A Recruit from Conservatism

Maoriland Worker, Volume 12, Issue 299, 22 November 1922, Page 12

A Recruit from Conservatism

HEB REASOm FOB JOCfIQQ ______] iJuIBOUB TAJBTt. 1 Sdlth Picion-'l'nrbftrviae was mantloned some little time ago-as one Ofthe Party's candidates at the forthcoming General Eleotiaj. in Great '■Britain. -||f|« ; ' A member of an ©Id aristocratic JSamily-Abroufcht up amongst t_onservatlve hearing; the Conservative -viewpoint in conver-*' •sjation, her detei-nination. to throw in her lot with Labour was no sudden one. She say 3:—: — » "Beginning with simpathy with the Struggles of Labour, 1 ended with the Qrm conviction that if is the Pai>ty: that is working to jget TO THEIVERYi ItC-OT OF THIN&4 and by- this alone,is it possible I believe to (create a Righteous/Social Order. - Other parties in ,their hest moods, flo not make heroic efforts to ;Irnprove< social conditions, but their schemes,, i which seem beneficial, are so often ! mere patchwork, ithai they cannot Bfucceed in a just or permanent im-, .provemeat of the social -life of ,the people. *'*■"*♦. The Labour Party is not content with 'up-in-the-air' talk about Ideals and Liberal principles, and though it is the most idealistic of all jparties,! yet at the back is a.thought-out -plan,' whereby the ideals can be achieved. ' » *-«'•'. THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH' THE PROGRAMME IS BUILT ARE 1 CHRISTIAN PRINCIPLES. The scheme for co-operation 'in in-, ylustry, as well as in international life,.in place of the present ruthless competition, the belief in the possibility of a Universal Brotherhood, instead of Universal Armed Force, is in harmony with the teaching of Christ. Well do I know that the /moment stuch a statement is made, it invites a sneer, of which those of a certain' calibre will take .advantage. 'See how. those Labour people quarrel amongst, themselves, while talking of the Brotherhood of Man.' I do not for a moment mean to say that individually members of the Party live nobler lives—though they MAY do so—than other people, yet to mc it is quite clear that the principles of the Labour scheme-of governsnent ARE MORE IN HARMONY WITH CHRISTIAN TEACHING than those of any other Party. It not only stands for, but has definite schemes to obtain, National and international Co-operation. Its aim is to secure to every human being that which 'is necessai*y for healthy and clean living. It believes -that wealth secured hy the co-operation of many, Should he Shared by tha many, not monopolised by the few. The Labour Party has always Stood, for equality between men and* women. Holding as I do, that only by men and women working together in perfect' freedom and equality can all that 4s most perfect and complete he achieved, the fact that the Labour Patty hasalways stood for Equal Opportunities' Cor Men and Women, should, 1 think,' weigh heavily in the Party's favour, with every fair-minded man and woman."