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AUSTRALIAN PEACE
COUNCIL
To the Editor.
Sir—Your item of December
13. "Perth Reds Prepare to Go
Underground," has been drawn
to the notice of the executive of
the Australian Peace Council.
The founders of the Australian
Peace Council, alarmed at re-
peated statements in the Press
and from leading military and
political figures as to the inevit-
ability of a third world war, did
not accept the idea that war is
inevitable, and did not believe
that the people of any country
wanted war. The Australian
Peace Council was formed by a
number of prominent Melbourne
citizens, including ministers of re-
ligion, writers, scientists, univer-
sity lecturers and trade unionists,
in September, 1949, to give an
organised form to the desire of
our people for peace, and to
present to the Australian people
a practical policy in support of
peace.
However, several Australian
newspapers have seen fit to attack
the Australian Peace Council, its
policy and activities, by attempt-
ing to label it as inspired by the
Cominform, as Communist-domi-
nated, or as a potential "front"
organisation for the Communist
Party, in the event of the latter
being declared an illegal organi-
sation. These charges are com-
pletely without factual founda-
tion.
Your paper suggests that the
Australian Peace Council sup-
ports peace with Russia. Cer-
tainly it stands for peace with
Russia. It stands also for peace
in China, Greece, Malaya, Viet-
nam, and other countries where
war is at present raging-peace,
based on the right of the people
of those countries to decide on
their own form of government.
Yours, etc..
REV. VICTOR JAMES,
REV. J. HARTLEY,
Joint Hon. Secretaries.
Australian Peace Council, Mel-
bourne.
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