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2000 Condemn
Communist Bill
A gathering of 2000 people in Mel
bourne Town Hall on Saturday night
unanimously adopted a resolution calling
on the Senate to reject the Communist
Party Dissolution Bill.
The meeting also called on
the Federal Government to
reinstate Dr. P. R. James at
Heidelberg Repatriation Hos
pital immediately and uncon
ditionally.
It was arranged by the De
mocratic Rights Council and
a collection to assist its funds
brought, including donations,
more than £480.
Rev. A. M. Dickie, who pre
sided, said the' size of the
meeting represented the grow
ing feeling of the community
that freedom must be pre
served — freedom of speech, of
association and assembly,
which were basic human rights.
There was much feeling
against Communism today, he
said, but not much against
capitalism. They heard too
much of the malpractices of
Communism, but too little of
the malpractices of other
people.
Mrs. D. Blackburn, former
member of the House of Repre-
sentatives, in an appeal to
women, said women in the
past had suffered particularly
from social repression.
Mr. Dr Stephens, of the
Eureka Youth League, said
they would fight with all their
might and give their lives, 11
necessary, to aerena the char
ter of liberty.
'Dictators Beware'
Rev. F. J. Hartley, president
of the Democratic Rights
Council said as a minister of
religion he spoke as an indi
vidual, and not for the church
with which he was associated.
As president of the D.R.C..
however, he spoke on behalf
of 207,000 people. The love of
democracy went deep into the
hearts of Australians. The
churches were awakening, thr
trade unions were awakening
and the general public were be
ginning to stir from their slum
bers. This brought the warning
"dictators beware."
After all the protests that it
had received, the Government
was not so sure that it had a
mandate, and the Labor party
was feeling confident that it
could face the people on this-
issue.
The bill had changed Its
form many times, said Mr
Hartley, but the dangers of its
substance remained constant
It meant repression of thought
and opened the door wide to
tyranny. Labor must refuse ta
be compromised by the bill
even If it meant a double dis
solution.
Testing Validity
Mr. A. McNolty, Federal sec-
retary . of the Sheetmetal
Workers' Union, contended that
the Communist Party Dissolu-
lion Bill, though allegedly aim-
ing at the restriction of Com-
munists, was really a bill to>
restrict the activities of the
people.
The president of his organi-
sation, Mr. Tom Wright, had
already been named, he said.
Not only would his organisa
tion do its best to defeat the
bill, but it had already made;
available £2000 to test the
validity of the legislation if
Mr. Wright were picked up.
Other speakers included Dr.
C. B. O. Mohr, scientist, Mr
Ernest Platz, a survivur of
Buchenwald concentration
camp, Mr. Percy Laidler and
Mr. J. J. Brown, Federal pre-
sident of the Australian Rail-
ways Union.
Mr. Brown said he spoke as
a Communist, and one who had
been named in the bill. He was
sure the bill would be de-
feated because a ban on any
political party was wrong.
Bound up with the bill was the
future of the standard of liv-
ing of the working class.
"My union was not respon-
sible for the stoppage of rail-
way services for a day," said
Mr. Brown. "The person re
sponsible was Mr. Menzies, who
introduced this bill. That stop-
page was the commencement of
a fire which will not stop until
Mr. Menzies has gone and his
bill with him," he added.
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