REVOLT AGAINST SOCIALISM

"Moynihan wants to keep the Federal Government from interfering excessively in individual lives. Thus he proposes an 'income strategy' to replace the 'service strategy' traditionally favored by liberals. Instead of government providing the services - and the red tape - funds would go directly to the individual citizen, who would decide for himself how to spend them." Time, March 16.

A country in the throes of social and economic devastation must sooner or later apply the dictum "physician cure thyself" or die. It is not too much to presume that the forces inside the U.S.A. struggling to preserve some remnants of civilisation will fall back on a correct diagnosis. The disease afflicting the Americans and the Western world is that insidious cancer of creeping socialism by which the individual becomes a victim in the grip of parasites, multiplying interminably, spreading malaise and an all conquering destruction of the will to resist. We will await with interest to see whether Mr. Moynihan reflects a slight tremor in the body politic trying to throw off the parasites which could herald increased vigour to resist, or whether it is just a fluttering sight before the victim finally succumbs. The Moynihan concept in conjunction with the Thought for the Week is of some interest to all who believe freedom of choice is essential to civilisation.

DOCTORS DILEMNA

"The Age welcomes Dr. Forbes' firm declaration. If doctors are not prepared to co-operate willingly with a scheme which will bring the costs of medical treatment within the easy reach of all Australians the Commonwealth has no option but to coerce them." - The Age, March 12.

We must be pardoned for carrying on the diagnosis and analogy of our previous item. The facts are that under the Liberal socialism of the past twenty years the emerging pattern is clear for all to see. The individual in the most materially affluent period of history is increasingly dependent upon the central government for the means of existence. In Australia the individual is slowly but surely becoming the possession, body and soul, of those who decide economic policies in Canberra.

It may come as a surprise to members of the medical profession, that process includes not only their patients, but also themselves. They may protest that the constitution says in Section 51(23A) that the Commonwealth has power to legislate for the provision of medical and dental services, "but not so as to authorise any form of civil conscription." The process we refer to has been undermining the constitution for years, and while doctors may protest with gentlemanly dignity that they will never be coerced by any government, if not left with any alternative they will submit just the same as other sections of the community.

It is amusing to read the pious concern of Dr. Forbes for the patients, "they are our first concern." Having created intolerable conditions under which their freedom and dignity are removed so that it is impossible for them to maintain an inviolable doctor-patient relationship both medically and financially. Having created the financial and economic policies producing this situation, the government now offers a socialist sop to the victims.

The position the members of the medical profession now find themselves in is the same as many other minorities who stand in the way of a government interested primarily in monopoly control. The sooner such minorities realise that they must combine and stand together against the omnipotent state, the sooner we may start to travel back along the narrow and difficult path towards freedom.
State rights are a starting point all sections of the Community can begin to tame the Canberra colossus.

DEDICATION

BLACK POWER IN SPORT

"South African golfer Gary Player yesterday refused to comment on a report that the Black Panther Party had threatened his life if he played a series of exhibition matches with United States Negro golfers." - The Age, March 16.

The above report confirms in essence a similar report on pressure brought to bear on American tennis player Arthur Ashe. Worldwide publicity was given to the refusal of the South African Government to grant Ashe a visa. In the No.1 issue for 1970 of the bi-quarterly review RSA World founded by and published under the patronage of Dr.J.E.Holloway, formerly South African Secretary for Finance, Ambassador to U.S.A. and High Commissioner in London for the South African Government, we read the following:

"According to the famous Australian tennis player Mrs. Margaret Court, Negro star Arthur Ashe told her: 'I was called on by some guys from Black Power. They said they wanted me to lead an anti-South African crusade among tennis players. I answered that I had no opinion about South Africa. I knew, and had played with South Africans and like them and did not want any involvement in politics. These guys insisted. I had to be with them in their Black Power movement. They had recruits from other sports. They must have one from tennis. When I said "no" again, they stood over me. If I didn't see things their way, I would have many regrets. One of these days maybe, I would find I couldn't play tennis because my right arm had been broken. There was no escape. I had to submit."

In the Age report on Gary Player one of the Negro golfers, Lee Elder adopted an attitude which contrasts strangely with the weak-kneed attitude of Australian sporting officials anxious to steer clear of involvement with South Africans. Said Elder, "If anyone wants to shoot me because I'm willing to play with Gary Player for a worthy cause then I guess I'll just have to die."

CANADA "GOING TO POT"

Mr. Eric Butler reports from Vancouver, Canada

The first paper I looked at upon arriving in Victoria, British Columbia, informed me that the drug problem amongst Canadian school children was so serious that Drug Abuse Seminars were being organised to assist teachers. At a luncheon meeting with a group of Provincial Government Members I raised this issue, and was informed that the drug problem was being made worse by the attitude of the Federal Government at Ottawa. One Member was extremely critical of the Prime Minister, Mr. Trudeau, whom he said had expressed the opinion that if a large number of Canadians wished to smoke marijuana regularly, then the Government would have to consider legalising the smoking of this drug. This so astonished me that I decided to make further investigations.

