Four Named In Group Outside Soviet

Chronicle (Levin), 4 December 1948, Page 5

Four Named In Group Outside Soviet

\£.J (N.Z.P.A. —

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, Copyright)

Reeeived Friday, 8.50 p.m. LONDON, Dec. 3. The names of i'our New Zealanders a}3pear in tlie list of 500 of the more important Commnnist leaders outside the Soviet Union eonipiled in an offieial report i'or the United States Government. They are Alexander Drennan, Loslie Edwards, Sidney Scott and Vietor AYilcox. Short biographieal details are given of eaeh. Oue of tlie purposes of the report, it is stated, is to add to the body of aecurate det;iil readily available as a background I'or the study of Commiinisin. The report, whieh is published by the United States Government, notes that Gomniunists in niany countries have been outlaws during part or all of their, eareers as Gomniunists. In general they are rather seeretive about tlieir biographies. Gharacteristie of tlie leadership group of Communisin, it is stated, is that their average age is about 46. In origin ma nv of them are not proletarians. and at least oue out of five has liad university training. As Gommunisls about oue out oi" four has been aetive as a Labour organiser, about oue out of three a Gomniunist journalist and at least oue out of four has liad experienee in resistanee or partisan guerrilla struggles against Nazis or other forees. Xearly half have been imprisoned, and many of tliese have been imprisoned more than onee. A large number have worked in international organisations of laliour, or of youth, or of ..women, or of journalists. Prison and exile have been their eommon fare but that their eareors have not been failures thusfar is marked by the fact that 20 per cent todav hold ( abinet posts in various Governments while 40 per cent are members of their national legislative bodies. Tlie report also states tliat the average Gomniunist leader is both rather young in years and long in Gomniunist experienee, and that the Gomniunist moveinent is dominated liy an old guard. The leaders it is added, are a great liy-produet of the past age. a natural oue for that age, but underlying 1heir rutlilessness, their flexibilily and patienee, their interpretation of history is obsolete and destructive. Of those listed the report states that there are nol qiiite 500 Alolotovs, for tlie qualilies of a Molotov are watered down in any larger group. But i'ew groups in all history have ever conforined so closely to a pattern. The evidence of their lives, more than any other evidence, excludes alternative interpretations of Commwnism. The report givei the names of leading Gomniunists in over 50 countries, including the occupied zones of Germany. Many have sltulied or been trained in Mos(tow, and some reeeived medieal treatment there. Over 70 names appear for France and "France overseas," there are 40 for ltaly, 31 for Ohina, and 25 i'or the United Kingdom. Of Drennan the report says he and his wife are both Seottish. He is aetive as a speaker and in waterside strikes, and was plaeed 1 on three years' probation for sedition speeches and antiwar activities in 1040.

Seott is said to devote his full time to pa rl y work. ITe began to go blind around 1037 and visited the U.S.B.R. ostensilily for treatment in 1030. ITe bceame totally blind in 1044. Of Wileox it is noted that he is national organiser for the New Zealand Gomniunist Party of whieh he was national treasurer in 1 046.