McCarthy Comes to Vic

—Have We Lost Our Freedom?

"Max Riske is a renowned Communist in certain quarters," said Capping Controller Dave Baird at the last Executive meeting.

He was objecting to an invitation which was to be extended to Riske to address the Graduands Dinner.

"The basis for my assertions," he said, "is an article in the Post Primary Teachers' Association Journal,' in replying to a query from President Blizard. "This article had a particularly communistic bias." Baird made the point that Riske may have changed his views since.

Baird also suggested that Max Riske had displayed no interest in the University. Blizard pointed out that he was a graduate, and good enough to be sponsored by UNESCO for work in Africa.

Helen Sutch opposed Baird's views with the opinion that whether Riske was pro communist or pro American, neither is a reason for discrimination against him. Public Relations Officer Robin Bell agreed in essence with what Baird had said.

The motion, calling for a recision of Riske's invitation was rejected by the executive. Baird, Bell and Benefield voted for it.

Mr. Riske writes:

Thanks for the opportunity to comment upon some astonishing and amusing statements by Mr. Dave Baird, your Capping Controller, who, unless he is gravely misreported, might better qualify as Cap and Bells Noncontroller.

I must say that I was as surprised as I was flattered to be invited to address the Graduands Supper; surprised because I thought this new generation would know nothing about me, and flattered because I have always thought it a signal honour to be asked to speak at this function. But I find I am not entirely forgotten. Indeed, some students apparently find time to invent things about me.

The only quarters where I may be considered "a renowned Communist" are those where ignorance is as complete as in Mr. Baird's circle. No member or exmember of the Communist Party would do anything but scorn the notion in hot anger. He would know how bitterly I have always opposed their totalitarian ideas, underhand actions, thorough-going political error, and generally destructive behaviour. When I was sent as an elected delegate to see the Soviet Union through the eyes of a New Zealander in 1934, it certainly was small thanks to some allegedly co-operating Communists that I managed to go, return, and report to thousands of people, any more than it was any thanks to misinformed worthies like Mr. Baird. Any person with an honest, radical, and critical mind is equally hated and villified by both kinds of blindly prejudiced people. I claim to have such a mind.

I am at a loss to know what article of mine is being referred to. Most of what I have written for the PPTA Journal has been advocacy and exposition of modern school mathematics education. But to one like Mr. Baird this, indeed, might well seem "particularly Communistic"—it is perhaps somewhat different from what he was indoctrinated with. I do feel he was "indoctrinated" at all points, as it is a little inconceivable that he was ever subjected to an education and still be able to say the sort of thing he is reported as saying.

As far as my personal contribution to Victoria University since 1924 is concerned, I must be excused for not feeling that I am the best judge of its quality. It certainly has been a long one in study, sport, debating, drama, editorship, team-coaching, and even lecturing. Perhaps being chosen as a Fulbright Scholar to the United States and later as a Unesco teacher to East Africa are not worthy contributions by an ex-student to the good name of his University; but they certainly are not the hallmark of "a renowned Communist".

May I commend Miss Sutch's point of view? University students ought to have sounder grounds for attempted discrimination against proposed speakers than ill-informed and irrelevant opinion about important matters of their beliefs.