The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1927. "IN OUR TIME."

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 234, 4 October 1927, Page 6

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News and The Echo.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1927. "IN OUR TIME."

For the cause that lacks assistant*. For ths wrong that needs resistance For the future in the distance. ' ' And the good that «• can 4%,

The British Labour party has opened its annual conference at Blackpool, and already the session shows signs of great controversial possibilities. The president began the proceedings with a vigorous denunciation of the minority movement which, under the guidance of Communist agents, has been sowing discord through the ranks and undermining the confidence of the workers in their leaders. But the Communists may possibly derive some consolation from Mr". Roberts' scathing condemnation of Britain's "hypocritical" attitude toward Russia, and his contemptuous references to British policy in China. However, according to the latest forecast of the session the conference seems likely to concern itself not so much with Bolshevism or foreign policy as with the prospects of Socialism in Britain and the insistent demand of a powerful section of the members that Labour shall no longer be content to work for the future, but shall make some attempt to organise Socialism "here and now."

In spite of the growing strength of the Labour movement at Home, the tendency toward State Socialism has not accelerated its pace to any noticeable extent since the war. This is largely due to the internal dissensions which have convulsed the party, the insidious efforts of the Communists to paralyse the normal activities of the movement, and the effect of increased political responsibility and fuller experience on the leaders. Under such conditions it was only natural that even ardent advocates of Socialism should have felt the necessity for slow and gradual progress, and the theory of the Fabian Society, that the right way to bring about Socialism is to convert the average man into a Socialist, has been accepted by many. But the long postponement of their expected \ ictory has tired out the patience of a section of the party, and in spite of Hr. Ramsay Mac Donald's appeals for caution many of them are now clamouring for immediate and vigorous action. @

No doubt something of the intensity of feeling which British Socialists are now displaying is due to the negative and reactionary attitude adopted by the Conservative Government on some questions that seriously concern the masses. Already Mr. Baldwin must regret the "shocking indiscretion" of the Trade Disputes Act, which has banded together all the various sections of Labour against him, and has given an impetus to the widespread desire for a complete reconstruction of the existing industrial and economic system. Under such conditions it is natural that many of thhse who have regarded Socialism as aj panacea for Labour's ills should feel J encouraged to act with more energy.