpopular with the communists~humanists, liberal leftists, secular and church than those who endeavour to establish fundamental and uncompromising concepts about the relationship of man with God. There is the danger that if a man will say, "I believe in Christ" he may begin to also say "I believe in Christian civilisation."
No doubt Dr. Graham is open to criticism.

Does he understand the nature of the real force of organised evil behind much of the breakdown in moral behaviour he deplores? There are times he indicates he does, but pursues a relentless path on one level only, which does establish an opposition base against that force of evil, which others can develop. Some of his critics who are opposed to mass crusades are undoubtedly sincere, others more insidious. Typical of such is the Rev. P. Oestreicher reported in The Herald, Melbourne, March 7, from New Zealand, who said the preaching of Billy Graham gave people a guilt complex which could be "harmful" and lead to them" becoming patients in mental homes". The Rev. Oestreicher is one of those breed of theologians of the John Robinson type favoured by the "B.B.C." to comment on moral problems. He favours compromise and co-existence with Communism and was reported in The Church Times on November 1967 as saying that "Christians in Russia have no feelings against communism."

We may observe that mental institutions in the Western countries are reputed to be overflowing, and parallels a period when the Christian faith is at a low ebb.