RED PLANS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 72, 22 September 1930, Page 11

RED PLANS

AUSTEALIAN BEYOLUTION

SENSATIONAL DOCUMENTS

(From "The Post's" Representative.)

SYDNLY, 11th September

"Every worker in Port Adelaide must down tools until after the scabs and the police are removed from the waterfront I Rank and file committees of action must beset up in all jobs— in the railways, on the wharves, among the drivers, among the stofemen and packers, timber workers^ etc., to take the leadership of the struggle out of the hands of the reactionary trade union oflicials." '-~...,

Such was the .exhortation of.a pamph16t which was issued in Adelaide last week, clearly showing that the strike at the port has been a strike against trade unionism. In fact, it. ia riot difficult to trace the whole of the trouble to Communists, who have been particularly bold. Their activities have greatly embarrassed the Labour' Government in South Australia, which has just succeeded in passing special legislation for the safety of the public, so great had the menace become. There are now indications that the Adelaide strikers are becoming aware of the ' fact ■ that they have been falsely led. - If they had any doubt on the matter., these should be set at rest by the sensational disclosures that have followed the raid by the police on the premises occupied by the Communists at Port Adelaide in connection with • the waterfront strike. Prom these it is'evident that a'comprehensive scheme of organisation has been drawn up, with ramifications throughout the Comnipn'weaith, and apparently with headquarters in Sydney. In one of the papers taken, it was stated that the Communist Party in Australia was a section of the; Communist International. The document shows how 'Australia was divided into various groups. For instance, Group No. 2 consists of Broken Hill and .district. ' Broken Hill, oiving to its production of silver, lead, and zinc, is said to be exceptionally important, . and every effort should be made to. build up party influence and, membership, in that district. District committees, stated the document, did not formulate policy, but were responsible for carrying it out on the lines laid down by the. central, executive committee. They were directly responsible to the cen~ iral . committee, and they must insist on the various departments submitting regular reports to headquarters. A control commission, the. document proceeded, would be set up in each district consisting of three members who .had long standing in the party, -who were perfectly reliable, and whq would carry out the/orders of- the, Cqmui'tjj'rn .(Communist. International), without -.hesitation.. The commission -would-be responsible for the discipline ,of '.the party. Under the heading of 'departments, it was set out that the industrial department should carry' out the line of the party in unions, and revolutionary opposition among the unemployed, superintend rank. and ■ file, committees of action, and organise the issuing of strike bulletins. Concentration groups that were to be set ,up in the larger industrial sections were to do everything possible to . establish friendly relations with the workers freely entering into discussions concerning their everyday struggles. r > '' Revolutionary competition between concentration groups will be encouraged," states the document, "and thus! a great weapon in building'initiative .and enthusiasm among.; members -AVill be-forged.' Members should observe personal cleanliness and decency in dress, "and those seleeted-to' do the work of establishing contact with the workers "must be able to inspire personal and j -political respect. Kew: and inexperienced comrades ■ should be attached to the'- concentration groups to/gain experience and -conscience. • V ' :: :.

•'The plans of the Communists to force an insurrection in. Adelaide might' haVe been duplicated in Sydney had not the scheme misfiredfor the ■"hold-tip of wool and wheat shipments. It "is definitely revealed that the plans for 'the Port Adelaide and Melbourne. -. waterfrQjit troubles were laid in Sydney as .part" of an', all-Australian counter. . offensive against the capitalist wage-cuts . ~ and longer hours. Sydney has always been' the headquarters of the . Communist Party in Australia, and it is suspected that Moscow provides the money arid the propaganda. However, all efforts to extend the waterfront trouble, to Sydney were unavailing, though the extremists did succeed last Thursday in holding an unofficial, or rank and file, meeting of the Sydney watersiders, ,at which, motions of sympathy with the comrades in Melbourne and Port Adelaide were carried. That meeting was subsequently repudiated^ by the officials of the union.

The secretary of the Communist Party (Mr. H. J. Moxon), one time of New Zealand, made a perfectly frank statement on the whole affair. He said that the Adelaide strike was the beginning of the counter offensive against capitalism that would spread to every city, to every section of the workers, and to the farmers. Asked if the Communist Party was behind the Port Adelaide strikers, he said,: '.'lt is absolutely and unequivoeably associated with the watersiders and_ other strikers there, and the unemployed, j They are adopting our tactics by form-j ing rank and file committees." He admitted that the Adealide branch of the ' Communist Party had assisted in the formation of the strike committee there.