THE FASCIST STATE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 73, 23 February 1938, Page 4

THE FASCIST STATE

(To the Editor.") Sir, — I would appreciate space to comment on certain leatures ol tlie report to the Methodist Conterence, given by the president, Rev. I'. Pans. For tlie present 1 am concerned about his remarks m relation 'to two questions, namely, the "totalitarian State" and the struggle between "Fascism and Communism." The totalitarian State is far from being a protest against the capitalist form ol ownership and distribution, but is just another form of the capitalist State itself, and at that capitalist rule in its most abominable and lerocious form. Banking and industrial capital merged together and through its expropriation of the wealth produced by all workers comes up against • the developing forms of struggle of the masses'. The financial oligarchy, finding its parliamentary rule a hindrance and a threat to its profits and privileges, throws I aside parliament, arms its forces and I smashes by force and terrorism all the organisations of the people. Terror I prevails; the forces of progress and ; democracy for the time being are halted; the spirit and the letter of revenge and chauvinism submerges society under a turbid wave. What I have described is the embodiment of the totalitarian State, in other words, Fascism. Communism is in nowise different, the principle is the same, says Mr Paris, and then contradicts himself in speaking about the battle between "Fascism and Communism." I am afraid that, not unlike a character of "Gogol," the reverend gentleman docs not know his "right from his left." The State is not a mysterious force hovering over or balancing society, but is in reality the rule and domination of one class by another, whether the capitalist class or working class. However, the working class establishes its rule for a discontinuance of this state of affairs and creates the conditions for a society in which all class rule and inequalities die away. The ultimate stage is Communism, a society in which compulsion does not exist. Eaoh will receive the fruits of human labour according to his ability and according to his needs. People will be intelligent and have the high-' est individual development. There will be no bureaucratic governing apparatus; no army, police or judiciary, no prisons or asylums; it will be the custom to behave sanely, and exceptional to behavo otherwise. A society in which tlie State as such has disappeared. The question of the so-called struggle between "Fascism and Commun- \ ism" is something much more concrete i and important at present than any ' theoretical proposition about tlie totalitarian State or Communism. Fascism tries to appear as the champion against the so-called menace of Communism. One would expect the adherents of the fictitious anti-Commu-nist pact to attack this "menace" at its source, the Soviet Republics, who alone are building Communism. On the contrary it is the weak and defenceless nations that are being attacked; Abvssinia, Spain, China; bombs raining down, women and children being mangled and torn; Austria betrayed by the "democratic" British Government; Czechoslovakia, the whole of the world democracies threatened by the "blood and iron" policy of Fascism. In this situation "collective security" carried out according to the provisions of the League Covenant would be sufficient to defeat Fascism. The struggle to-day is the struggle of democracy against Fascism, its bestiality, its theory and practice of racial enmity. The Communists are fighters for democracy; the Soviet Union fights for peace and the carry-

ing out of the League’s obligations. The Communist parties of; Spain ana China are sacrificing their lives in order that democracy may live throughout the . world, together with the people of Spain and China they are fighting in defence of capitalist democratic republics against the inteivention wars of the Fascist nations. The Communists of this country are ready to sacrifice their lives in its defence against any attempts or the Fascists to capture and dominate it. We defend the Labour Government and its democratic, humanitarian legislation ; we are against tlio vested mests and are exposing the Fascist lorm“ of organisation they are creating. W g do not attack anyone’s conviction that there is an Almighty, but respect then opinions; nor do we persecute them. We extend our hands to all who believe in democracy and freedom; let j us join together; liberty is a precious thing.—l am, etc., . FRANK LEE.