NATIONALISTS AND SOCIALISM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22336, 25 February 1938, Page 10

NATIONALISTS AND SOCIALISM

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —In his letter “Ajax” shows the same confusion of thought as that which seemed apparent in Mr Hamilton, Socialism has no such aims as he attributes to it. I have read innumerable books, articles, etc., dealing with economic subjects from the Socialist point of view, and none of them aims af the result attributed to them by “Ajax.” and I would be glad to know who the Socialist writers are who support the view “Ajax” takes. “Ajax” says that Magna Carta aims at personal freedom, and the protection of property; it is just for that reason t!...t it is Socialistic, i.e., confers a general benefit on the community. He says, “Many of our State activities are to assist private enterprise”; if these activities effect a general good to the community they are Socialistic; if simply enabling those operating to achieve some advantage at the expense of the rest of the community, they are individualist, or so far as our political parties are Nation-

Our education system, inasmuch as it is a social benefit, is Socialistic. Socialism as is evident, so far from being antagonistic to individual freedom, initiative, and property, aims at the extension of liberty and initiative, and a greater security of property. Socialism is the doctrine of hope, Communism of despair, and individualism of destruction. Disraeli voiced the doctrine of Socialism when he said, “Yes, I am a Conservative, I would conserve the good in our system, and eliminate the bad.” Individualism, to which, according to Mr Hamilton, the Nationalists swear fealty, is rapidly pushing our Western civilisation, if not that of the whole world, into the abyss. It is not yet too late to retrieve the position, but it is an Augean stable, and where is the Hercules? Are our 40,000 bankrupt farmers so enamoured of the conditions that enabled others to strip them of all they .possessed that they are anxious for those conditions to continue. If so, whoop “up the Nationalists.” —Yburs, etc., GEO. SAGE. Governor’s Bay, * February 18, 1938.