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WARRING OPINIONS. Mr. Mullens’ attack on the Com munist Party, which was publish ed in our last issue, has browht forth some discussion. The fol lowing letters have been receiv ed by the Editor:— (To the Editor Sir—Mr. Mullens, M.L.A., is to be congratulated on his strong stand not the enemy in our mi Communism. It was no courageous attitude to adopt, for he must have known that he was staking his political future on his utterances. The “Commos are singing a different tune now that Russia is in the war to what they did in the early stages of the conflict. At that time they sabot aged the war effort and were sap ed as an entity by the Gov ernment. Mr. Mullens has an Aus tralian outlook and realises that this nation is quite capable of re kerning the social order without emulating the Soviet plans. Be cause Russia is now an ally against the common foe, it is not neces sary that dinkum British stock should adopt its eyes of life, any more than that of China, Bra zil or Mexico, who are also fight ing inst the menace of fascism. Good luckey Jack! Keep the flag Aying!—Yours, etc., “ANTI-COMMUNIST.” To the Re Sir,—Mr. Mullens, in his recent tirade—I will not call it a speech— in State Parliament, reprinted in full by your power, certainly has taken his political life in his hands. One need not look far for reasons. The fact that he is to be opposed in the forthcoming election by Mr. Cecil Sharpley, a Communist, is the most obvious. The electors will not be long realising that a man who plays a dirty election game has no really constructive policy to offer his electorate! The elec tors will not be long realising that Mr. Cecil Sharpley, his Commun ist opponent, has such a policy to offer, even so fake deputa tions to Mr. Dunstan do not help the war effort, and Mr. Mullens has done the electors of Footscray a service by showing himself in his true cobra.—Yours, ate., E. BASTIN, Sunshine. (To the Editor) Sir,—I read with a considerable amount of interest the full report of the speech delivered in the State Parliament by Mr. J. Mullens, ML.A.., and Itatulate you on printing it in full. The electors only receive scrapa of our repre sentatives’ statements from the daily papers, and it was, and has previously been, refreshing to find that we have a local paper which is pase enough to enter into things political. Mr. Mullens went to some length to suggest that he hoped the Preas would report his remarks, and I am afraid that, Instead of being an advantage to him, it will be the opposite. I have been a loyal sup porter of the Labor Movement for many years, and I always held the opinion that it spoke with one voice, and any statement had to be okayed by the Party. Apparently Mr. Mullens is a law unto himself and can espouse any policy to suit himself. I noticed it the only support he received in his remarks was from men with anti-Labor views. As an old resident of Footscray, I have recollections of Mr. Mullens’ experience as a councillor of that district. Labor was in the ma jority, but due to his penchant for stirring up hornets’ nesta and his rhetorical ability, those opposed to Labor soon as a control—in fact, Mr. Mullens himself was de feated at a subsequent election. When he first stood for Footscray he did not have to stand for pre selection, but received the Central Executive's endorsement, following Wanton to the foisting Mr. P. Moloney on to the I have happy memories of the service rendered by the late G. M. Lees strateat wark Mr. Mullens has never been popular with the workers of Foot scray, and this was evidenced in the struggle he had to defeat Mr. Hanmer. The electorate of Foot scray has been Labor for 30 years or more, and it is being jeopar dised through the temperamental nature of the present member. As a worker, I want to see my leader a man with balance and judgment. Surely the Party is bigger than the individual, and his selection as the one to carry the Labor banner should be reviewed by those In control. Old-time stalwarts of the Movement had a personal follow ing, whilst Mr. Mullena, if he lies, it is very small. It is abhorrent for me to vote for a U.A.P. can didate, and equally nauseating to support Communism, but if I have to continue to uphold my percipier, I am forced to vote for Mr. Mul lena, who falls far short of my ideal as a Labor leader. I have spoken to many workers on the subject, and they agree with my sentiments, Let us have been who we can look to for real guid ance, not one who forces us to be apologists all the time.— Yours, etc., “DEMOCRAT.” . (To the site Sir—Mr. Mullens, by his recent outburst, is apparently seeking some cheap advertisement, and a brief examination of his remarks, especially those concerning the “Aid for Russia Committee,” would prove interesting. The New South Wales Legislative Council, after exhaustive enquiries into the af fairs of the “Aid for Russia Com mittee, commended that same committee on its efforts to bring about a greater unity and under standing between the peoples of Australia and the U.S.S.R. Mr. Mullens' remarks do not tend to create unity among the people. Unity, which is so vital at this critical sta in Australia’s his tory, must fought for by all sections of the community, in order that Australia may emerge from this present world conflict a free independent democracy, able to travel the road of progress. Any disruptive elements must be recl uised and removed to the peopl before it is too late. The needs of Australia demand something bigger than mere indulgence in abuse of other people by its representatives under the protection of parlia mentary privilege —Yours, etc., (Mrs.) A. DOAK. Sunshine.
Newspaper Details
Sunshine Advocate
Sunshine, Victoria, AU
Fri, Feb 26, 1943
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Alexander E.
AU 08 Jun 2026
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