TRADE HINDERED

Hokitika Guardian, 4 October 1930, Page 6

TRADE HINDERED

REVOLUTIONARY POISON

(By N.Z. Welfare League.)

There have been many theories discussed and explanations advanced to account for the present 'trade depression in the Old World which is affecting New. Zealand so seriously. Some say that low prices and unemployment are caused by over-pro-duction, but very tow people seem to realise the effect of revolutionary movements on the world's trade. The fact is that the world revolutionary campaign organised in Russia and spreading like a. plague over tlie world has pur, China, India, and Russia, not to name any other countries, into the throes of revolution. These three countries alone contain more than half the population of tlie world. There is no possible denial of the fart that Bolshevik agents are instilling revolutionary poison in every country which will tolerate their presence, and as the poison spreads, so is trade . slowly paralysed. Trade and revolution will not run in double harness

ilt is not over-production that is the trouble, so much as under-con-sumption caused by revolutionary disturbances and then called “overproduction.” China, India and Russia used to take three-fifths of England’s cotton exports, to mention one line of trade only, and England lias to thank the Bolshevik agents for the Eastern boycott which hag crippled her trade so gravely. Estimates show that these enemies in Moscow, whose declared policy for yeans past has been to cripple the Empire through its trade, have cost us well over £100,000,000 export trade per annum in the East by their revolutionary activities.

Leaders in the business world, even in those countries quite free from the revolutionary attack made on the Empire, have come to the conclusion that improvement in trade can only be fitful while these Reds are allowed to spread their poisonous doctrines through the world. We in New Zealand take a vague interest in the civil war in China, the unrest in India, the Communist activities in South Africa, and so on. without appreciating the fact that these happenings are operating as bir setbacks to Great Britain’s prosperity. and therefore indirectly involve us. Nor is it quite realised here how very sympathetic and kind the Socialist Government in England is to Soviet Russia, as evidenced by the trade agreement with the Reds, involving moire financial assistance to them than is given to promote trade within the Empire. There is a bond ot sympathy between the. Socialist parties throughout the Empire. and the Communist, Intern at ro nal’s attack on capitalism. If this were, thoroughly realised hv the people of the Empire the policy of assisting our bitterest enemy would be stopped, and a call made, for the settlement of this revolutionary unrest with a strong hand.

The rank and file of Labour m England is beginning to have a glimmer of the truth that it is the wageearner who is suffering most from these stupid attacks on capitalism and that the better and .visor policy is to make an attempt t-o bring about co-operation between capital and labour.