THE BOGY OF SOCIALISM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22491, 27 August 1938, Page 22

THE BOGY OF SOCIALISM

TO THB EDITOB OF THE PRESS. Sir,—Perhaps I am not to be blamed if I expected such a vital subject as Socialism is to be suitably treated in your leading article of last Wednesday. Socialism has been embraced as their ideaJ by no less than Einstein, G. B. Shaw, H. G. Wells, and Monsieur Blum, while numerous bishops of the Anglican Church publicly declared their adherence to and acceptance of the social programme of the British Labour Party, which programme is analagous to the one adopted by our Labour Party also. Socialism is even more than an ideal. It is a living fact, an inevitable result of social evolution. It is the materialisation of definite spiritual forces wrich are freeing mankind from that fiendish fight among spiritual beings for selfish ends. What you extol as the glorious competitive system is nothing more than a fight of hungry dogs over a bone. Men's behaviour in such a struggle would even shame the wild animals of the jungle. Socialism will put an end to such a hellish state of society as seen by the blessings it has already brought to humanity by such socialistic institutions as public hospitals, public schools and universities, convalescent homes, public libraries, old age pensions, postal services, firo brigades, etc., while our public road system, drainage boards, water supplies, the Public Trust, Municipal Electricity Department, the Reserve Bank, and the State Fire Insurance Office are a living and indisputable proof of the' success •of socialistic institutions. Every activity having for aim social service'instead of individual profit is socialistic. Would you put our police, magistrates, and judges under private control? You speak of liberties enjoyed by us under the capitalistic System, but where are they? Several professional men told me that they believe in Socialism, but they must hide their opinions because they would be socially ostracised, and as a consequence they would be economically ruined. Whatever might be your personal opinion, your duty is to uphold the policy dictated by your employer.' This is the same case with every professional man. This kind of freedom is mockery

Again you speak about the holiness of private property/land. But there is no such thing as material possession. The latter is an illusion. What-you call possession is nothing but an individual control over a sociallycreated wealth. However, we must not forget that this control can only grant certain men selfish power, and in our spiritual world selfish power carries with it spiritual responsibilities. The only thing that man really can own is his moral character and sp'irtual faculties. Everything else is illusory. Whatever else you or anyone else might say, the only purpose of human society is not the feeding of human greed, but the care and culture of men. This is the sacred aim of Socialism. —Yours, etc., J. ROBERTS.

August 26, 1938. [Our correspondent's letter is irrelevant to the point at issue. In the article-rin question we did -not. discuss-the merits or demerits of Socialism as such. We did not " speak of the liberties enjoyed by us under the capitalistic system." or the holiness of private property—land" (both our correspondent's phrases, not ours). What we did discuss was the evident attempt of the Hon. D. G. Sullivan to hide the fact that the present Government is committted to Socialism as disclosed in the first plank of its platform—the " socialisation of. the means of production, distribution, and exchange." If Socialism has all the virtues claimed for it by our correspondent, we are the more bewildered by the obvious reluctanpe of some members of his party to proclaim the Government's adherence to-it. Ed., "The Press."]

TO THJt EDITOR OF I%j£ lUIESS." Sir, —A lot of nonsense has. appeared in the papers of late from supporters of the Government, . attempting to prove that the brand of being ists'* should not apply to them. Recently the Hon; D. G. Sullivan made a spirited denial of the accusation. I desire to inform you and your readers as to wha); happened when the defeated Labour-Socialist candidates spoke after the announcement of the results of the poll for the election of the Mayor and councillors for the Borough of Ashburton. The secretary of the Mid-Canterbury Labour Representation Committee is Mr C. J. Rude}; he was a candidate. Mr C. A. Walker, another candidate, is a member of the committee. ' ' '

The following account is a verbatim extract from the- "Ashburton Guardian." Thursday,-May. 12, 1938:—. . "Mr Walker thanked 'the 833 people who had voteci for him, giving. him their confidence. He assured them that he would again 'offer"his services if the occasion arose, in the future, and he would be at the, poll in .the interests of Labour rinc?'more.

