ATTITUDE TOWARD WAR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 20089, 29 October 1928, Page 11

ATTITUDE TOWARD WAR.

MR. BURTON'S OPPOSITION.

JAPAN AND DOMINION

ATROCITIES OF THE GERMANS

"You must remember that many of Uio.se holding tiio great wealth of 10-day a<'o no worse than those on the basic wage," said Mr. 0. K. Burton, Christian Socialist candidate for Eden, in an openair address in Dominion Road on Saturday evening. The remark was in reply to a questioner who asked if tlioso who controlled industry could be expected to pass over their wealth by moral suasion alone. The candidate advocated a change from the competitive to a co-operative system of production. "If you go on with the .strong despoiling tlio weak then the time must come when there will be an explosion," li 3 added. "Unless we have a peaceful transformation a tremendous explosion is inevitable. When the change comes in that way then you break tlio good with the bad. To-day one finds half a dozen financial magnates juggling with (fit: prices of food, housing and clothing. It is an immoral system. Wo have the means of redress by perfect Iv constitutional action."

The speaker said ho objected lo the action of the Protestant Political Association in asking him to give confidential answers to certain questions. He had advised the association of his attitude and would publicly announce his answers at another meeting. "It is fundamentally wrong to say one class will fight against the other to the death," ho said. "There arc certain people who are prepared to offer even violenco against a change over. One society has already expressed that intention and I do not mind saying that it is thi) P.P.A."

War was impossible if public opinion was against it, said the candidate, in referring to the critical position in China recently. "Your country can put you acainst a wall and shoot you, but it cannot make you fight," he stated. A Voue: Did not Mr. Massey make us fight during the Into war?

Mr. Burton: No. Wo were willing and we were deluded. Many of you have perhaps not heard of , who was not only imprisoned in New Zealand, but was dragged to (lie front over the duckboards and 111(0 the trenches. Hut they could not make him fight and lie bears 011 his body to-day the marks of his resistance. If that opinion spread il would become impossible for rich and powerful men to drive young men to useless slaughter

The "Yellow Peril." When the question of a "yellow peril" was raised one of the audience frequently interrupted and denounced pacifists. The candidate said that if it was agreed that Japan needed room for expansion the countries of the world shouftl do their best to find a solution in a peaceful migratory movement. "If the Japanese did come to New Zealand in Ihe next 10 years," said Mr. Burton, "do you seriously suggest that our one and a-quarter million could stand against 80 millions?"

An Emphatic Voice: Yes. The Candidate: Then you are optimistic. At this stage an interjector attempted to displace the candidate from his "soap box," but tho candidate refused to be interrupted audi, was supported by his audience.

The Interjector: Well then, don't introduce that yellow peril here. You like those Japs. We will keep them out all the same.

Mr. Burton: It is not a case of an infantry landing. With the developments in the air wc would have our cities laid waste in a night. Resistance would bo absolutely useless and would only mean the smashing of our country. A Voice: Don't connect New Zealand with Australia and tho yellow peril. If there are any "Aussies" here who don't iiko that they can meet me over here. 1 his is a white man's country. Safeguard of Brotherliness.

The Candidate: It- is only when you embark on counter hostilities that you get into trouble. Ihe only safeguard is brotherliness. It is better than fleets or expeditionary forces. The Belgians put up a sort of passive resistance in the late war and I believe their casualties were lower than those of New Zealand. Tho women and children were as safe as those in any other country. There was discipline in the German Army and tho men were under restraint. A Voice: What about atrocities?

The Candidate: The atrocity stories were invented to stir a flagging enthusiasm for fight.

A Voice: That is correct. Another Voice: Do you seriously say there were no atrocities? Tho Candidate: There were atrocities on both sides but they were greatly exaggerated. There are brutal men in all armies. T can give you cases. At this stage an interjecfor was quietly advised by a constable to cease interfc.-ii'g. The candidate resumed his address and was accorded an attentive hearing. Immediately ho stood down a very aged man, who introduced himself as a Mallhusian, became tho centre of attraction. lie spoke at somo length on many matters, tho burden of his denunciations being: "Your moral garments aro motheaten."