Breeding Ground On Which Communism Thrives

Chronicle (Levin), 19 July 1949, Page 6

Breeding Ground On Which Communism Thrives

b (N.Z.P.A.—

■V ■Reuter.

Covvriaht)

- ' Received Monday, 7 p.m. * • , » k LONDON, July 18. "It'is not only in the ports of the United Kingdom that a Communist minority is, by playiiig its eards well, endeavouring with some success to disrupt trade, in both Australia and New Zealand similar tacties are evident and these are cumulati'vely responsibie, _for the wastB of millions of pounds, which falls in the first instance upon ' the shoulders of the shipowner but .in- the long run comes out, of the pocket of th.e produeer and manufacturers ' says Mr. Basil Sanderson, ehairman of airectors of the Shaw Savill Company, in a letter in the . Daily Mai!.' 4 ' The corollary is both that our manufactured exports are more.icostly to seh and that the price of food in this country is increased. "It may not be fully appreciated that delays have more than one detrimental effect. Not only are expensive ships delayed at the cost of many hundreds of pounds daily but because of these delays, other factors alsc arise. The vessels theinselves cannot make so many voyages over a. given period and must therefore attempt to make higher earnings per voyage in order to pay for their depreciation and give some return on capital, Secondly, more vessels are required to carry this country 's exports and imports than would otherwise, be neeessary. "Further, when a high-class refrigerated cargo liner today . will cost .the shipowner in round figures £1,333,000, tlie material effect of these additiona; , v essels upon the prices of our manufaetures and foodstuffs, can be imagined. "It may be thought , in eertain quarters that the reql threat from comniunism lies in its possible assumption of power in the State and that in this country that" is not a very present perii. I should like to emphasise, however, that hefore any such drastic move on the part of the Communists, the ground has to he well prepared and that there is no hetter preparation than the creation of discontent among the community. "I have referred only to one section of a particular trade but those witli speeial knowledge can detect similar conditions almost daily in many other directions. ' "The forcing up of prices through slieer waste, with its attendant dissatlsfaction and ultimate and inevitable higher cost of living and unemployment, will provide just the breeding ground upon wliich communism thrives. ' '