" 'AshbUrton is not yet ripe for Socialism, which I feel is bound to come in time,' Mr Walker concluded.

"Congratulations were extended by Mr Rudd to the successful candidates, who evidently were held in high,esteem by the electors. He belonged to the Socialist band, but the vote in Ashburton was obviously not yet sufficiently enlightened to place its representatives- on -the- -council. The Socialist candidates had polled remarkably well, he thought."

I leave your readers to place an in--terpretation on these remarks.—Yours, etc *■ - - • - • ASHBURTON VOTER. Ashburton, August 25. 1938.

TO THE EDIT,OR 07„ ' rsa PBB BS - Sir,—l'have been making some historical researches, and stumbled upon some hitherto unrecorded history. May I take advantage of some of your space to record the following? There was once a tribe of very simple people who lived on an island called Illu-Shun. This island, like many other islands, was surrounded by a sea; but it was not a usual kind of sea—it was a. kind called Kamu Flage. When the simple people went to the sea they one and all exclaimed: "Woe is me! We cannot see the sea because of the water." There was also in this land a band of wise men called the Gov-Ment who dwelt in a castle .called Make-Believe. There came.from the castle one day to speak to the people at that part of th- land 'called Wools-Tun one of the wise men, Great Uncle Dan. Now, there was also.. in. this land another band of wise men known as the Opoo Sishun, who dwelt in a castle called Reason. . Great Uncle Dan exhorted the simple people to avoid the Obno Sishun as they would a plague. "For verily my people," he said, "these people keep within the Castle Reason a fierce and dangerous bogy. man. If you enter there, verily will the bogy man devour you." But there came a time when one ol the more courageous of the simple people entered the Castle Reason. There he met a great wise man called Adam. "Where," he asked, "is this bogy man which seeks to devour good people?" "My man." said Adam,,"there

is no bogy here. This is the Castle Reason, founded on the rock Stability, from which true Prosperity comes. Then the courageous one journeyed back to his people and said unto them: "Verily, my brethren, hath our Great Uncle Dan' pulled our legs very hard. I have found that there is no bogy man at all. It is like Father Kris-Mus. It is only Great Uncle Dan dressed up. —Yours. etc - pETER PERCEPTION. August 26, 1938.

TO THB EDITOR OF THB PBESS. Sir —Of the whole box of tricks I think I love the Hon. D. G. Sullivan best. He is so intent on his job of manufacturing woolpacks out of flax, for the good oi New Zealand <.or vs vt the factory hand?) that he quite forgets his own attitude during the last tramway strike. And when he applies the soft pedal to the Socialist policy of his party he should discipline his henchmen. ~,,,*. If you want the real truth about Socialism you' have only to tap the member for Kaiapoi. He will spill it. Or the late president of the Federation of Labour, who, in his speech on the Address-in-Reply, said straight out, "We stand for Socialism." Mr Clyde Carr at any rate is definite. Perhaps Mr Hiram Hunter -may be able to elucidate this mystery.—Yours, etc., . A.P. August 24, 1938.

TO THE EDITOB OF THB PRESS. Sir, —The Hon. D. G. Sullivan said that the Opposition had raised a bogy of Socialism. Is the pledge signed by him and his fellow members of Parliament, "The socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange," just a joke, then, and are pledges to be more honoured in the breach than in the observance? Truly, it seems to be so, but where is the gentleman's sense of humour? Mr Sullivan's reputation as a politician will certainly be enhanced by his performance over the question of Socialism. We may be Henry Dubbs, but to read the outpourings of the Hon. D. G. Sullivan on Socialism in "The Press" while we eat our fish and chips is a very enjoyable pastime.—Yours, etc., COUNTER LUNCH. August 24, 1938.