SOCIALISM IN BRITAIN

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26639, 26 January 1952, Page 6

SOCIALISM IN BRITAIN

POLICY SAID TO HAVE FAILED former Labour m.p. IN AUCKLAND (New Zealand Press Association) ~ , AUCKLAND, January 25. Mr Alfred Edwards, a former British member of Parliament who was expelled from the Labour Patty in 1948 for criticising the Government proposals for nationalising the iron and steel industry, is convinced that nothing in the Socialist doctrine has improved the working conditions of the people of Britain, He is visiting Auckland on his way to the United States, where he will undertake a two months’ lecture tour. There was not a single instance in Britain of the Socialists running industrial concerns more efficiently than private enterprise, Mr Edwards said. They had not given the people full employment. After the Second World War the world wanted all the goods that Britain could produce, and it was private enterprise and American capital Which provided work for ail. “I spent many years preaching Socialism but it has failed in England, as It has failed in every other country.” Mr Edwards said that even the Labour Patty leaders knew that the nationalisation bf the iron and steel industry would nbt Work well. There had been no question of the Government taking the industry oVer Uhtil Mr Afleutin Bevan said he would resign if the Government did hot do so. The extremists ih the party demanded it, and, having a small majority, the Government put the measure through. “They nationalised the steel industry through sheer funk and teat of a battle With Mr Ahetirih Bevan and his followers,” Mt Edwards said. He explained that the shareholders; of Whom he was ohe, had not complained about nationalisation on economic grounds They had been guaranteed security. However, the future efficiency of the industry, which had increased its output regularly since 1935, was likely to be affected. Mr Edwards said Workers who felt that they did not have to work very hard Should realise that the only way to ensure wealth and prosperity was by Work. However, capitalism would have to show that it Was able to give a standard of living to workers far ahead of anything that the Socialists conceived.