SOCIALIST LECTURE

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 46, 24 February 1913, Page 2

SOCIALIST LECTURE

' 'Unity, Conscription, and Methodism' * was the subject of the" address in tho Empress Theatre last night, the speaker being Mr. K. S. Itoss. He eaid the Socialist was opposed to every dovica for encouraging militarism and to every increase of military power. He -believed militarism "to bo the most alien institution in modern civilisation, and'repugnant to every Socialist sentiment. < It was the most Wasteful, moat retarding, and most unmanly influence. Tho speaker proceeded > to- recount what he aeeerteel had beeij. done, in the name, of compulsory military Jtraining in New Zealand. Commenting upon the decision of the Methodist Conference, Mr. Rws caw in the fact that 56 had recorded their votes against coiupuleory training what he termed a significant sign 01 the. times. Next ventilating the Unity scheme, Mr.' Ross contended that it eonld no- lotigei* be claimed that there was no powerful movement against compulsory military training in New Zealand. The recent Trade Unions Con-ference-—representing directly . practically half the uhionmta of the Dominion, and, with the addition of the United Labour Party, almost all organised Labour—had condemned conscription, and Upheld the Hardie-Vaillant proposal of a general strike xather than war.