Readers are invited to submit letters to The Guardian.
Letters may be e-mailed to guardian@cpa.org.au.
Letters of 300-400 words are preferred.

Letters to the Editor:

Where to from here?

The frenzy in the capitalist media over the leadership problems in the 
Australian Democrats has drawn comments from many sources.

Even more bemusing if the concern expressed in some of the progressive 
media. Some people suggesting people should write to that party offering 
their advice.

It must be remembered that the foundation of the Democrats came about by 
disaffected Liberals and their followers so that they could continue in 
State and Federal Parliamentary systems with a new name.

The clever slogan "Keeping the Bastards Honest" found fertile ground with 
many voters sick of the "tweedle dum" and "tweedle dee" effect of the Labor 
and Liberal parties. It was seen as a fresh new start in Australian 
politics.

The only people fooled by this was the electorate. Now that the Democrats 
are on the wane, some people are showing concern. But wasn't it inevitable?

The reasons are many and I will not canvas them here.

More important, and needing much more attention, is the two major powers in 
Australian politics — the ALP and the Liberals. Of these only the ALP is 
looking at fundamental change.

This has come about by the desperate plight that the ALP finds itself in 
since the return of the Howard Liberal Government. In fact the ALP has 
hardly laid a glove on the Federal Liberals either in the parliament or at 
a leadership level.

While never professing to be a revolutionary party, the ALP has enjoyed 
support from the working class, trade unions and their members and other 
progressive groups since its foundation. I believe we should examine the 
plusses and minuses that the ALP has delivered to the working class since 
its foundation.

Obviously the minuses in the last third of the 20th century outweigh the 
plusses in my view.

Much has been said by the ALP trade union leaders, ALP members, and the 
media about proposed changes in that party. Fundamental for us is, will it 
move closer or further away from the working class and its allies.

It seems to me that with the Hawke-Wran commission into the ALP and the 
waning of the trade union movement and under a more conservative ALP 
leadership which is mainly concerned about the attitude of big business it 
will move away from the interests of the working people.

Finally on the Democrats and their clever slogan. The history of that party 
will show that rather than 'keeping the bastards honest" or "keeping the 
bastards happy" as some have said of a former democrat leader "keeping the 
bastards in" will be their legacy.

Leon Bringolf
South Coast, NSW

I read with interest the letters of Lizbeth Campbell (Guardian 
(3/7/02) and Klaas Woldring (Guardian 12/6/02) and while being 
in the main in agreement with what they have written I still feel they have 
not got to the real cause.

I would like as my starting point to go back to the commencement of WW2 
when Germany began the invasion of Europe in earnest, and recall the 
pictures of the roads crowded with thousands of refugees fleeing before the 
Nazi invasion.

What we have today? Millions trying to flee from fascist rule. The only 
trouble is that fascist rule is developing in practically every country in 
the world — and there is no real place of refuge.

I hate to say — to the most weak and helpless of people — but there is no 
hiding place! We are — whether we realise it or not — whether we admit it 
or not — engaged in the final struggle — WW3 with no country immune and 
no people immune — this is an anti people war.

The gauntlet was thrown down to us when the puppet George Bush spoke the 
words of the real rulers — the men who comprise the military industrial 
complex of America — they offered us infinite war and quickly followed it 
with the declaration of a "war against terrorism" knowing full well that as 
far as they are concerned the people as a whole are all terrorists.

Those who are not for us are against us. If you are not pro capitalist then 
you are a terrorist! The battle has begun!

B Appleton
NSW

A spokesman said that Meningococcal infections in Australia are mainly 
the meningitis B strain of the virus. People and children continue to die. 
In June 2002, the Uruguayan Public Health Minister, Alfonso Varela, 
received 800,000 doses of the meningitis B vaccine from the Carlos J Finlay 
Institute in Havana.

Mr Varela said this would mark the beginning of a national vaccination 
program.

Initial resistance among Uruguayan Public Health officials was relaxed when 
research conducted by the Pasteur Institute in France, confirmed the 
effectiveness of the Cuban vaccine.

The Carlos Finlay Institute has guaranteed shipments, even though Uruguay 
has cut off diplomatic relations with Cuba.

Indeed, the Cubans have sent one million doses to Uruguay free of charge. 
Meanwhile Aussie kids continue to suffer and die for lack of a meningitis B 
vaccine.

Denis Kevans
Wentworth Falls, NSW

I have pleasure in helping to equip The Guardian with modern 
technology, digital camera, and upgrading the press with new production 
skills.

Memories return tenfold on the work of the Party in the '30s, how locality 
and factory branches run off bulletins and leaflets, one by one, on 
flatbeds, using foolscap paper, printers ink, on silk screens cut with 
stylon pens, or a painted tool.

The leaflets and bulletins were on the exploitation of the poor who 
produced the wealth and power of the capitalist system, as victims of it. 
They were handed to workers in mills, factories and mines.

Party members have grown up with the knowledge of the supporting role, 
often taking the initiative, as the propagandists and organisers in the 
many-sided struggle to change this brutal and inhuman system.

Those who aid The Guardian to improve its production of the 
Communist newspaper now carry on this memorable tradition.

Phyllis Johnson
Padstow, NSW