SURPRISE AT STRENGTH OF THE REDS

Chronicle (Levin), 15 December 1949, Page 6

SURPRISE AT STRENGTH OF THE REDS

Received Wednesday 7 p.m. SYDNEY, Dec. 14. Though it has heen announced that Communist candidates in the Federal elections will lose their deposits, many Australians are surprised at the extent of the Communist strength revealed in the polling figures. The examination of the voting position reveals that all Communist candidates for the House of Representatives polled an average of" better than 1000 yotes. The total Communist vote of ahout 38,750 appears in-. significant in comparison with Australia 's theoretical voting strength oi 4,910,789 hut it must he remembered that Communists offered for only 34 of the 123 seats in the Lower House. In all other electorates Communist sympathisers were instructed to vote for Labour candidates. On a percentage basis. it would appear, therefore, that the total numher of Communist supporters eligihle to vote in Australia, would be about 138,000. This 'is borne out in the Senate vote count which is as yet incomplete. This afternoon's figures show that throughout Australia 78,629, people nominated Communists as their first preference for a position in the Upper House though only 20 Communists offered for election as against 27 Labour and 25 Liberal-Country Party candidates. In the House of Representatives election, the main -Communist strength was shown in New South Wales where 13 Commuuist candidates toolc the field. Early voting figures show they polled on an average of about 1500 votes. Queensland 's 11 Communist aspira'nts did poorly, averaging about 800 and Victoria's six were even less favoured. The Senate figures, however, whieh are taken on State-wide voting instead of varying groups of electorates, show that Victoria leads in the number of people who prefer Communist Senators. This afternoon's figures of those who gave first preferences to Communists in the Upper House, are: — Victoria 37,075, New South Wales 26,496, Queensland 7,504, West Australia 4530, South Australia 2324 and Tasmania 700. The indicatioas are that Communists who are well established in several iipportant key unions, are already attempting with some suceess to swing moderate trade union opinion on to their side in the pending clash with Mr Menzies' Government. The Communists believe that no trade union leader wilJ be prepared to indentify. himself iwitli any move to take control of the unions out of the hands of the rhnk and file. Prominent trade nnion ofiicials have already indicated that they will not cooperate with Mr Menzies in his drive against the Communists in the unions.