WHAT THE RED PARTY AIMS AT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 140, 18 May 1925, Page 12

WHAT THE RED PARTY AIMS AT.

LESSONS FROM THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. (Contributed by New Zealand Welfare League). The Municipal Elections of 1925 are most notable for ;he important lessons they carry to the 'thinking citizens in the chief cecities if the people will bring their reason to bear on the events which have taken place. The Socialists have not gained very much in the way of votes, or .representation on the public bodies, but they have, through •he apathy and loose thinking of many citizens, gained in prestige and opportunity 10 ait ctrtent which may yet place them in power if the people do not waken up to the danger of toying with semi bolshevism, under the delusion that they are only “being fair to Labour.” The party, which in its platloiins and Constitution declares plainly that its objective is the “socialisation of the means on production, distribution and exchange,” is so constantly referred to in the “Press” and .elsewhere as “Labour” —just “Labour,” that it is no wonder the people are misled as to its true character.

The fiist lesson to be learnt from the recent elections is that another designation must be applied to this party and its representatives. It is not Labour in the true sense. It is simply from opposition to the party, it is a statement founded on a careful study of the proposals contained in the party’s National and Municipal platforms. . People are judging on the professions of the party’s candidates and the personal character of the leading advocates so that they fail entirely to understand what Lies behind in the form of Ihe party’s objects and designs. Personal character is not the question at issue. There are men of good character on all sides. 'lhe professions of candidates are not a safe test as such may he made solely to catch votes. The vital question, and one to which all citizens should give full attention is the purpose and designs of the party that is behind the candidates. What then are the aims of the party that has presented its candidates in the .Municipal Elections. It is well known that its aim is socialistic. The trouble is that people have got used to thinking of this socialism as something abstract and academic which even the party adherents do not very seriously mean. It is probably correct that many supporters cf the party do not understand or endorse the full designs of Ihe party. That is not the case,' however, with the inner circle of the party and movement, and it is there where the power and authority rests. The designs towards socialism are. understood, fully intended, and planned on the advice of socialist and bolshevist. guides whose names are never even made known. I THE PARTY DESIGNS. Keeping in mind the fact that it is the party that governs, the individual being hut the instrument of the party’s will, moderate citizens should ask themselves whether they are prepared to vote for the party. To many people the municipal programmes put forward by this party appears just a number of idealistic proposals—nothing more. They think of these proposals a-s generalities, such as all politicians indulge in more or less, and then they vote for some of the Socialists because “lie is not a hud man personally,” or other such reason. They do not realise that the votes they have given in all innocence are in effect an endorsement of socialist, syndicalist and Bolshevist designs which they would utterly repudiate were they aware of what was meant.

The programme of this Red party wants more careful reading on the part of the clectors. Having studied what the party has issued we find their proposals coyer what amounts to a revolutionary design upon the cities concerned. Carefully examined the plans of the party, are seen to he as follows :

1. To p;ain office by moderate professions leaving their real purposes unexplained until they have power to enforce them. 2 To work steadily for the extension of municipal ownership over every field of private trade as opportunity oilers. 3. To foster the idea that city employees are a class apart from the city that employs them. 4. To gain the support of such\omployocs by promising them special advantages over other citizens.

5. To increase the power of Labour Unions by sending special representation of the Unions on the Management Committee of the City Councils. 6. To gradually increase the power of the industrial operatives’ over the public sort ices of the cities so as to place the workers in charge under directions of their unions.

7. To aim at the general municipalisation of all collective enterprises in the way of production, distribution and exchange which can lie carried on within the city’s limits.

8. To act within their party towards establishing such general communal ownership with proletarian control over all the country. These are the real purposes of this party. There is nothing idealistic or visionary about the matter in the sense ordinarily understood. It is simply the cool definite plans of the boshevist revolutionists who arc actively at work throughout the British Empire to subvert existing institutions and establish proletarian dictatorship in every country. Mr 11. E. Holland, M.P., says the difference between his party and the Communists is on the issue of physical force. That is not so in New Zealand. The only difference is that the Communists say they are for a dictatorship by the workers, whilst his party does not say so, hut strives for it in every direction—municipal and national alike. Control by the workers under direction of the party—that is their objective all the time. This is the lesson the citizens have to learn.