A SOCIALIST ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17199, 20 June 1916, Page 7

A SOCIALIST ON THE WAR.

THE DEMANDS OF DUTY AND

HONOUR.

The namo of Sapper J. I. *os, of tho New Zealand Engineers, was incidentally introduced into a controversy in the Wellington " Dominion, the fact being mentioned that he had addressed a letter to the " Maori and Worker. Sapper Mox consequently explains his position. In the course of. a letter to the editor of -the "Dominion he says:— " . . Personally, I abhor controversies at the present time. T . are Q *£ serious to bo trifled with The State is in- danger, and has to be protected. The individuals who compose that State are called upon to make sacrifices. WeU, there is nothing strange about that, each epoch has had its difficulties, and had to find out means to preserve its status. That we have got to employ modern weapons to combat our adversaries is only a stage m the great 'drama Being a Socialist, and also always' regarding the State as the sunromo factor in democracy, I care not whether the State demands the protection of its existence by voluntary military aid or by compulsion- In the past we have.been fed upon stock phrases like " Voluntaryism," " Breetrade, "Protection," and so on. Unscrupulous politicians have made us believe that these things are of the most vital importance—forgetting that the world is changing and requires new methods. Of course, it may be argued—and it has been done so—that our particular State is not in danger, hence the Government, who acts as its mouthpiece, has no right to demand these sacrifices. That is just the crux of the whole position. Whether we like it or not (and 1 venture to say that ninety-nine per cent do like it) we are members of an .Empire, and that being so. that Empire being threatened by an outside force, duty and honour demands that we should do all in our power to uphold that unity. No power on earth will persuade me to give up these essentials because certain politicians—or even the whole Government—fail to do certain things like conscription of wealth (another stock phrase), or so on. After all, here we have unbounded opportunities. The people can change the personnel of the Government whenevei thev desire. If they don't they deserve what they have. The whole truth is that Labour could have controlled the State long ago—if it would have been wise—but, unfortunately, those who took upon themselves to steer the shio have had the wrong compass. Their methods were crude, find not scientific. In many instances stubbornness and prejudice have been, the cause of disaster. ' Let no man think that I am onlv surrm sing. I hare-been too lon<* associated with the advance guard. A good many of us were against the 'South African campaigns Tho champion whom England extols to-day. had to be smuggled away at Birmingham, lest the hostile crowd should attack. I mean Mr Lloyd George. But this war is different. Dr Liebknocht in the Reichstai? declared that tho instigators of this war wore members of his own nation. The Gorman Chancellor haviiio- given an ultimatum that no peace overtures can be made except according to the present war map, means that (•ho Allied Forces of Democracy will have to humiliate the War Lords of Germany till they ask for pardon for the wrong committed. \\'hcr\ that is done then we shall he able to renime „„,. activities ns Democrats to remodel the modern State Meanwhile, every trade union secretary ought to be a recruiting agent, every union office a recruiting office, Parliament its headquarters, the members actively engaged towards tint end. Whatever the defects mnv be—and thev are many—in spite of 'nil the shortcomings, the Democracy is sound for winning this war, nnd Labour its chief driving force.