Revelations of Communist Documents

Chronicle (Levin), 12 April 1948, Page 7

Revelations of Communist Documents

Press Association ) 1

(Per

MANGAKINO,, April 9. A willingness which was held Dy uiany Communists to permit Mr. 14. Games, president of the New Zealand Watersidoo Workers' Union, "to be sacnficed% becau.se of his past role against Communists," is shown in documents attributed to the inner circle of the Communist Party, and made available by a reliiible observer at Mangakino; The particular report refers to the occasion last year when there was a coniiict between tho Government and the Waterside Workers' Union. The'' documents attributed to the Communists state: "The attaek on Barnes was not accepted by many of our party members as an attack against the union, and they were prepared to allow Barnes to be sacrificed beeause of his past role against Communists." fStating that thc mai 11 force 'of the attacks 011 mijitant unionism had been directed against the Waterside Workers' Union, the documents say: "The struggle of the watersiders wak on important basic issuos, such as the future | control of the wateri'ronts of New Zealand. . . . Party members in exeeutive positions in the Watersiders' Union must be complimcnted on their work, which was carried out in spite oi (ierce opposition from the employers, the Government, and their reformist. henchmen. ' The documents continue: "We must fight against all those in the trade union movement who are halting anu hesitant, continually temporising aua conciliating. They' must be mthlessly fought, and exposed. All trade union conmiittees,. trade union leaders, ana comrades in charge of trade union work mtist prepare and organise for an all-out drive to prepare tbe workers t'or the struggle against reaction." Al'ter sayiug that Communists must intcnsify their work iu key industnes, iind that party leaders in unions must organise the workers into "activists, " the (Jocumeiits state that the Communists must campaigu upon the foJlowing programme: — Making all trade union journals "organisers of the class struggle"; fighting against the jiroposed amendineuts to the conslitution of the New Zealaml Federation of I.abour; making ' ' eVery fuctory a fortress against reaction"; strengthening thc policy of the Federation of Labour; dexuanding strieter jiriee control; and demanding t'urther wage inereases. "The mass demand for wage in••reases resulted in defeating- any lted baitiug drive against Communists in the Federation of I.abour Conferoncc in June," Ihe documents state. "The ciim-Iiision of the conferenee was a tribute lo the militant voice of trade '.laionism, and Comnninists' work m nipbilising tlie workers on federation policy. "Over the recent period, an improve./nent in our work -in the mines-is evident. . . We now have one comrade on the national_council of the Unite'd Miners' Union and several comrades holding important minor positions in local unions." ■ / .. ... Contendiiig 'that inore "atteption wifl have to be given • tio Compmnisl branches in se'condary ceiltres' iliid' in the country. the reports state tjidt-these branehes have felt the preskurii of politic'al -reaction to a greater cxtenl than the eity branehes, and have suffered from inadeqnate leadership in a diftieult politieal situation. It wouJd be necessarv for tho Coniniuuists to intensifv their " broad work in the mass prganisations, " partieularly in tlie trade unions, and " to advance the jiarty itself as a champion of tlie intere,sts of the workers and of-tlie nation."