Grey River Argus and Blackball News MONDAY, MAY 15, 1922. CAPITALIST INTERNATIONAL IN TROUBLE.

Grey River Argus, 15 May 1922, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

MONDAY, MAY 15, 1922. CAPITALIST INTERNATIONAL IN TROUBLE.

Delivered ever, mo. nine in G ..ue u Hckbika, Il'.nsmi. W...,seud. Cayi . .ira. Cr... ua Ngahere. Blackball. Nelson Cre< k. Brunner. Te I'-niliiia !<■ixuunu, Poer.-. Incbboni'e. Fatara, Ruru. Kaumla, Kotulo. bliana, Aratika. Bunau4a Dunollie. Cobden. Baxters. KokirL Ahaura, Ikamatua. S.blwater. Valuta. Reelton. Ross. Rualatnia. Mananui. Hari Han. Walho Gorge, Wehelia. Rewanui. Otira. iuangahua Junction, Westport. Wainiangar ra. Denniston, Granity, Millerton. Ngakaivau. Hectof, Seddouviilc. Cape Foulwind. and Kaiani-2.

No individual will work if the fruits of his labour arc to be starvation, and the nations who reckon they won the late war are unable to convince their late enemies of a moral obligation to produce profits for their conquerors. The European situation to-day will illustrate the nature of capitalist society. The victorious Powers are in the position of Iho men who want something for nothing in the shape of surplus profits, whether from past or prospective commitments. Although, like its predecessors, a probable fiasco, the present meeting of diplomats and politicians at Genoa, including all countries in its scope, is from its very failure calculated to have nt least one good r-esuli. It should at least open the people’s eves to the growing need for a. more democratic control of foreign policy. Contrast the mystery surrounding iho plans and methods of British and French delegates at Genoa with the candid and democratic assumptions and practices of the Soviet delegation. We read of M. Tehitcheiu basing his whole case on the expressd voice of the common people’s organisations in Russia, and vet the press reports make out I lie Russian reply io the Allies is mainly propaganda. No doubt it is. very good propaganda —for democracy. There s the i'ub! Lt is at least candid, whereas

the Georgian talk about the “xicaeo of Europe” is palpable humbug, just as French political objections to the Russian form of Government are puerile in the light of French history. That the Continental nations are less alive to their dangers from any renewal of rvar than a relative outsider like Britain is a suggestion too far fetched altogether. It is not the peace, but the trade, of Europe that is at stake at Genoa. Central and Eastern Europe has been left maimed, hungry and maddened, by a callous war followed by a more callous “peace.” Tis “the fruits of victory,” that endangered Europe’s peace, and the Allied Powers nil know ii. They prate of peace while spending yearly hundreds of millions upon preparations for war. Britain won the war, the people are told when tapped for service and money to rehabilitate the war machine now, but Britain’s war debt is to-day a billion sterling, her workers arc unemployed by lhe"millions. and her trade supremacy is gone. The Genoa Conference was designed to see if any “fruits of victory” were left to be secured from panic stricken peoples, such as trade, concessions, and payments on account of debts old and new that were forced on the peoples by militaristic, rulets. 'll is to Russia’s credit that she blocked thl wav to international profiteering on a new 'scale, and the fact that the Genoa Conference is split on the Russian question shows a big change economically at least in favour of our late enemies since the armistice so far as concerns international policy. Russia is starving, but she is not going to sell herself for a meal. Germany is toiling as never before, but does not mean to let all the proceeds go abroa<l as surplus profils. Thus the battle 0 labour is being fought at Genoa by Gernmnv and Russia. Occupying a peculiar middle place, where trade is hei main consideration. Britian prefers, to play a lone hand as “peace-maker it onlv the ex-enemies can bo induced to resume profit-production for intcrnation al capitalism. We’re told Russia is only . making propaganda when, she of 1110 international of labour, and tha her reply is not a negotiable document! The Allies have shown their propaganda. which is the handmaid ot capital is war and the blockade! Hence wlrnn Russia remembers this, we’re told the peace of Europe is endangered. Profit is the crux of the Genoa business, onlv il is called the peace nml ceon ™” e progress of Europe. It is not he professions, but the motives, of the pac ,„ ;lkv rs ami debt collectors that must ■ 1 1-...1 We see Tchitcherm be consi'lci e<l. v < ... basing his case on the expressed will of the Russian people’s organisations, whi reas the almospliere ot the western diplomats’ machinations is one ° f te'v We hear the latter preach peace ami good government, but wo know from' Russia it is money and oil con cessions, ami other tangible things, rather than noble principles, that ai the desiderata. The failure of the Genoa Conference -svill be at leas < - hopeful a sign as its success Irani a western standpoint would lie. Russi Germane, Hungary and Bulgaria wil soon be able to demand, not onlx . end of the war time dictation, but terms such as equals ask ot equals.