The Hawera Star. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1924. SOCIALISM.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 4 November 1924, Page 4

The Hawera Star.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 1924. SOCIALISM.

Delivered every evening by 5 o’cloeß in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham,Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraser Road, and Ararata.

The verdict of the electors of Britain last week, when the Conservatives were returned with a great majority, is generally accepted as a definite answer to those who desired to place in power a Socialist Government. Socialism, as it is understood in these days, is a hundred years old this year. It is interesting to read the attempts b? Robert Owen to find widespread acceptance of his plan for improving the conditions of the workers. Owen was a man of high ideals, and at New Lanark, as managing partner of a gieat cotton mill, he made of the population a model colony, in which, it is .said, drunkenness, police, magistrates, lawsuits, poor laws and charity were unknown., From time to time model colonies have been formed, and for a while they seemed to flourish, but they have not lasted. Socialism is really much more than a hundred years old, for in all ages people have lived who have desired to improve the conditions under which communities have lived, and history records many a noble sacrifice made in that hope. But neonle have different ideas upon what Socialism is and upon the methods which they would employ to bring about its general adoption. Dr. Shad well, in an, article in the Ouarforlrr T?ovir'Yc, states : “The term is loosely used that one can never be sure what is meant by it. Sometimes it is one thing and sometimes another; the same men have given it different

;md inconsistent meanings at different times. It is both abstract and concrete, theoretical and practical, idealist and materialist, very old and entirely modern; it from a mere sentiment to a precise form of action; different advocates present it as a philosophy of life, a sort of religion, an ethical code, .an economic system, a historical category, a juridical principle; it is a popular movement and a scientific analysis, an interpretation of the past and a vision of the future, a war cry and a. negation of war, a. violent revolution and a gentle evolution, a gospel of love and altruism and a campaign of hate and greed, the hope of mankind and the end of civilisation, the dawn of the millen'nium and a frightful catastrophe.” People who have read the views of the various Socialists .in their utterances in recent years will no doubt agree with Dr. Shad well’s statements. The benevolent Socialism of a Ramsay MacDonald is a far different thing from, the violent methods which Lenin advocated when he appealed to the workers of Britain to enter upon a “heavy revolution.” Yet we find Socialist leaders in New Zealand praising Lenin and hailing him as the “greatest statesman” and two. or three years later sending fraternal greetings to Mr. MacDonald. So many and various are the ideas of Socialists upon what they conceive to be the real meaning and objective of their theories that it is no wonder they have failed to secure the support of the great majority of the people. The fact that- five and a. half million electors in Britain cast their votes in favour of Socialism is one that should not be regarded lightly. It is, of course, impossible to say' how many of those who voted for; a Socialist Government believe in evolutionary processes to gain the objective and. now inany wouid iayour tHe Muscovite plan ot “Be my brother or I will kill you.” Again, some Socialists draw a line between Socialism and Communism and tell us that the latter is the greatest enemy of the former, but is not Communism only the extreme form of Socialism ? There are Socialists whose ideals are honest and sincere, but no doubt there are others who profess Socialism because they hope to gain by it and who are far from being idealists. Had the majority of the electors of Britain 'been sure that a Socialist Government would avoid going to extremes it is possible that they might have been willing to trust Mr. MacDonald with the control of the country again, but the results of the election show clearly that Conservatives and Liberals felt that a Socialist Government which would have behind it a vigorous revolutionary element, and which had , been troublesome to Mr. MacDonald, should not be returned to office. The Conservatives offered the strongest bulwark against Socialism, and so they were returned with an overwhelming majority. It would, however, be idle to think, that Socialism has been defeated for all time. It has received a set-back from which it is hoped that it will not recover, but its defeat may lead to the more extreme of its followers becoming more militant and causing serious trouble in their hostility to the new . Government. Let ns hope that Mr. Baldwin and bis colleagues will deal with any troubles that may arise wisely but firmly, and that the return of stable government will lead to. the anxiously awaited recovery-of Britain’s economic strength and prosperity.