RSL moves to drop discriminatory rule

The Queensland Branch of the RSL has announced that it is moving to lift 
the rule which has barred communists from becoming members of the Club. At 
present the rule asks applicants to declare that: "... I am not a member of 
the Communist Party nor am I associated with any organisation affiliated 
with or owing allegiance to that party."

The Queensland President of the RSL Mr Ray De Vere says that the rule is 
unnecessary, outdated and discriminatory. However, the Queensland move will 
not become a fact until and unless the Federal RSL takes the decision to 
remove the offending rule.

Mr Peter Symon, General Secretary of the Communist Party who is a returned 
serviceman having served in both the AIF and the RAAF, welcomed the 
Queensland move.

"It is long overdue", Mr Symon said. "The RSL rule was a product of the 
Cold War and was always discriminatory. It overlooked the fact that more 
than 4,000 members of the Communist Party and thousands of other supporters 
of the party served in the armed forces during WW2.

It is to be hoped that the National Conference of the RSL agrees with the 
Queensland decision and removes this discriminatory rule", said Mr Symon.