BOOKS OF THE DAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18573, 27 November 1920, Page 9

BOOKS OF THE DAY.

A SOCIALIST BIBLE. THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MR AND MRS .WEBB. [From Oub Correspondent.] LONDON, September 29. Repression breeds violence, and the British Empire owes its quality and quantity to recognition of this fundamental. So while Bolshevism —or what is so-called—stalks through Europe and obtains success just in proportion to the repression to which it is subjected, in tins Old England of ours there is talk hut little reality about such Bolshevik theory as lies loosely around, and what there is is oxygenated and rendered harmless by full publicity. 11l these circumstances, when Mr and Mrs Sidney Webb, the twin brains ol' the Fabian group of Socialists, launch full-blown on the world a “ Constitution for th© Socialist Commonwealth of, Great Britain ” (Messrs nongman, Green and Co.;, wo need not envisage England a republic, uud a Socialist one at that, when tho next, and possibly a Labour, Government gets into the saddle now occupied by J.loyd George, Bonar Law and Co.

The authors themselves disclaim this, lor they are evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary Socialists. “ We do not,” they say, “ foresee any sudden and simultaneous termination of the Capitalist system, history does not describe any form of social structure being entirely and universally superseded.'' “It took the Capitalist System several centuries to become the dominant form in British industry. The process of transition from profit-making industry to public service, which has during tho past quarter of a century made such great strides, and has been accelerated by the Great War, will clearly continue for soino time, and ruay at no one moment ever bo completely accomplished.” “ This lesson of history is reinforced by observation of social psychology. The genius of tho British raco does not take to catastropluo changes, involving an immediate alteration of the whole social structure and entailing a violation of the hahits and established expectations of largo masses of people.” In short, Mr and Mrs Webb are so far removod from the school ox violence that they assert that the workers of Great Britain “ feel rightly or wrongly that they have a good doal more to lose than their chains.” After citing tho experience the workers have now had in tire gigantio business of the trade union and co-operative movement and as members of both local and national Government bodies, they go on to say: “No wage-earning population in tho world—with the possible exception of the Australians—has so effectively as that of Groat Britain learned the difficulty of combining administrative efficiency with popular control. All this knowledge leaves tho British manual-working class sceptical about the possibility of any sudden and simultaneous social transformation, especially when the revolution is unaccompanied by any deliber-ately-thought-out and generally-accept-ed alternative scheme of organisation.” With these premises stated one can settle down to the study of this hook, momentous enough to beoome a Socialist Bible, and see wherein it is to bring us a new world. When one comes to grips with it there is in it no new thing, except in so far as it removes from Socialists the reproach that they have no constructive policy. The authors themselves expressly disclaim any intention of expounding an ideal scheme for the leoonstruction of society. Their purpose is nothing more than “ a sketch of the developments of the British Constitution most urgently needed in order to extend Democracy to Industry.” “ Hence.” too, they say, " the purpose of Socialism is twofold: the application of Democracy to Industry and the adoption by this Social Democracy of the principle of maximising equality in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” And in' respect of this ideal New' Zealand is, wo may say in passing, more advanced than any part of the world, and that without a formal Labour Government. A Socialist pinned down to a hard-and-fast definition of his creed will murmur tho usual catchwords, socialisation of the means of production and distribution, etc., et'j. But just how wo nre to attain this end is one of the matters on which he is often vague. Now ; that tho Webb plan is in print we, need no longer be tongue-tied. The method is easy, gradual and no longer a load than public opinion onn bear at anygiven moment, “ Wo must again, they say, ” emphasis tho fact that, with Socialists, it is not a question of 1 socialising ’ at one blow or in any ono way, the whole of industry and all services, but of providing the most advantageous form of administration for each industry or service, as, one after another, in the course of industrial and social evolution, each passes from capitalistic to public ownership and control. Nor need it bo imagined that this progressive ‘ socialism ’ which has already been going on for some time, will ever' become so universally complete, even in any ono country, that there will be no ‘ unsocialised ’ enterprise.” There will, in fact, be so little bf the New Heaven and Now Earth about tho transition that It will be difficult to know whence Socialism begins and Individualism ends. . , The nineteenth century having busied itself with the fight for political freedom and equality, the twentieth is to see the tight for—and who knows?—the achievement of industrial freedom and equality 1 The Webb scheme will have nothing to aav. to the Direct Actionists or Guild Socialists who would make the producers in a commonwealth; the controllers of life in it. They assert that Democracies of Producers cannot be trusted with the ownership of the instruments iff production in their own vocations. Each vocation, however largo ami important it may be, iB but a fragment of the community. The commodities nnd services that it turns out are, almost entirely, not for comsumption or use by the rest of the community. Hence’ th© self-governing workshop, or the self-governing industry, necessarily producing for exchange, is perpetually tempted to make a profit on cost; that Is to say, to retain for its owm members whatever surplus vniu© is embodied in the price for which it can dispose of its product; or, to put it in another way, to retain the equivalent of the • advantage of all differential factors in production (such as superiority of _ soil or site, of machinery or administrative skill) that it controls—this equivalent being exactly what, in the Capitalist System, appears as rent, and profit.” They abjure Guild System nnd the selfgoverning workshop on many counts and especially on that which is the. reproach most usually" levelled against socialism that under it discipline will fall and ultimately vanish. Briefly, for industry tho authors advocate a gradual extension of nationalisation nnd municipalisntien of industry as circumstances indicate.. They regard the railways and roal mining as immediately ripe for nationalisation, the supply "of milk for lminicipnlisntion. Apart from these larger enterprises in which the role of tho State is now admitted even by some Tory democrats, they would have”{ho work of co-oper-ative societies—already very widespread —made more or less op-extensive with the supply to the whole nation of the ordinary necessaries of life. What is new is their scheme whereby the blight of "government stroke” mav be eliminated, and personal enterprise and initiative encouraged and made fruitful in socialised industry. It consists of a network of committees nnd voluntary organisations too complex for description in a newspaper article. But this much may be said that the Webb ideal aims at a spread throughout our highly

