LABOUR NOTES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 134, 3 December 1910, Page 12

LABOUR NOTES.

(By Unionist.) SOCIALISTS AND SOCIALISTS. His Honour the Chief Justice, during the recent libel case, remarked : — "There are Socialists and Socialists." Later, in his judgment, his Honour said :—: — "Their ideals do not always influence their conduct. ... No cause is well served by abusive tirade." How true aie all the quotations? What a pity for the success of the La bour movement that a certain minority section, professing to represent the "intellectual" side of the movement, fsils to realise the soundness of the advice contained in the latter quotation? Much is written in Labour journals nowadays of the "Curse of divided forces and of the "Healing of breaches," and all in an attempt to reason with that same minority section, which airs its dogmas, raps out phrases about "capitalists," "exploiters," "palliatives," and "class conscious wage slaves," and at all times glibly denouncing others connected with different schools of socialistic thought as "fakirs," "traitors," "panderers to the middle classes," etc., etc. The division of forces exists. To the regret of all well-wishers of the Labour movement, there is but little prospect of any definite and lasting healing of the breach. In every country where Labour has entered the political arena, there is to be found this irreconcilidble section, dissipating its energies in nidligning the prominent Labour men, and with members of it openly and vauntingly airing their intentions to concentrate all efforts in an attempt to kill the growing popularity of the Labour Party and its leaders. In New Zealand until recently the division of forces was not very apparent nor of very much moment. Labour d\iring past years was content to rely mostly on the Liberal administration. But now that, under Trades Councils' guidance, Labour is organising for direct representation in the Parliament of the Dominion, it finds within its own ranks that same bitter section of "revolutionaries," ever eager to denounce and traduce its prominent supporters, and almost glorying in any slight set-back to the Labour-in-politics movement. If certain of the officials of the Miners' Federation really represent the collective mind of individual members of the federation, then the "revolutionary" section which divides the Dominion Labour forces is no mean section. The visit of Mr. Peter Bowling will do nothing to "heal the breach." On the contrary, it may widen it by ''converting" more of the miners, and strengthening the hands of those now at the head of the Miners' Federation. Mr. Bowling belongs to the "revolutionary" school. Everyone knowß of his antagonism to the Australian Labour Party, and of his everlasting denunciation of Mr. W. M. Hughes, Federal Attorney-General. Again, will Mr. Hughes be called "the arch-trait-or," an "enemy of the working class," etc., etc. ; what time the same Mr. Hughes is shepherding legislation for the increase of old-age pensions, for insurance against unemployment, for improved industrial conditions, and for the nationalisation of land and other monopolies. Those prominent in the movement for the creation of a Labour Party in New Zealand politics, in common with Labour men and members in other countries, may expect to be subjected to "abusive tirade" by individuals of Sir. Bowling's school, his Honour's advice notwithstanding. Which successful member of any Labour Party has escaped it? Keir Hardie, grown grey in the cause of Labour, was called a "traitor to his class" on the floor of the House of Commons by "Yours Tor the Revolution — Victor Grayson." Andrew Fisher, at Broken Hill strike time, was denounced as a renegade by the Barrier "intellectuals," because., as was afterwards proved, a Melbourne pressman wrongly reported him as having declared his intention to despatch the military to Broken Hill. "Don't be gulled by the 'capitalistic' press," cry out the red-flag orators; yet a Hue or two wrongly alleging something against the Federal Prime Minister is seized upon by this minority section to attempt to blacken the whole Labour movement. "Holman, the traitor," is accused of collusion with the Wade Government to gaol Bowling. In South Australia Labour Premier Verran is harrassed and denounced by the same school of Socialists. Everywhere the same tirades of abuse ; everywhere conduct entirely opposed to the ideals of the "Brotherhood of Man" and individual liberty." South Africa elected four Labour members Lo the new Union Parliament. Read what the revolutionary organ in Johannesburg says : — "Our policy was to fight the Labour Party." . . . The almost complete rout of the Labour Party was well merited. The Labour Party have us to thank for their rout at the polls." Here's what the Socialist Federation of Australasia reports to the Copenhagen Congress anent the Commonwealth Labour Party :—"ln: — "In policy and practice it is Liberalism under a new name ; in utterance and ideal it is bourgeoisie. The coming conflict in Australia is to be between Labourism and Socialism." The Socialist Labour Party, another Australian section of 'revolutionaries,' rim in opposition to the Holland-Bow-ling school of socialism, is equally -severe on the Federal Labour party. In its- report to the Copenhagen Congress, this section of socialists writes : — "The claims of the Australian Labour party to be Socialist are, it will be seen, utterly fraudulent. It is indeed more reactionary than the other capitalist parties." But even amongst the "intellectuals" and "revolutionaries" there are socialists and socialists-. At last general election in France seven different kinds of socialists were out after the one seat. Even in Sydney, Bowling and Holland have not got it all their own way. They are opposed by the Socialist Labour party already referred to. This latter section refers to the Socialist Federation, to which Holland belongs as a "freak organisation," and denounces Tom Mann, Holland, and others as "professionals," "wire-pullers," and protests against their admission to the Copenhagen Congress as 'in any sense representative of faociali^m." In its turn, and reporting to the same Copenhagen Congress, the Holland-Bowling section, writing of the other school, says :— "The S.L.P's point) of view need not bo elaborated beyond into making as delineatory of it, its transmutation of federation into fakeration." In America, in England, and on the Continent, is always in evidence t/his internecine strife and squabble; this same bigotry and intolerance. The Labour party is not the sole target for 'abusive tirade." Well might His Honour remark :— "There are socialists and socialist's."

The cotton summary oi the Alexandria General Produce Association for September, eaye that in Low-er Egypt the first picking, which is now general throughout the country, will yield from 15 to 10 pei- cent, more than last year The second picking also promises to give better results than last year. In Upper Egypt and Fayoum the first picking was fairly satisfactory, and the prospects for the second picking are good, except in some districts,. 8011-worm has appeared iv some district*, but up to the present, apparently, has not done much damage.