NO FEDERAL SUPPRESSION

Chronicle (Levin), 8 April 1948, Page 5

NO FEDERAL SUPPRESSION

CANBKRKA, April 7. The Federal PtirruinieiUury Labour caucus (lecided aluiost unauiuinusly late last night uot to take action to press tlu* ('onununist Party. By an overwlu'lniing :na,|orily thg party ro jeeted a inotion !>y Mr. S. M. Falsteiu for tlie appoinlihei't of a party connuittee to investigato subversivc groups. The ilecision was uiade at'ter Mr. t'hiliey and Dr. Evatt had outlined ihe steps takou by the Becurity Service to clieek Communist activities. Both are report ed to have assured the caucu.that if comuiunism threatened to be coiiie a mi'iiacc to Australia, action would be takou against the party. " Only live menibers spoke in supjmrt of Air. Fals^oin and these emphasised lliat the inotion was aimed as mucii ai liight Wing organisations of ihe Aen Guard typc as against Lcftists. ALr. ciiifiey tohi menibers that, ithey forgot that ihe Labour Purtv itseli | had been built on tlie etforts of niinor;ties, they would l.e deuying Deniocracy. which had allowed their partv tu grow lJr. Evatt quoted reports to shov, that tlie ISecurity Brauch had tlie mai ter in haml, and that tlie Seeurity oliicers claimed they could rouml uji all dungerous Coinmuiiist s in 2-1 hours, In AleJbourue the \ ietorian Countn Party conl'erence unanimously resolved that the Communist Party should be* declared an illega! organisalion an I that full authonty should be used tu suppress t reason.