SOCIALIST STRATEGY

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 55, 28 November 1929, Page 16

SOCIALIST STRATEGY

USING THE SOFT PEDAL

(Contributed by the N.Z. Welfare League.) Anyone who watches political movements here, or in England, will have noticed an apparent abandonment of extreme theories by the Socialist-Labour Parties in favour of professions which are practically the same as what we used to know as Liberalism. The Red Flag, it is true, is still sung at party conferences and even public receptions of the Socialist Prime Minister in England, but it is becoming less prominent, and we note a complete “watering down” of all the old anti-imperial, class .war and other extreme doctrines. . This change was also evident at the Trades Union Congress held in Belfast early in September where Mr. Ben Tillett astonished every one by his plea for Empire organisation, ami his statement that prosperity of industry, not the overthrow of Capitalism, is to be the principal interest of the worker.

If the change to moderation, is genuine, there would be cause for jubilation from all classes of the community, because it would end the vicious policy of class-war which has so nearly brought disaster to our national welfare, but there are grave reasons for believing that the moderate pose is for political purposes only and that once the SocialistLabour party attain full control of Parliament they will return to their extreme plans for nationalisation and the abolition of private enterprise. The leaders of these parties saw, quite plainly, that an extreme Socialist policy did not appeal to solid British commonsensc, so the present tactics were adopted and the real objective of the party is being overlooked both here and in England. Mr. Herbert Morrison, Minister of Transport, in his presidential address at the “Labour” Party Conference at Brighton last month, said: “The Labour Government is acting, in the Spirit of Socialism; we refuse to water down our final objectives; let it be understood by everybody that our purpose is as much as ever to secure the conquest of the world for the workers of the world. We aim at the Socialist Commonwealth.” In the discussion which followed there was ample evidence that the nationalisation of banks, mines and other activities arc still an essential part of their programme. This was for the party followers, but for the outside public the leaders in England and also here profess mild Liberal views and avoid all reference to Socialism. If non-Socialists remain silent, or are content to talk about and believe that the Socialist-Labour Party here and in England are pursuing a Liberal policy and abandoning their extreme platform, these parties will gain Remind get control of Parliament and will realise their objectives before their opponents, wake up. Their “Moderation is plainly a pose and we feel bound to again warn the electors that the Labour-Socialist platform if put into action’ abolishes private ownership in land and enterprise, and destroys all personal initiative.