AUSTRALIAN SPY HUNT

Chronicle (Levin), 15 March 1947, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN SPY HUNT

Press Assn.-

— — ^ Chief Quarry Russians and Ccmnists | public attitude sharpens

j Telegraph

-Copyriglit

(Special Correspondent^) Received Fridav, 8.45 p.m. SY.DXEY, Mar". 14. Revelations were made recently ii ;he liouse of Represeiitatives by JDi rlvatt concerning precautioiis whici .vere being taken to safeguard a witcli aunt for possible spies tiifouglioht tlu Commonwealth. The chie'f quarry fo he hunting packs, whieh rarige froi. rariouslv informed sectiohs of tli niblic to the Press and, Pariianientar Gpposition, are Russian natiOnals, Com nunist sympathisers in GoVeramen positious, Lertist elements in industn ,nd even in some cases liewly-arrivei .nigrants. The Soviet Legatiou came ii for early meution in the House oi depresentati ves when ilr. Canteron (Liberal) claiir.ed that it eomprised S4 geople and easily outnumbered till other .egations put together. Replying to .1 written request during the Parlia'.nentary recess, Dr. Evatt gave the .igure as (34. Soviet Legation oflicial. reinained uildisturbed until this week .vhen the Jirst secretafy, Mf. Pash chenko, announced tliat the staff con listed of 19 people of wliom seveil weri diplomats. He assured pressmen tha ill details concerning the staff weri ,vell known to tlie authorities. lt lvouh oe appropriate now for Dr. Evatt t isk tlie Soviet ilinister, Mr. Lifano\ ,o furnish a statement of the orig'ina aumber of persons at the Soviet Lega .1011, with details ,of subsequent arri vals and departures, commented M 1 v'unieron, still plainly unimpressed. Eive Australian scientists with Com nunist leanings, named by the Abbot 'ountry Party as possible sour^es of ; .eakage of informatioii to foreign powers, have all replieiL indignantiy Jiat they are loval Australians. Tlu atest niove of Mr. Abbott is to inquin ibout the Russian-born scientist, Pro .essor S. F. Paramonov, who lias just trrived in Australia to carry out re march 011 flies for the Council of Scien tilic and Induslrial I-^esearch. Mr Abbott has "asked the (xovernmeiit whether tiie appointment had Alinislerial approval and whether addi tiona. Russian proi'essors would lie appointed .0 the council. The wisdom of many of these quesrions is debatable, particularly as 110 memijer oi" the Opposition would go as iur as 1o say tliat auv member of the Tovernment would .willingly aid the sale of atomic or jet propulsion secrets 1.0 a l'oreign nation. Over the past few weeks tliere has been ;i noticeable sharpening of the I pubiic attitude to Connnunists in in j lustry. Astute Opposit-ion speakers .nive coupled the Stevedoring Industry ^ onimission Bill with the ComniunistV .ind have deinanded unsuccessfttlly that known (. ommuuists should be ineligible ior appointment to the new conimission. Mr. Chifley has declared tluit there" is little likelihood 'of • the Australian Comniunist Party being declared ar. illegal organisation and this view i.-, known to be shared by tlie leader of .he Gppositidn, Mr.. ilenzies. It cari oe said, however, that Australia i .lert to tlie possibilitv of a z'ecurrehci 'f whai hap; -ne ! in , Canada ove. .toiiiic boinb secrets.