Ideals Gone; Democracy Fading Away

Northern Advocate, 28 July 1938, Page 5

Ideals Gone; Democracy Fading Away

In a world that had forsaken

ideals and unselfish principle in favour of selfish materialism, there was an urgent need for young people to stand beside a worthy political tradition which would allow the expression of idealism, declared Professor R. M, Algie when addressing a meeting of 90 young people in Whangarei yesterday. Mr R. K. Trimmer, presiding at the meeting, introduced Professor Algie as organiser cf the Auckland Provincial Freedom Association. Mr Trimmer remarked on the spirit which had guided Professor Algie to forfeit the sheltered life of the university for the controversial life of politics. It was not the intention cf the Freedom Association to present candidates for Parliament, said Professor Algie. The association was for the essential purpose of maintaining democracy in New Zealand. Ideals and Culture Gone. ‘‘There are many jieople who are very alarmed at what is going on everywhere about us,” continued Professor Algie. “The British people came out of the Great War victorious, but since then we have been losing our enthusiasm and idealism. On the other hand, the Germans were defeated. and felt their defeat keenly, and this has given them an incentive to go ahead and overcome the stigma of defeat. We have lost that incentive and concentrated our attention only on Jiving for the day, making what we can and generally living a life of materialism.” Professor Algie went on to quote well-known men who had voiced the view throughout the world that people were more and more turning from culture and idealism to materialism. Vote-catching. “Party politics have developed into two parties coming before the electors, the one with the biggest basket of promises getting the votes,” continued the professor. “This can end only one way, and that is in national bankruptcy. “We are actually spending more money in N,ew Zealand than we are earning. Where would yon be if you did the same?

“Our difficulty is to try to impress upon the people of this country that they must not look only to the Government, but also to themselves. It is on your shoulders that the burden will fall.” ' Can We Hold the Empire? New Zealand belonged to an Empire possessing large expanses of territory, while other nations were clamouring for more land. “We are undisciplined, and think we can hold the large areas we now have. Other rices, however, have extraordinary enthusiasm among their young people. In Germany, for example, young people are prepared to stand before a firing squad for their country’s sake. What have we to, offer against such national enthusiasm in their C 0,000,000 inspired people? Faith in their country comes first, any sacrifice to the individual being considered worthwhile in the country’s interest.” Faith in Young People, In some respects, the older generation had net discharged its full obligation to the younger people, continued the professor. He had implicit faith in the present-day young people, and it was on the basis of this faith that the Freedom Association had been formed. “Among the rank and file, there is a complex of fear and a want of security,” he said. “There is a movement to dump the present industrial system and establish anything at all in its place. Is that a sane policy?

••It is said that the capitalist system has broken down, yet everything we have of value today we owe to this system It has a hideous number of defects, but, because of these, the system should not be dumped ruthlessly as some suggest. ‘‘Our medical world has tried vainly for years to fathom the cause of cancer; but we do not ‘dump our medical profession. What we do is to grant more money for research workers. There are people who think the capitalist system cannot offer any-

thing, and so want to- put socialism in its place.” Two Basic Differences. There were two principal differences between Communism and Socialism, explained Professor Algie. Communism was atheistic, placing no value on human nature, while Socialism permitted religious tolerance. Communism was brought into power by force, while Socialism came into being through the election ballot box. Both wore the same in their contention that the State was supreme in everything. It governed every individual’s choice of his work and gave him practically no liberty at all. “Most of yc-u have received tremendous advantages under the present legislative system. You nearly all have higher wages and shorter working hours, but the point is: what are you asked to pay to get that? State control and management of everything is the movement abroad in New Zealand today. If you once plunge into Socialism at the ballot box, I am sure there is no way out through the ballot box. Stifling Criticism,

“Representative government and Socialism don’t go hand in hand. The one allows free criticism, the other, stifles it. Is there any Socialistic country that has retained its principles ■ of representative government? I know of none, with the exception of Sweden, and that is not yet completely Socialistic. Although German young people seem quite happy with their Socialistic methods. I ask you. would you be happy under a regimented S3 rstem in which there is no way of giving expression to any talent or genius? “From Socialism we shall go to Fascism,” he continued. "Socialism is founded in the interests of the people, while Fascism stands for the capitalists. Democracy stands for the great intermediate section who do not want either of the other two, but desire freedom to develop individual ability in its own way. '

“We have a democracy which is fading away from us. It can only be kept alive by our efforts, and I appeal to you younger people to take a long view of things. Some day . you will want to strike out for yourselves, but under Socialism you cannot start anything at all on your own initiative. You cannot erect a petrol pump cr set up as a chemist without authority from Wellington. Imagine what would happen if Lord Nuffield had had to do this; he would have been told to go back to his bicycle shop and be content with that.

Fight for Democracy

‘‘lf people want democracy they will have to fight for it,” concluded Professor Algie. ‘‘You don't get anything worthwhile unless you make a struggle for it, do you?" In a final appeal, Professor Algie referred tc- the natural objection of British people to Fascism or Communism and urged a wholey hearted stand for the democratic principles which had been set by our ancestors at such personal sacrifice. A vote of thanks to Professor Algie was carried unanimously by the meeting.