ACTION AGAINST COMMUNISTS

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24906, 20 June 1946, Page 5

ACTION AGAINST COMMUNISTS

PROPOSAL BY N.S.W. LIBERALS

SYDNEY, June 19. When it returns to power, the Liberal Party is determined to indict members of the Communist Party who are found guilty of conspiracy and subversive activities. This was decided last night at the annual general convention of the Liberal Party. New South Wales Division.

meeting opposed a resolution which favoured declaring the Communist Parly an illegal organisation. The convention held that the Communist Party was fundamentally a Fascist organisation operating as a Soviet fifth column. Its treasonable objective was to destroy democracy and set up a Fascist totalitarian regime under Russian control. A resolution to this effect was carried by a large majority. The resolution further declared that when the Liberal Party ’ ;s returned to power it would set up a commission with full power to bring Communist activities to light. Where justified by the findings of the commission, members of the Communist Party would be indicted and the party would be held collectively responsible at ordinary law for its actions.

“If we ban this party we will succeed only in sending its members underground.” . id Mr.J. E. Cassidy. K C.. a member of the Liberal State Council. “If we cut off the. top the roots will flourish and grow stronger. No one seems to have thought of a qualified detective service to investigate Comqiunist activities and bring the Communists to the light of day for prosecution.”