Communist Expelled From Party

Chronicle (Levin), 2 November 1948, Page 6

Communist Expelled From Party

" ' 'WELLINGTON, Nov. 1. Because he refused to comply with the Oominform repudiation and the excommunieation of Marshal Tito, one ot the. most . pyomineht. members of the New Zcaland Yugoslav community has been expelled by the New Zealand Commuhist Party, wliich has. aceused him of ' (Tfotskyism ' ' and " opportun ism. " . • . * Press inquiries revealed that the expulsjioii is the cause of wid'espread discussion amohg the Yugoslav population in Auckland and Wellington, and that other. Yugoslavs, members of the Communist Party or sympathisers with that organisation, are uneasy about tlieir partisan lovalties as a consecpience of the feud between Marshal Tito and Marshal Stalin. The expelled Communist, who is a resident of Wellington, has been a member of the Communist organisation al different periods since the economic depression. He ;has held important positions in Yugoslav organisations. The facts disclosed by Yugoslavs, who have lately discussed the expulsion as wejl as the general issues arising from the coutroversy between Yugoslavia and Cominfornl countries, are that the Yugoslav told'some of his countrymen he would bc a traitor to his eountry, if he rejeeted Marshal Tito and accepted the Cominforiii policy in the dispute. His attitude vs^as ■ apparently reported fo Commiuiist Party officials, who gave hiin a fortnight to malte up his mirjd about stipporti'ng • Marslial Tito Oi' agreeing with the Comhiform. At tl}c appointed time the Yugoslav said lle would . tesign from the Uonununist Party. Iiowevor, two Communist officials signed a long letter expelling him.