PROPAGANDA OF SEDITION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2323, 1 September 1921, Page 3

PROPAGANDA OF SEDITION.

WHAT IS GOING ON NOW

(Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare

League.)

The public has read of the law being put into operation for the suppression of the publication of seditious writings. On the one hand we have had members of the N.Z. Labour Party protesting that the prosecutions for sedition amount to the suppression of freedom of speech, whilst on the other side, the ActingPrime Minister (Sir Francis Bell) and others have shown that the law is one for the protection of the public by. prevention of incitement t» acts of violence. The following may indicate what is actually takingplace in our midst to-day: “HELL ON EARTH.”

We have been handed by a respectable citizen a leaflet placed under the door of his house. The production bears the above title in large print. It is. printed on red paper, which is in keeping with the doctrine of the red-hot hatred set forth in the two pages. The composition is that of a person having a good command of language and'particular shill in presenting the most poisonous and dangerous thoughts in the most seductive guise. He depicts the workers of Australia as being in want of work, food, fuel, clothing, housing, arid other necessities, whilst the counlry is Lull of supplies of all kinds. Then he goes on to describe why Australia, like England, Ireland, Scotland,-and other afflicted countries, “is becoming, industrially and socially, more a 'hell on earth’ every day. This supposition- state of affairs the Red propagandist ascribes to the workers, whom lie represents as a spineless lot of wage-slaves glorying in their hardships and suffering.

INCITEMENT TO VIOLENCE AND THEFT.

Following on the wildly exaggerated description of Colonial conditions, which is directed towards instilling and rousing the passion of class hatred, there is stated the anarchistic. purpose of taking what you want without consideration of any legal process. It is put tints: — “The Inking at any time of food where there is plenty, and the seizins/ of empty buildings and empty factories are not crimes on the part nf the winkers and their families who are foodleas, homeless, or workless. Such action is sanctioned and upheld by nature’s own law, viz., that of self and group preservation." Thus with devilish cunning the -edition-monger lakes the exceptional case of the unfortunate worker who is without work, food, or home, and using- such as his text, he appeals to the worker- in general to just take anything they require is right according to (his teaching of socialism; for so lie calls it. FOOD FOR THOUGHT.

Here is something to ihink of. There are people in our midst actively engaged in pushing into circulation this literature of sedition. ‘‘Oh!” von may say, “it i~ .-.o exaggerated that il can influence no one.A Wait a moment. Is it not more likely that if such false teaching is being constantly presented to thousands of our people who tire but slightly educated, if al all. it must have considerable effect in the do* morulisation of many minds? Our people in general want freedom of discussion, but where there is direct incitement to crime, calls to take wlmt you want, without regard to either moral or legal rights, surely if is well for till of us to consider whether any other than the most drast|e punishment, is due to those indulging in these anti-social courses. It is because we realise that this most dangerous Red propaganda is much more widespread thgn most citizen.- think, that we express what is going on in our midst now. Think!