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Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1925, Page 2

Things are now approaching, if they have not already reached, a great turning point in the history of Europe and of the world. The question whether peace can l.c won is still open and it may receive an answer more swiftly than people imagine, says the “Review of Reviews.” Beyond the immediate issue of a western security pact between France. Germany. Great Britain and Belgium lies, as a vast note of interrogation, the question whether democratic civilisation itself can be saved or whether undemocratic violente, in one form or another, will prevail as the source of executive au 5

thority. It proceeds to quote the following passage from a letter received from an experienced and widely-tra-velled American observer, to whom Asia and the Islamic East are as familiar as Europe and the United States: “Have you yet considered the extent to which Bolshevism is spreading as a method i f seizing and holding lower, hut without any relation to communism. 1 think all political adventurers have been profoundly impressed by I.enin’s processes of seizing and holding power, and that they have made a serious study of them and have tried to catch the technique. This is certainly true of the belt of States lieginning with Spain and going at least as far east as Persia. My own closest touch has been with Turkey where Mnstapha Kemal and his lieutenants are absolutely duplicating, so far as the machinery of Government goes, the processes of I.eniii. At present the ‘tranquilising movement’ in Turkey corresponds exactly to the Che-Tva counter-i'ovohit'iona,ry movement in "Russia. There is absolutely no liberty or freedom of press or asoseiation ; and even the best of Turks who differ by n hair’s breath from the men of Angora suffer persecution, exile and even death. Tt reminds one very much of the experiences of the Social Bcvolutionists five years ago in Russia.’’ Beyond these challenges to political democracy, are the exactly similar attacks by violent methods in the industrial sphere.