THE WELFARE CREED

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 11 February 1921, Page 4

THE WELFARE CREED

1 1 < i 4 1 (Contributed by N.Z: Welfare League.) ■ From information received by us from \ organisations in England we learn that' a widespread welfare movement is 'actively at work there carrying on a' campaign of social and economic educa-1 tion. Dr. Arthur ShadweU, after a tour of the industrial areas, tells the .people of our Empire that "though the headquarters of the oommunistic movement is in London, the; chief stronghold is on the Clyde, where there is explosive material of a prodigious circulation of literature." This is as we would expect. The Scot dearly loves a wordy war, and in everything he takes up he is thorough. However, there^is a counter-propaganda going on!, that will make its due impression. An organisation named "The National Propaganda' 7^ is most actively engaged all over the United Kingdom in supplying articles to the press, circulating leaflets, pamphlets, books, posters, ' and using other means of education, including cinema exhibitions. Regular series of lectures, open air meetings, classes on economic history and various aspects of social science. The Association's Bulletin, from which we quote, tells us | that ."A regular series of articles is I being supplied to the newspapers large- | ly read by the manual wage-earners,, • and between 30 and 40 newspapers in j the Clyde area are publishing the 'copy' ! thus supplied." Again, '?336 meetings have been held*in the Clyde area and in Dundee." This is but si sample of the work being done throughout Great I Britain. For instance in the Midland | districts of England the meetings held during the quarter were 1317. This propaganda has the help of many able speakers, including trades unionists, and the meetings are well attended.. To read the lists of subjects dealt with is just as if we were conning the press list of the . New Zealand Welfare League; the subjects are all what may i be termed "live topic.-" interest- , ing feature of this national propaganda i is that w,e find the constitution of the organisation is almost identical with ; that of our League in New Zealand. ! We know that there had been no correspondence between the promoters in Britain arid New Zealand, and yet we find the welfare movement springing up simultaneously in both countries. It it a striking evidence that though we are widely separated geographically we are very closely , knit together in spirit with our brothers • ancT sisters of the Mother Country. Their problems are our problems, their thought and ideals are our own,, and the very soul of, the two countries ; shows as one. The strength of the movement in Great Britain, as here, i§ ; that it is non-party, is for the nation and community rather than for . class or section, and is free and independent in its search fpr truth and affirmations of right. •-■■.. . I WELFARE FOUNDATIONS. | During the war a great work was done in the way of human amelioration, revision of previously existing conditions, and the broadening of human sympathies and understanding. Amongst the thousands of munition workers, ii the Red Cross work of mercy, in movements of conference and genuine- cooperation, the welfare spirit found very j active, expression.' We may be thankful that earnest men and women learnt the lesson of this great education and have resolved that the spirit of service that actuated our people shall not be . allowed to. die. The first principle oi ! the Welfare movement, then^ isacceptarice of the call to service. It is not a movement of conscripts, but of those who give their service freely and gladI ly because they have learnt the inner meaning of the. Sentiment that-*"it k more blessed to give than to receive." The whole Welfare structure- rests upon the affirmation ©f the three prini ciples: (a) The law of human partner--1 ship; (b) €&c essential value of service; (c) the recognition that all of value if the outcome of productive effort. Applying these principles as tests to our present-day economic situation, all will realise the need for them, if only by ! way of tempering the sectional impulses of selfishness that are met with on all sides. Of both capitalist and workers we may say with justice that • both are far too intent on what "they receive, and far from sufficiently oonj oerned as to what service they will give. . j If all were seeking to give their best i service we should then be free from i the burden of the idle rich and the idle poor. The essential value of free service, which after all is but living Christianity, is the principle that i binds all together. In its exercise we 'will learn that humanity is something higher than - groups, classes, parties, and sects, and instead of looking for i enrichment from some fortunate bag, filled we knov? riot how or care not, we i would recognise definitely that all our energies of body, and mind should be . concentrated on the fullest production I and wisest distribution. j The foundation of the Welfare movement is in recognising that the needs of men, women, and children are to be i met "not in weaving theories of fixed rules for application to mutable conditions, "but by concentration on the duty <f honest service in the spirit of broad-minded humanity, holding to the motto, "Labqur Omni'a Vincit," HUMANISM v. SOCIALISM. .Socialism is a great movement. Great because of the numbers who espouse it. Great in its sentiment, its inspiration, and its illusions. It is greatest of all, however, as a failure, because in theory and practice it builds! upon a misunderstanding of the real-* nature of man. The Welfare move-1 ment does not enter the lists to fight Socialism with a negation. In Australia b>ur George Reid held an anti-Sooialist, campaign, which failed because it was little else than "anti." The people turned to the Labour Party because it gave them hope. Instinctively we all realise that "without hope the people perish." Politicians, at times, know-! ing that fact, build mountains of hope from the clouds of illusion, which in' time are swept away by the winds of critical dissension. Socialism ia the cloud that 40-day looms over all na-' tions Seen f '

HUMANISM RATHER THAN SOCIALISM.

EVOLUTIONARY, NOT REVOLU-

TIONISM

tions. Seen from some points it «b bright and shining, but from others merely dark and ominous. As a creed of professed human progress it is theoretic, rigid, and largely materialistic. Resting on the arithmetical conception that because two is more than one, therefore the collective body should erer have precedence of the individual, it loses sight of the qualitative character Of man. In its application to the practical affairs of life it tends always in the direction of communism of goods generalisation of standards of life the \ centralisation of authority, and the necessary subjection of the family and the individual. Scientists of the 19th •md 20th century teach that the law of evolutionary progression is the natural manifestation of development from the general to the particular. It is that law which the humanist movement for rational welfare and progress candidly recognises. The movement is evolutionary in its objects, seeking steady constructive, change, because it realises the immense value of individu- i ality, not merely to the individual but. i

to the race. Socialism is by force revolutionary, and seeks change from the exercise of power, whether it be that of the mob or an enthused minority., as its impulse is from an ideal rather than the result of practical tests of experience. The revisionist policy of the Welfare movement is necessarily in opposition to Socialism, but it is not because it is "anti." The movement is affirmative in itself. It Tests upon the real nature of mankind and the law of human development. As a creed, it inspires to * hopefulness of the rational order. Its worlf*is for the construction of a higher social order by' inspiring to the most .active service along the line, of enriching individu-, ality., It places neither the individual or the collective whole as God's over its intellect, but teaches the rational doctrine that man's welfare as an individual is to be found in his faithful service to all, whilst the general welfare is best secured by the protection of the individual. While the masses are being excited by the Socialist agitators to "demand, demand, demand," the Welfare move-j-ment calls for sanity and points to the gratification of good work, well done. Along the line of constructive enterprise, and no other., is their real satisfaction for the. individual, the nation, and humanity. That is the Welfare creed.