industrialised world of an ©thic already at work in certain walks of hfo. Aftei oiting Trade Union and professional organisation ns alike, aimed at the prevention of undercutting, an aim which baa both its moral ana material aspeot they go on to say: " There is, however; another, and a higher development- of professional ethic, directed towards ths> good of the community as a whole. In the most highly organised brain-work, ing professions we watch professional etnio seeking to raise and standardise the conduct of tho members of the profession towards the public. The. most universal of these requirements is the distinction set up between what is permitted to a professional man, and what is customary in the business world- According to the . accepted canons of commercial enterprise, business men are permitted, and oven couraged to compete with each other in price and quality, and to use the arts of a frequently mendacious advertisement to promote the sale of their respective wares. They are assumed to make their profit by exploiting the labour of mind or body of whole armies of employees. They enter, without scruple and without reproach, into secret understandings with other business men, with regard to sharing the profits of common undertakings. Above all, it is taken for granted that a business man will keep for. bis own profit any new invention ot discovery that lie makes, or of which he obtains control; and that he will attempt, whether by sooreev, by trade mark, or by patent, to prevent any one else, from making use of. cltis advancement of knowledge in the service of the public. All. this is prohibited by professional ethic to the memliers of . tho most highly organised brain-working.professions.’’ . Further after citing actions which are held to be derogatory to a professional man they go on to say i—■ . ” Jii the higher ranges of professional ethic lie ia expected to risk ( and. even to sacrifice, his health or his life in the performance of his professional duty, an obligation which is not recognised in business.”

