Victor Grayson
Maoriland Worker, Volume 7, Issue 293, 27 September 1916, Page 1
About this newspaper
Victor Grayson
Interviewed by "The Worker"
Mr. Victor Grayson has boon lecturing during tho past week in Wellington on various subjects. Interviewed by a "Worker" representative, he etatod his belief that the present war would achieve an epocu-inarking revolution, possibly resulting in the overthrow of Capitalism itself. The men who have reaped the experiences of the trenches would come back trained to use guns and bayonets, and to act unitedly, and they would never again be satisfied with the old life- or' unemployment and want and hardship. They would make demands upon the Governments of their respective countries, and knowing the value of organisation they would bo w a position, to enforce their demands. He believed the returned soldiers would be in a position to almost completely dominate most of the Allied nations and tho Central Powers, both politically and industrially. There was no doubt that the majority of the employing class would make a determined endeavdur to revert to the state of things which existed before the war, but they would be forced to yield before the organised strength back of the new spirit of tho age.
Mr. Graysou talked reminiscently of tho past, his Parliamentary experiences, his association with Jim Larkia in the Belfust industrial upheaval, and his conm-ction with tho unemployed movement. So far as tho present war was concerned, he was patriotic, be cause ho helieved the workers' movement would have- a better opportunity of progressing under tho Allies thaP under Frusso-German domination; and because this was so lie had not hesitated to take tho recruiting platform in England.
Mr. Grayson declined tho invitation to make a statement re his attitude towards Conscription.
This week Mr. Grayaon proceeds to Christchurch, whero he is to deliver a series of lectures tinder the auspices of the ocialist Party, alter which to purposes procoeding to Duncdin.
