THE ADVANCE OF LABOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 203, 26 August 1913, Page 9

THE ADVANCE OF LABOUR.

OH SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC LINES. MORE THAN MERE WORDS. He first public meeting in connection wifii tie recently-formed Auckland teanch of the Social Democratic party was held in the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday night. There was a large and enthusiastic audience. Mr. M. J. Savage of the Auckland branch) presided, and the speakers were Mr. PL Scott Bennett and Mr. P. Fraser, general secretary. .Mr. Savage, in opening, eaid that he had the utmost faith in the Social Democratic party. He ibeHeved that it meant business, and he urged everybody present to enliet in ite ranks. Mr. IL Scott Bennett eaid thait on the one hand he earnestly ihoped and beEeved that tone SociaS Democratic party iwoiild embrace ■no opportunist policy, while on the other hand, -they mast avoid anything m the, nature of barren dogmatism and. "blessed words." Certain phrases were so customary and common among people of a certain calibre that they were reduced to meaningleseneas. tThe words "class war." "revelation," "sunplns ratae," an!d such-Mke were frequently used in such a fashion as to mysttfy and .perplex the average ■worker. 'He hoped the new party would pin its iaifch to conefcnwtiv* woTk instead of to phraseology. In no country that he knew of dal rvny working class iparty set out on eoch dean and hopefrd Macs. There was no ambiguity about the Social Democratic .party. It was a movement diaracteristic of an advanced working date. >Ir. P. Eraser said that the Social Do moeratte party was not. nor would it be, isolated from the life of the people. On ihe contrary it was destined to occupy en important part of the 'lives of the iworkers of New Zealand. In its atmosphere the vast majority of workers ■would live, move, and have their being. It was the worst foHy to i;*nore political fiction in a country where universal euffoage was in vojrue. To do so was .playing into the hands of tSie capitalists. They must, as Social Democrats, take &eir part in the social life of the country. They must fight in ail elections, ParikinrentaTy, City Council. Harbour Board, School Committee, and everywhere opportunity offered.