THE SOVIET RIGHT OR WRONG?

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1940, Page 4

THE SOVIET RIGHT OR WRONG?

JF exception is io be taken fairly to the jingoistic cry “.My country, right or wrong!” iwhat is to be thought of the mental attitude of those who declare unlimited loyalty to a foreign Power, particularly one engaged at present in trampling on the life and liberties of a small, valiant and progressive nation which desired nothing better than to be allowed to live at peace with its neighbours? One of yesterday’s cablegrams from Sydney reported that the New South Wales Trades and Labour Council, which is the governing body of the industrial labour movement in the State and claims to represent 200,000 unionists, decided to ask the Federal Government to give an assurance that the Second A.I.F. -would not be used to fight against the Soviet Union. Australian workers (the resolution passed by the council slated) will resist to the utmost any attempt to develop any Soviet war out of the present international situation. The plain meaning of this resolution is that Australian forces should not be employed in opposing any aggression the Soviet may undertake. There is no present prospect of any section of the Allied forces being employed against the Soviet save in resistance fo Soviet aggression. Il is conceivable, I hough ii seems at present unlikely, that the Allies may yet undertake fo give military assistance to Finland. In. that event, however, the aim would, he solely to defend Finland and not to attack. Russia. In the Balkans and elsewhere there will presumably be no outbreak of hostilities with Russia unless the Soviet takes the initiative in aggression or supports German aggression. It thus appears that in the view of the New South Wales Trades and Labour Council no opposition should lie offered, at. all events by vVustralia, Io any aggression in which Hie Soviet Union may engage. A (leclaralion in these terms made by an ostensibly democratic body is an astounding anachronism. Those by whom lhe declaration is made —it must be hoped that they have small right to speak with representative authority for trade unionists or for any other section of opinion in Australia —evidently are aligning themselves will) the forces of evil in the world and are disowning the principles of democracy and of morality and justice as they bear on national and international affairs.