"THE SYNDICALIST."

Manawatu Times, Volume LXV, Issue 1902, 23 April 1913, Page 6

"THE SYNDICALIST."

(To the Editor). Sir,—The amusement afforded your correspondent "Veritas" was as nothing compared with mine when I read his highly intellectual diatribe on economics with special mention of the cursed syndicalist.

He first denounces this monster in no uncertain manner and then naive ly exhorts the employer, the landlord, and the fat man generally to svndicalise against their common enemy—the wage-earning class. He's consistent isn't he? But then, the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher declares that consistency is the refuge of fools, and he ought to now. With regard to the meaningless phrases ot the "pseudo sociologist" —so-called—let me hasten to assure our beknighted friend that they are meaningless only to those who are ignorant of even the elementary principles of economics, and if "Veritas" paid as much attention to economic determinism as he undoubtedly does to exploiting his employees for profit or gathering in his rents he would eventually evolve into quite a useful member of the community. As "Veritas" appears to have been misinformed, allow me to point out that Mr Hardisty is the tool of no extremist section; but the accredited representative of the United Labour Party, which is out not for industrial war but for peace ; but which is organising to maintain peace by being prepared for war. We have no quarrel with the capitalists as men, but we do strongly object to the manner in which they get their living. We do not propose gaoling them, or as our friend suggests, consigning them to a desert island to prey upon each other; but propose that they should receive that which they produce. Finally let me remark that I was under the impression rhat "Veritas" was the Latin for trutli, but, since reading tne collection of terminological inexactitudes over that signature, I have concluded that my Latin is getting rather rusty—l am, etc., A.A.G.