SYNDICATISM V SOCIALISN

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1912, Page 8

SYNDICATISM V SOCIALISN

■’ ! [TO the editok.J

me to congratulate you ou-A.oiir l«sa<lins -article which appeared iu your last Saturday’s issue, entitled “Syndicalism.” I read it several times ever, and f. felt myself impelled, as it were, to say-that it was a very lucid and logical exposition of the doctrine of Syndicalism, and will tend to remove many false notions that exist in the minds of a large number of people particularly here in Runanga, in the past and also at, the present time. Superficial observers confound the doctrine of Syndicalism with that of Socialism, even Socialist writers and speakers, through superficiality of <»b serration and lack of judgment, 1 ster and encourage that very fallacious idea. And so, as one who claims to bo c nyersartt with almost every phase of the social question, 1 heg leave to add n y quota in showing the difference between them. First of all, let me, in fairness to a number of earnest (though deluded) people, who believe that the methods advocated by the Syndicalists are the correct methods to adopt in order to bring into being the much yearned for co-operative Commonwealth, say that the Socialists and the Syndicalists have many tilings in common. They have a common origin—both sprang from the working class. They are alike, ihe children of the same sorrowing mother. They have also a common objective; they both aim a,t the reorganisation of society by the emancipation of land and industrial capital from the individual and class ownership, and the vesting of them in the community for if e general benefit ; they both believe that only in this way can the natural and acquire.! advantages of the country be equitably shared by the whole people. Up to so far the Socialist, and the Syndicalist travel amicably together; but here we say adieu. Their ways are not our (the Socialists) way. Their creed stands separated from ours as from those of all men who see reform by peaceful meaxis—by an impassable gulf. The Syndicalists seem to live in a sort of wonderland, in which everything is draped with red flags and savours of barricades and gunpowder, seditious conspiracies, and sanguinary revolution. Their methods can be best deduced from the speeches of their leaders, and for all practical purjioses these crystallise into one —the general strike. Their platform has but one plank—to the furtherance of this they devote their whole energies. Syndicalism, or the doctrine of the general strike, contemptuously repudiate political action ; its weapon is allegedly the cessation of production by all manual workers ; by this means it hopes to bring into being that’ happy pleasant life—that golden age that the poets tell us has for- ever gone. Really, this seems to me very mad philosophy ; it is so fantatically silly—that it would, I am sure, rise a smile even on the sombre countenance of some of the local wowsers and Borbugh Councillors who think they can regenerate the world by abolishing Sunday evening picture shows and other innocent forms of amusements. I would like, Mr, Editor, to suggest, in passing, that this lovely lot of sagacious individuals, who masquerade under the euphonious cognomen of Borough Councillors, should have themselves photographed and publicly exhibited as the most stupid lot of parish punqxites yet evolved in this fair country of ours. Their action shows them to be silly citizens, and while they hold any public office, however innocuous, they remain a living menace to progress gad posterity, 1 ask your pardon, Mr nHitor, for this digression. The grotesque no'tion of the Syndicalists that a better social and industrial order can lx© achieved by creating chaos, which would inevitably follow a universal general.strike, is to say the least of it unimaginative as well as fallacious, and the only reason I cap assign for so many intelligent people entertaining such wild, childish and disconcerted ideas is because they fail to understand the situation and moreover it must be admitted I think that the greater preponderance of the workers are apathetic —blindly indifferent to their own true welfare —which is the sole cause of the slow progress of the Socialist movement and is also the reason why the strike and starve advocate continue to live and thrives so vigorously—and his wild fantastic ideas for a forcible regeneration of Society find so much support. If the workers would only devote a little more of their time to the study of social and political questions they would soon see that the general strike and other will-o’-the-wisp schemes can only end in defeat disaster and reaction, and as a result the Socialist party would increase its numbers by leaps and bounds because it has a programme and a platform which is not only practical but practicable it can be put into operation and acted upon immediately. The Socialist party is a practical political party ; it looks to the present ats well as to the future. It takes things as they are and a man as he is and strives to make both better. It moves towards its goal across the field of politics. Its weapon is tfie ballot box. It demands that all adults shall he armed with the franchise and be given every facility for exercising it. It believes that there is not a wrong or an oppression which we now endure as a society which cannot be remedied at the ballot box. Tile workers have it in their own power to discharge their economic masters and enter upon the enjoyment of full economic independence when they choose. Political liberty and the ballot box are not an end but only a means to an end. The end is economic freedom. The ballot is the means by which it is to be accomplished. Put that man down, my comrades, as your enemy and the

-enemy of your class who speaks of a forcible revolution, a resort to anus when he no vf possesses the power of accomplishing a peaceful revolution. There is no right which he could obtain, no wrong which he could jp dress, with a bullet, which would not he better gained or redressed by constitutional means. We want no aid of barricade To show a front to wrong. We have a citadel jn truth More durable and strong. Calm words, great thoughts, Unflninching faith have never striven in vain. They’ve won our battles many a rim* And so they shall again. Peace, progress, knowledge, br. ( he-hood. The ignorant may snear. 7he bad deny, but w*f yely to see our triumph near. No widow’s groans shall lead our causa. No blood of brethren stain. We’ve won without such aid before. And so we shall Qf&ifi Is the sentiment of vour vp^peaif u”y, COMRAiiC TH Hunnnga, June 19, 1912.