I find that Mr. Trudeau's tolerant attitude is shared by his Federal Minister for Health, Mr. John Munro, who is quoted by the press as having said recently in Ottawa that, "if we find that a significant minority of the Canadian people smoke marijuana, we would be totally irresponsible if we didn't legalise it." Mr. Munro is also quoted as having told Carleton University students that, "if the report of the government commission studying drugs reveals widespread use of marijuana it should be legalised even if it involves a danger to our health or security." Which caused me to wonder why Mr. Munro is described as the Minister for Health.
Presumably when sufficient people become addicted to "hard drugs" like heroin, it would then be "totally irresponsible" not to legalise such drugs. I note that one "expert" states that the time is coming when people will pick up their drug supplies, all neatly packed, along with their groceries.

However, in spite of the advanced thinking of Prime Minister Trudeau's Minister for Health on the subject of drugs, there are still a few old-fashioned Canadians around. One of these, Mr. H.F.Hoskin director of the Narcotic Addiction Foundation of British Columbia, resigned his position in protest against Mr. Munro's statements. He accused Mr. Munro of doing nothing about the drug situation in Canada except to set up a commission, which Mr. Hoskin termed "a queer bird in itself, which will take two years to report."

One British Columbia columnist, Harry Moffat, makes the following thought-provoking comments on the disturbing attitude of Ottawa towards drugs: "One can't help wondering at the stubborn resistance of a federal cabinet minister to doing anything that might be construed as unfair to the 'soft' drug industry. Could it be that he is merely reflecting government policy? After all, it is just five years ago that a federal minister without portfolio in the Pearson government, Yvon Dupuis, was forced to resign because of his involvement in the efforts of a drug trafficker named Rivard to avoid extradition to the U.S.A. At that time editorial writers in many parts of Canada expressed alarm at the fact that the Mafia, apparently, had entered into the highest councils of government. One can't help wondering if that organisation still has influence in high places."

While it is true that the Mafia and other criminals are involved in the growing drug business, it should never be forgotten that Red China is the source of at least 30 per cent, of the world's narcotic drugs. Governments which encourage in any way the spread of the drug business, are not only assisting their nations "to go to pot" but are assisting in more ways than one the advance of Communism. Much more severe penalties for those caught peddling drugs, would be a big step in the right direction. Ronald Biggs was sentenced to 30 years for helping steal old bank notes on their way to be destroyed. Surely drug peddling is a much worse crime?

RED CHINESE ACTIVE IN LAOS

"In Vientiane, Laotian, Thai and American officials are concerned about a road Red China is building from its borders through northern Laos to within 20 miles of the Laos-Thailand border. Intelligence reports said that there were 6,000 Chinese involved in the project, which began in September 1968. About 2,500 were Chinese Army troops who provide security. These troops on February 24th shot down a Laotian air force plane as it flew reconnaissance over the road." The West Australian, March 9, 1970.

If the above report is correct, this is a new stage at which for the first time Chinese troops, illegally stationed within a neighboring country, have taken the military offensive against the lawful government of that country. In short, this is the type of aggressive invasion of which the allies in Vietnam are so unjustly accused. How long can the pretense go on costing the lives of Australian and American troops, that we are not facing a direct and open challenge by the Communists in S.E. Asia?

War has been declared on us. We allow our men to die so that we may preserve for a little longer the myth that we can coexist with those who seek to destroy us. Our silence, particularly the silence of so many of our representatives in Parliament, gives comfort to the students, the Burchetts, the peace-niks and the betrayers of our fighting men. Silence does indeed make cowards of us all.

PRIME MINISTER ADAMANTLY OPPOSES STATES RIGHTS

"The Prime Minister, Mr. Gorton, resisted Liberal Party pressure on the Commonwealth - State financial arrangement today. The pressure came from Mr. D. Fairbain, (former Minister for National Development) and Mr. H. B. Turner at a special meeting of the Liberal Parliamentary Party. - Daily Telegraph. Sydney, March 10.

Mr. Alan Reid the reporter on political affairs for the Sydney Bulletin and Daily Telegraph reported that both Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Turner supported the States being given a share of growth taxes. Growth taxes are income taxes. They grow every year and go into the Commonwealth's coffers enabling them to make direct payments for specific purposes to the States and thus gradually impose a central socialist control over the whole of Australia. Alan Reid reported that Mr. Gorton would not "back up an inch" on this issue.