Common Cause (South Australia)

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Common Cause was an organisation formed during the Second World War to consider post-war reconstruction and society. It became a popular movement but was tainted by accusations of Communism.

History

Common Cause was founded in 1943 as a vehicle for a number of idealistic community leaders of diverse backgrounds to discuss the post-war economic and social future of South Australia. Charter members were: [1]

Keith Sydney Isles was an Australian economist, academic and university administrator.

Sidney "Sid" Crawford was a South Australian businessman born in Victoria.

Charles Duguid was a Scottish-born medical practitioner, social reformer, Presbyterian lay leader and Aboriginal rights campaigner who lived in Adelaide, South Australia for most of his adult life, and recorded his experience working among the Aboriginal Australians in a number of books. He founded the Ernabella mission station in the far north of South Australia. The Pitjantjatjara people gave him the honorific Tjilpi, meaning "respected old man". He and his wife Phyllis Duguid, also an Aboriginal rights campaigner as well as women's rights activist, led much of the work on improving the lives of Aborigines in South Australia in the mid-twentieth century.

The idealistic aims of the organisation found favour with a large section of the community, disenchanted by the Great Depression and tired of the war and looking forward to a future of industrial peace and prosperity. A. J. Hannan of Medindie (the Crown Solicitor) was a prominent critic, accusing it of being either a Communist front organisation or susceptible to takeover by Communists by virtue of its open membership and support by the Union movement. Rev. E. S. Kiek of Parkin College made a passionate defence of Common Cause, and was supported by large number of ministers of religion who were also members. [2]

At its first Annual General Meeting K. S. Isles, was re-elected president; vice presidents elected were A. B. Thompson and G. V. Portus; hon. treasurer L. J. Mulroney; minute secretary Maurice Brown; executive council Sidney Crawford, A. A. Drummond, Mrs. Fairbank, T. Garland, Mrs. K. S. Isles, J. H. Knight, and Dr. J. Lugg. [3] They had a meeting room on Waymouth Street. [4]

The organisation helped found a kindergarten and community centre at Nuriootpa, a town with a well-developed community spirit, and where the aims of Common Cause were particularly welcomed. In 1944 Common Cause published a booklet A Township starts to live : the valley of Barossa : South Australia's new community. [5] Crawford, a prime mover in its foundation, retired shortly after. [6]

Nuriootpa, South Australia Town in South Australia

Nuriootpa ( NEWR-ee-UUT-pə) is the major commercial centre in the Barossa Valley in South Australia, about an hour's drive north of the capital, Adelaide, and 77 kilometres by rail. The name of the town is reputed to be the local Aboriginal word for "meeting place".

Isles resigned as president on the eve of his departure for London on Army business. [7]

Common Cause disbanded in 1949. [6]

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References

  1. ↑ "The Origin and aims of New S.A. Movement". The News . 40 (6, 112). Adelaide. 1 March 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 4 March 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ "Common Cause and Communism". The Advertiser . Adelaide. 14 May 1943. p. 6. Retrieved 7 March 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "Common Cause Elects Officers". The News . 42 (6, 458). Adelaide. 11 April 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 7 March 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Common Cause Farewell". The Advertiser . Adelaide. 17 December 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 7 March 2018– via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ Common Cause (S.A.) (1944), A Township starts to live : the valley of Barossa, South Australia's new community, Common Cause, retrieved 9 March 2018
  6. 1 2 Susan Marsden, 'Crawford, Sidney (1885–1968)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/crawford-sidney-9859/text17443, published first in hardcopy 1993, accessed online 9 March 2018.
  7. ↑ "Common Cause Resignation". The News . 44 (6, 730). Adelaide. 23 February 1945. p. 3. Retrieved 7 March 2018– via National Library of Australia.
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