WHY I ENLISTED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17329, 18 November 1916, Page 9

WHY I ENLISTED.

SOME SUBSTANTIAL REASONS * (By VICTOR GRAYSON, Ex-M.P.) (Specially Written for the "Lyttelton Times.”) The notice of one's enlistment ha 3 apparently caused something of a flutter in 'the dove-cotes of erstwhile friends, and quondam adherents of th© Socialist-cum-Labour movement __ in New Zealand. Letters containing “ deep regrets,” fatal predictions, and post-war threats have already reached me, and I have laughed consumedly at my mail of abusive epithets. On the other hand, various good folk i eve congratulated me for enlisting, and I mutt confess that the bouquets have left mo more bewildered than the bricks. Let me explain. THE ANTI-MILITARIST RUMP. Towards tEe end of the year 1909, I joined Robert Blatckford and others m warning the people of Great Br-taiu agains a possible, and (as we then thought) an inevitable invasion of Great Britain. The .stolid trade unionists and viscid Socialists or tne Old Country were astonished that socialist leaders and guides to tho millennium could so far forget themselves as to advocate expenditure on armies ana fleets, while the poverty problem remained unsolved. It was the theory of the social democracy, and of certain intellectual cranks, that the Empires recognised surplus should be utilised solely in the interests of social reform or revolution. Those of us who had had studied and closely observed the movements of Germany and Prussia were seriously alarmed concerning the future possibilities of a conflict between Germany and Britain. We agreed that all available moneys should be used, tor the social and industrial ’.betterment or the people; but we realised that there was enough wealth in Britain to solve the problem of poverty, whilst retaining in Britain’s hands the reins of Imperial power. Tho idea of Imperialism in no way negates any defined principle of Socialism: but as Bernard Shaw aptly expressed it, “ The most formidable obstacle to the attainment of bocialism was the Socialists. Shaw 3 phrase lias been more than confirmed by my experience in Australia and New Zealand. I came as an apostle of Socialism—a philosophy which always postulates an organised citizen army as its basic support. Personally, I believe and have always believed that a citizen army is the best and most effective means of defence in legitimate aggression that the mind of man has conceived. But the Socialist-Labour . Rump in New Zealand don’t agree with me. The almost defunct Social Democratic Party still and proudly—retains a military clause in its absurd programme or “ platform,” making a strident demand for a standing army which may be used only for the purpose of murdering foreigners or strike-break-ers. The Socialistic parties are .composed of kindly and well-in ten tioned women and men who sincerely and rightly believe that war is a beastly business; and they are almost more than willing to accept the yoke of German control, because Karl Marx wrote “ Das Kapital,”' because Ramsay MacDonald had to escape, from an angry- mob of British patriots; or because the brave and impetuous Karl Liebknecht has talked himself into a dungeon. THE NEW ZEALAND LABOUR ... PARTY. ‘ YJeedless to'say, the Socialist-Pacifists are anti-conscriptionists, but their real disease is anti-militarism. If a fire broke out in the domestic abodes they would talk to it gently. If a German assaulted their wives or daughters, or if a Prussian crushed the skulls of their babes . . . they would explain that such conduct was not in keeping with the spirit of the international. I am a Socialist and a democrat to the very roots of my being, but I confess that my bosom comrades are entirely incomprehensible to me. . The Labour Party in New Zealand had the chance of their lifetime when the horrid word conscription was mooted. 4 They could and should have acoepted"the conscription of men, on the guarantee of the Dominion Parliament to conscript capital or wealth. They . stupidly missed their sublime opportunity, and are now bleating harmlessly, well behind the fighting line, about matters which cannot and will not be settled, or even touched, until this gigantic world war is terminated. THE ENEMY WITHIN THE ' CAMP.

The pacifist (whether he calls himself a Socialist or a Quaker) is a greater menace than th© guttural /Hun in the trenches of Flanders. Some Socialists knee-breeches, caps, badges and red ties, but that has nothing whatever to do with Socialism. I have joined the Army and hop© to fight the Prusso-Germans, because I believe that my ideals stand tho best chance of realisation under a British regime. Probably few men have fought more defiantly against the horrors of our own social, system than tho present writer. But lam constrained to postpone the class war- until the great wiar’a' termination. I have_ enlisted because I am sick of the cant of antimilitarism. I have accepted the khaki of the fighting democracy because th© flamboyant red tio of the mouthing stand-backs has made me weary of a traitor-stained cause.

The German Socialists are fighting, tho French Socialists are fighting, tile Russian and Italian Socialists ar© .fight-ing—-and the doctrine of Socialism is untouched by the smoke and smother of war, 1 1 loathe th© slimy pessimism of Schopenhauer; I shiver at the brute Philosophy of Nietzche and Treitschke. ho German Emperor is frankly following in the steps of Alexander the Great, Xerxes and Napoleon. He, his fleet, his power and his memory must ho expunged from th© records of modern civilisation. I am a Socialist, and will wear the uniform of the warrior with good logic and a bright spirit. I hate war and I hate killing, Yet if I account for one of the vassals of th© world’s mad-dog I shall have "done my hit” towards 4;he world's regeneration.