The Guardian Ami livening Star, with which is incorporated the West, Coast Times. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 1, 1925. THE SEDITIOUS ELEMENT.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 December 1925, Page 2

The Guardian Ami livening Star, with which is incorporated the West, Coast Times. FRIDAY. DECEMBER 1, 1925. THE SEDITIOUS ELEMENT.

I'ltoiKS'is ale being made <m hehalf "I the Hritish I.about- Party, the Trade Fiimii (ongiess, and other (U*gtiui-.n-iious against the alleged severity of the sentences imposed oil < iitiiiniinist lately hnnight to trial and miivieted in London, says the “Dominion. - ' are rather ehviouslv unreasonable. There are net. the slightest grounds for tie' assertion of the executive of the British .Miners - Federation that the action taken agaiist Communists represents an attempt to interfere with freedom of the press, -pi cell, and opinion. The case against, the Communists mttvieteil the other day was summed up by the presiding Judge when lie said: I “Von are members of tin illegal party, I carrying on illegal work.” It is as a ' party, not of open propaganda, hut of secret- conspiracy, that Communists tiro a danger to any State in which their nefarious activities tire developed. fn Russia, where they have usurped authority. the Communists have ruthlessly suppressed the freedom of the Press, speech. and opinion that is now heing invoked on their behalf in Britain. In every country in which they are operating, t-lieir aim is to establish a minority dictatorship over trade unions and other organisations as a step towards overthrowing the existing social order. To demand immunity for Communists is not to defend freedom nf speech find opinion, lint to contend that secret, seditious conspiracy against the peace and security of the community should hi' allowed to proceed unchecked. In the oversea shipping strike which has at last been settled we have lately had tit our own doors an example of what, Communism really amounts in. The direct loss occasioned by this upheaval is estimated at two millions sterling, hut the full tale of loss arising out of the strike undoubtedly will touch a very much larger figure. It is particularly plain that the strike has conferred no benefit on the seamen concerned. To them it has meant a loss of wages, in many eases for a period of several months, and in addition a enn.siilerulilo number of thorn have been imprisoned for breaking their contracts. The part of the seamen in the affair obviously has been that of dupes. T hey have been used as a means of dislocating for a lengthy period an important part of the shipping transport of the Empire. If immunity were extended to Communists, similar attacks on the community, organised with no thought of benefiting the workers hut solely with a view to the destruction of trade and industry throughout the Empire. undoubtedly would be multiplied. Tt lias lieeonie an elementary condition of public peace and security that the illegal party which is endeavouring by methods of secret- conspiracy to paralyse industry and substitute chaos for social order should be hunted down and suppressed. The lieginning that has been made with the London prosecutions is one that should he followed up vigorously in all British roun- ] tries in which Communism is seeking to obtain a footholds