THE LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21236, 7 August 1934, Page 6

THE LIFE OF PARLIAMENT

'l'i i.IK UIJITLiI OS' 'w:K.;t.mj. Sir,-It should not bo difficult to combat the fallacious arguments of your correspondent A. B.' Grant. He is obviously suffering from the delusion that because socialism cannot yet challenge capitalism,, it, ran do nothing, particularly in one Important political sphere, that of parliament. Rut politics are a game of manoeuvre, of bargaining. The ancients learned . that- the -lever was worth many slaves in . moving heavy inert blocks. It is the same with the real socialists. 'Whif'? " perhr.pj they cannot yet induce a decisive mass to accept all their programme, they can procure heavy support for partial demands among the 'afflicted classes. Thus they achieve a wide hegemony and with such forces giving them allegiance can win the conditions which allow of wider expansion. That is exactly how fascism won th"r6u«h in Germany—a Pyrrhic victory, it is true. There' is plenty of evidence that Labour members of" Parliament are feeling the pressure ot the radicalised masses in their constituencies. At present they are endeavouring to satisfy them with a Epate of spurious "left" phrases-.

I A political party is not powerful acj cording to the number of .heads it counts in its own ranks but in the influence it wields in evemvidening circles. Because socialism cannot be achieved at a blow A. B. Grant would have us accept his counsel of despair that we cannot move at all. Suppose Box lias been obliged to give certain pledges to a socialist programme by a decisive force of electors, but Cox, relying on other class elements, refuses such, pledges, will not Box be preferable to Cox? This Seems to me the A.B.G. of politics, which your correspondent has yet to learn. While not among those 'whb believe that socialism can ever be achieved through parliament, I am convinced that no sphere can be neglected while the organs* of the new society are being painfully constructed. Much of what your correspondent writes is sound, but when he refers to' the growth of social control of business it! becomes obvious that ho "has a fundu-1

'mental misconception of the role of I the State, which is not and cannot be! ! a social instrument, but the existence ! it which is the proof of class antago- \ i n-isEis, the collisions resulting from ' which it seeks to moderate. He for- - get* that in other countries where die-' tatorships rule, the beginnings have! been just' the same as or very simi- ' , lar; to those we see now in New Zea- i ' land and Britain. Given the economic ; developments. British parliaments are r.o more exempt from replacement by | dictatorships than any other. Let himi shed that fond illusion! The formation; of the National Government in Britain ■ marked a development of the dictator-1 ship. .Should, ultimately, the Fascist, party, by a putsch or coup d'etat or' merely by edging its way ever, secure I control of the state machine, that will! only mean changing quantity into' quality, for surely when the state's j \ manifold activities have become: | fascised, it is only logical that they j should besom c controlled by a fascist i Ivlust we accept such a dictatorship! i or, indeed, any form of dictatorship j ■ from those with whom we have nothing j \ in common? Not if we are men! Even j | the United States constitution reeog-j ! r.ises the sovereign rights of the people; i in just such a situation as confronts' j us in New Zealand to-day. What have; I the electors of Christchurch North and j Riccartcn to say to their members who I have just voted themselves another I year of parliamentary life? It is time ! they were busy. The inept and vacillaI ting Labour party has the opportunity j ; to show a little backbone, for once, j i Perhaps, like intestinal fortitude, tiiat' I part of its anatomy is missing. It Ktill' j holds cut the banner of socialism, but: I now o:; purely national lines; and I if a national "socialist" party is not a Nazi party, what is it? But the Nazis ; are at least men of action. Is it tool i much to hope for this from such a; hopelessly opportunist party, which \ I should adopt as its emblem the | j swastika reversed on a background of' j yellow shirt'.'—Yours, etc., i MARXIST. • i August <;, 1034. i