Grey River Argus and Blackball News SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1922. CAPITALIST POLITICAL MORALITY.

Grey River Argus, 22 July 1922, Page 4

Grey River Argus and Blackball News

SATURDAY, JULY 22, 1922. CAPITALIST POLITICAL MORALITY.

Delivered evert mo. ning in Gr< >uth R -a, Hokitika, D W.illsend, Taylv. jillc, Ngaherc E ull. Nelson Creek. Brunner, Te Kingha anu. Foerua, Inchbonnie. Patara, Ruru, Kaimata, Kotukn Moina. Aratika. Bunanga DuiioUie. Cobden, Baxter's, Kokiri, Ahaura. Ikamatua, Stulwatci. Waiuta, Reefton, Ross, Ruatapua, Mana nui, H.tri Han. Waiho Gorge, Weheka, RewanuL Otira, Initngahua Junction, Westport, Waimangaroa. Denniston, Granity, Millerton. Ngakawau. Hector, Cape Foulwind, and Karam

The underhand methods of the whole genus of capitalist politicians are being illustrated day by day both at home and abroad. The scandal just exposed by Britain over the sale of titles by the non-Labour Party leaders, is paralleled in this country by the exposure, of the Liberal Party's secret scheming to gain Labour votes at the elections, while publicly proclaiming hostility to Labour’s principles. The low standard of morality among capitalist Governments generally is discrediting the parliamentary system as much as it is discredited by the capitalist system, whereunder tho Government. propaganda for more production is designed to facilitate wage reductions. Well do the spokesmen of wealth realise that as soon as supply exceeds demand, tho worker has no security of livelihood, and must therefore accept what hr can get to perserve his life. Tho Arbitration Court decrees reductions, as if the right to work were a legal reality. The news of tho Western politicians' dealings with Russia at The Hague is no more reliable than the talcs of Lenin's repeated excursions to and across the Great Divide. The exposure of the honours scandal in England, however, despite the Lords' attempt to blind the public, is at the most only «a bela/ted revelation. A ■while ago Lor<J Rathennere was exalting the embezzler Bottomley to the skies as a great, patriot, and now Bottomlcy's erstwhile accomplices arc. scared of their lives lest he give the ■ show away, in prison garb, at the bar of the House of Commons. “A. baronetcy for £35,000, and a knighthood for £10,000!" Those were market rates after the war, when Lloyd George was engaged in “more production" of honours—not the cheap (and nasty) “0.8. E sample, but the genuine article. It is no wonder the extra honours production has lowered their value now! Time was when Lloyd George rightly denouncod Joseph Chamberlain for starting and keeping up the South

African war what time he (Chamberlain) was a big shareholder in the ammunition manufacturing firm of Kynoch’s. Everybody has read of Lloyd George’s own secret dealing in Marconi shares, when a contract for that concern was being arranged by the Cabinet to which he belonged T ’ Un wise, his bold denial of receiving tho genuine peace offer from Russia, which he did receive through Bullitt, the American, during the war, is an instance of the substitute for morality which does duty with capitalist politicians to-day. Even Asquith has inferentially defended the sale of titles, because he has denied there are any scandals, though it seems clear he considers contributors to the funds of parties give a quid pro quo for a title that is morally acceptable. Tho an Li-Labour element, at the same time, do not shrink from proposing legislation to prevent trade unions using their funds for political objects. The “system" of politics Lloyd George defends seems to allow that a man who pays the price of a title shall have a right to sit in Parliament for life, and make laws for the masses. What a contrast to proportional representation, the reform which our Liberal Party had professed to desire, but which they freely risked losing by double-dealing in their attempt to exploit the Labour vote. It will be more than British politicians can do to restore the lost prestige of the titles they have bartered. There is every justification for the workers when they refuse absolutely to credit any but the. representatives of their own class, who do not make pelf and place their goal. It behoves the wording class, Indeed, to become even more vigilant to-day than previously, for their responsibility is greater than ever before. Their bread and butter is made tho box and dic-c of the unscrupulous politicians who arc working in the interests of the master class. If it were not that tho workers will not stand for dishonesty in public life, conditions would deteriorate into a worse state than at present. While the facts are kept hidden it is yet. possible' to guess the vast extent of the jobbery and jerrymandering going on. To appeal to tho people, Labour has but the cause' of the needy and the oppressed to put forward, but it is something that among all the aspersion cast upon the leaders of the movement, both bribery and dishonesty are conspicuous by their absence. That fact means much indeed. It gives hope of a better order. It is an earnest of the eventual triumph of Labour. Truth and right shall prevail.