COMMUNISM AND THE WEST
Sir,-I have read the letter by P. 2 Alley in The Listener of October 1. Here are a few facts on the subject which the writer ignores. No country is Communistic today by the vote of the people. In every case — China, Russia, and the satellite countries-it was and is the result of civil war. In no case will the leaders let the people decide through the ballot box. Mr. Alley asks who would like to go back to Tsardom. Surely, Sir, there is an alternative. What about a little democracy? He says
Communists stand in this country for local bodies and Parliaments. Can antiCommunists do this in China and Russia? There are 6000 newspapers in Russia with an average issue of 30,000,000 copies daily, and these are only allowed to continue on the condition that they sell Communism to the people, and this after 38 years of Communism. Several hundred thousands of East Germans have filed from the workers’ Paradise after a very extensive revolt. Almost bare hands were used against the tanks and armaments of their Communist overlords, and the movement is going on at the rate of thousands per week, This is only possible because the boundary is through the large city of Berlin. Polish and other seamen wherever possible seek sanctuary in Britain: tennis players, athletes and embassy staff also. Mr. Alley says some of the Asian countries are a "disgrace to humanity." Could this be the result of the operations of their war lords, or of American imperialism? In the case of India, British merchants went there to trade. They found everything in chaos owing to the break-up of the last Moghul Empire, and to protect their trade gradually brought about order. In due time, in response to a wave of nationalism, they very properly decided it was time to walk out without bloodshed. Bloodshed happened only after the walk-out. If this country ever goes Communist, it will be the result of Communist imperialist invasion from tha north never from the vote of the
people.
R.J.
H.
(Wellington). ©
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 799, 12 November 1954, Page 5
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347COMMUNISM AND THE WEST New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 799, 12 November 1954, Page 5
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