DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3142, 6 November 1922, Page 8

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT.

Democratic Government in more than name cam only exist where wealth is distributed with something of equality —where the great mass of citizens are personally free and independent, neither fettered by their poverty nor made subject hy their wealth. There is, after all, some sense in a property qualification. The man who its dependent on a master for his living is not a free man. The freedom to earn, without fear or favor, a comfortable living, ought to go with the freedom to vote. Only by this meane can a sound basis for democratic institutions lie secured. How can a man be said to have a country where he has no right to a Square inch of soil; where be has nothing hut his hands, and urged hy starvation, must hid against his fellows for the privilege of using them? Beneath all political problems lies the social problem of the distribution of wealth. Tin's our people do not generally . recognise, and they listen to quacks who propose to cure the symptoms without touching the disease. The people continue to vote, hut they arc losing power. Money and organisations tell more and more in elections, and while the capitalists remain organised irrespective of creed or seel, the working class will allow themselves to lie divided hy propagandists, until to-day we have, practically a one-man Government. The type of party leader to-day is not the orator or statesman of earlier days, hut a shrewd manager who knows how to handle workers, how to combine pecuniary interests, bow to obtain money and to spend it. how in gather lo himself followers and lo secure their allegiance. The people are conscious of this and there is much dissatisfaction, hut there is a lack of thai intelligent interest necessary to adapt political organisation to changing conditions. CONSCRIPTED LABOR A novel scheme of (unscripted labor lias heeu in operation in Bulgaria now lor two years, and at the imitation of the Bulgarian Government a delegate from the International Labor OfFice of the League id' Nations has reported on the system. lhc law provides that hoys who have reached the age of 20 and girls of Hi and over shall give' per-

sonal service lij I lie State (12 months for men and (i months for women). Those liable lor service are forbidden to leave the country or change their mil ionalii v before ilio service has been carried out. In I5»21 70(1.00(1 came within the scope of the law, and a large percentage did (heir quota of Stale service. All classes of society were called upon. Aqueducts wore constructed, roads made and paved. trees )ns\i\toi\, avu\ vrvriovrs oUrer vcovk* vayried out. Such a system in New Zealand opens up infinite possibilities, for under it one may visualise prominent members of the farmers' unions and employers' associations being drafted down to the mines on the West Coast for twelve mouths' State service, or a batch of the stalwarts of the Welfare I/eague being handed over to Koberl Semple to assist in the Orongo Orougo contract for providing Wellington with a better water service, or a. roping in of a number of members of Parliament for a term of service of more, value to the State than they are contributing lit present. The inauguration of sucU a scheme would have the effect of making these critics of Labor less implacable iii their resistance to the efforts of the workers for the social betterment, of their class.

The hope of Socialism for old age is one of its brightest and most, humane. promises. With the means of industry within the reach of all; with the test of mere .strength and hate abolished; with the homes of the people spread out into the country; and with gardens, workshops, and provision for individual occupation always at hand what, an opening up of new life to the old and llie young there will be, and what a great increase of real wealth to the community!— Untce Ulasier. Re garding one principal item in the cost of living (butter), il is worth noticing how prices vary. In Sydney it. has been reduced by 2d' per Hi. in parts of our Dominion (Oamaru for instance) by Id. and in tin- Wauganiii market the price has receded (retail) from Is (id to Is Id per M»! When thou art offended a| any man's fault, forthwith turn to thyself and.' reflect in what like manner thou dost. err thyself. Kor by attending to this thou wilt quickly forget thy anger.— Marcus Aureliuti.