LABOUR CULTURE.

Evening Star, Issue 23292, 14 June 1939, Page 5

LABOUR CULTURE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —“ Senex ” is still asking questions, . and now . demands a solution of Labour’s new culture as it relates to when love came to demand equality of material possessions. Surely “ Senex ” does not wish people who read his letter to believe that he thinks that the Golden Rule would include, say, the right for a man to demand another man’s wife or a woman to demand another woman’s husband. Both are materia) possessions, but are as sacred under Labour culture as they were under the culture that “ Senex ’’ enjoyed in his boyhood days Labour people are the sincere followers of the Prince of Peace, and fully agree on what the Prince of Peace meant when he said the greatest of the Commandments was “ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” This is the first and great Commandment. And the second reads ” Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Labour does not demand equality of material possessions. It only demands the full product of its labour and its proportion of the goods and services that its industry, skill, and scientific knowledge produce from the earth’s natural resources. I would remind 11 Senex ” that,

There’s room for all on the world’s broad bosom, There’s food for all in the world’s great store; Enough is provided, if rightly divided; Let each man take what he needs, not more.

According to “ Senex’s ” understanding it would be quite in order for anybody who had lost his cuff links to stop his neighbour and demand a pair of enff links, although the neighbour might require them himself. It seems to me that “ Senex ” is somewhat muddled in his demands for further enlightenment on Labour’s culture. One of the benefits of the new world will be its new code of laws. Laws are needed for those who. do not desire to do righteously. . Not only will political and social equality be preached, it will be actually practised. And this brings us to the point of the new economic order. If there is any class to-day that does not inherit the earth, it is the meek. To-day, those who are aggressive and powerful are the ones who obtain. It will not always be so, however. With the power of the Prince of Peace behind it Labour will be able to make a redistribution of things, and we shall _ see not only social and political equality, but economic equality as well. In past ages there has not been enough to go around. The world has been poor, and in addition much of the substance of the world has been wasted in riotous living of a few, in disastrous wars, and through an ineffectual industrial system. Under Labour’s new culture a complete change will be brought about. Plenty will prevail, and therefore there will be enough for all. There is one very potent reason why “ wars shall cease to the end of the earth.” At the present time the inhabitants of the 'world are grouped into nations, each of_ which is selfishly striving to benefit itself at the expense of others. Under Labour’s new culture in place of the spirit of competition shall be the spirit of co-operation. Although I have not tlfe gift of prophecy, I can still see that love will play a great part in the world’s future. “ Love suffereth long, and is kind. Love envieth not, love vannteth not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, is not easily provoked thinketh no evil. Love never faileth. When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things. And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.”

Labour and love and virtue, Time does not dim their glow. . . . Truth and honour and manly worth Are the things that endure alway.

Do not be afraid of missing heaven in seeking a better earth. Labour believes that any experiment or reform, however humble, that can benefit by one hair-breadth any single human life is a thousand times worth trying.! If “ Senex ” were to ask the question, what particular scheme he should adopt to help the world towards a better Christianity, I would) answer at once; Join the Labour Party and help to establish God’s Kingdom on earth. That is what we frequently hear: “ Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” I often wonder if the people who so often use those words really mean what they say. Last evening I heard an address on social justice by the Rev. John Greenwood. It came over the air from Station IZI3, Auckland. I commend it to “ Senex.” — I am, etc., Anti-jingo. June 13.