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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 13, No. 16. July 27, 1950

Violation of Charter?

Violation of Charter?

A longer one this time, it asked the meeting to agree that "while in no way expressing an opinion on the aims of the Communist Party," it would call on "all students and staff to express their opposition to the Australian Government's 'Communist Party Dissolution Bill,' for several reasons. These were such as the right to police search, the retroactive operation, the dangerous possibilities of the definition of a "Communist" the method which in essence was declaring a person guilty before trial, the effects on trade union rights and Government employees, the possibility of its use in discrimination against University clubs and staffs and students, and that, in general, the Bill was "both unnecessary and dangerous to democracy." It suggests that through the High Commissioner, we call for the withdrawal of the Bill.

This one passed through not so quickly. Doug Foy, in moving it, commented that the whole question could be considered apart from the ideology involved. Many of the clauses,—the police search of homes, the onus of proof clause, the retroactive operation, and several others, were flagrant violations of the U.N. Charter of Human Rights. Throughout his speech, he waded knee deep through a flow of interjections from Mr. Cook. The Bill, he argued, was possible of too easy extension to attack trade unions, students, teachers in Universities. It was a dangerous Bill to allow in any democracy, as it was quite clearly capable, of extension to include any other group whom the Government dislike.

With this, Mr. Johansen agreed wholeheartedly when he seconded the motion. He showed how people had said "it can't happen here" when Hitler used this weapon first against Communists, and then against unions, churches and particularly the Catholic Church. From "The Rock," he showed that after all. "Communists and Catholics have been conspiring together for years" and as he said, "it is a well-known fact that when one sees a Holy name badge, on the back of the lapel will be the Hammer and Sickle."

It would be merely sticking our heads in the sand, he contended, to say it can't happen here". Mr. Holland, he argued, will most certainly follow the Australian lead in moving against unions and "Communists and fellow travellers," The chairman, vacating his post at this stage to answer an urgent phone call, was accused by Mr. Johansen of "getting his orders from Moscow."

Mr. Cook, who had been keeping his verbal hand in—so far spasmodically—now took the floor to quote from "my Bible—the London Economist." This paper had had doubts about the Bill; certainly for English conditions. But, he said, Australian conditions were different—worse enough to Justify the Bill. From another Dominion came the Canadian Commission report of 1946 on Communism, and Mr. Cook quoted from this also. Mr. Cook was proud to say that he himself was opposed to communism (for which he received his ovation) and, having quoted Mr. Churchill in passing, he moved on to detail the Canadian report. Kathleen Wilshire turned, in his hands, into something like a backfire, for his assurance that "she didn't understand about giving information" and that "she was asked to give all she had" for communism, were greeted with some misunderstanding—there was one rough comment about "red lights." Mr. Cook then moved to the safer Allan Nunn-May amid a waning flow of interjections, and finished with the assurance that communism in Australia was maybe worse than any other in any other country.

"After Mr. Fitzcook's travel talk" came Mr. Goddard. The Victorian Commission on communism, as he noted, did not confirm Mr. Cook's fears that commos were stuffing secret papers into Moscow dispatch cases.

Mr. Newenham did not agree with this, for Australia, he said, was "at war" and therefore justified in taking action of this sort: the Government was acting in accordance with the will of the people, who had elected the party to do this job. And therefore it was quite right.