It will bo surprising to the opponents of socialism to know that this now Constitution makes no demand for tlio abolition of monarchy, but it would away with the House of Lords. It asks however for a dual legislature. - One House would have the functions entrusted to it which wore traditionally tho business of the State to maintain order, administer justice . and conduct imperial and foreign relations. Another House which they label the Social Parliament will undertake tTie large number of duties oonnected with the health, well-being and education of the . community from birth to- death which is now admittedly a public service, and tho control of the constantly enlarging sphere of socialised industry. This Social Parliament would havo controltoo of the purse and provision is made for joint sessions of both houses. While Mr and Mrs Webb make express provision for the prevention of over centralisation of . state control, they disclaim any belief ip a Home Rule all round as a panacea.., In their view a more ordered allocatios to existing loonl governing bodies of administrative and executive functions mill do much to relievo bur over-burdened legislature and leave it—the Social Parliament' — the duty only of discussing, general principles and laying down policies ns to the new and greatly enlarged functions of the State. POEMS BY HUGH M’ORAE. “ Colombine ” is the title cliosen for a collection of verses by Hugh M’Crne (Angus nnd Robertson, Sydney, per Simpson and Williams). Several of the poems have appeared 'in Australian publications, ana all of them are typical of Mr MCrae’s light, fantastic style. "Colombine” is very dainty:— Exit the ribald down— Enter like bubbling wine, Lighter than thistle-down, Sweet little Oolombine. Whisht I and behold the game, Long eyes and painted chin; Paler than candle-flame, At her feet Harlequin. Look how their shadows run, Swift as she flies from him!— Mothe in the morning sun, Out of a garden dim. Faint through the fluttering Fall of a flute divine. Softly the ’cellos sing: “ Colombine, Colombine.” Softly the "cellos sing: '! Colombine "... " Colombine ”... Eleven illustrations by Norman Lindsay at his best go far to enhance the pleasure of reading this volume. ROYAL EXCHANGE ASSURANCE BICENTENARY. It is to b© doubted if there is any financial or commercial institution doing business in New Zealand which liasi such a long history as the Royal Exchange Assurance," which was fouu'ded in London in 1717, and received its charter on June 10, 1720, two hundred years ago. The manager of tho Christchurch branch has been kind enough to forward to this office the very handsome book issued by the corporation in celebration of its bicentenary. Mr A. E. W. Mason, the Well-known novelist, tells the story of the foundation of the first Royal Exchange by Sir Thomas Gresham in 1671, and follows the history of tho institution down to the time of the South Seas Bubble in which inauspicious period the Royal Exchange Assurance, which took up its offices in the Royal Exchange, was born. The oompany suffered severely by the bursting of the South Seas Bubble, but it weathered the storm. It commenced in the business of marine insurance, and' in 1721 added life and fire business to its activities. Mr Mason’s story, which is beautifully printed, splendidly illustrated and handsomely bound, should prove of absorbing interest to all who are curious concerning the history of tho insurance business, since it deals with one of tho pioneers in this branch of commercial enterprise. GOOD ADVICE IX) BOYS. “ How to Keep Fit ” (Angus and Robertson, Sydney, per Simpson and Williams) consists of two lectures by E. J. Newman, M. 8., to the boys of the Royal AustraHian Naval Brigade. The doctor gives counsel and instruction concerning exercise, food, cleanliness and so forth. “The great thing,” he says, “ is to try to be worthy of your wonderful body, and true to your manhood.” FOR LITTLE CHILDREN. Two little books that will delight the youngsters fortunate enough to possess them are just issued from the press of Whitcombo and Tombs Babies ” nnd " Sand Playmates.” Both) nre written by Trevor Gould. They are just the thing—what the children call “ stunner.” HERB AND THERE, Among the latest additions to John Long’s one shilling series of novels are "Confessions of a Younp- Lady,” and " Ada Vernham, Actress,” by Richard Marsh; “ Thb Bishop’s Secret,” by Fergus Humo; “The Other Mrs Jacobs.” by Mrs Campbell Praed; “In Summer Shade,” by Mary E. Mann; "A Jilt’s Journal,” by Rita; “ The Outsider’s Year,” by Florence Warden; and “ The Sin of Hagar,” by Helen Mat.hers. Tho October “ Windsor ” (Ward, Lock and Co., per Simpson and Williams) has an amusing story by Arthur F. Behrend, " Amateur Movies, Limited,” Christopher Druoe discusses the present popularity of the concert party, and there are short stories by Edgar Wallace and other farourito writers,. Tie “ Penny Pictorial ’’—sold at twopence, by the way—is a remarkable collection of fact and fiction, published by the Amalgamated Presih Ltd.. London. Copies are to hand from Gordon and Gotah,