IDEALS AND REALITIES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20490, 15 February 1930, Page 14

IDEALS AND REALITIES.

gj r) —Mr. Tom Bloodworthgasks whether the natural law is a law of competition or of co-operation. Co-operation, doubtless; but this law reigns in that region of reality into which the human race is only now beginning to penetrate. Most of us are still outside in the land of the fog of unrealities and false hypotheses. The only way to get out of the fog is to walk out, and this demands great individual effort. Competition supplies the necessary urge in many cases to induce individuals to put forth the tremendous effort which it is absolutely vital we shall all make in theso days. 'Our very civilisation is in the melting pot, and what we want is a glorious striving on the part of all. If the Government —any Government—will only take the brakes off and allow us to strive in peace, without deliberately doubling our burden with arbitrary restrictions of all kinds, then a long pull and a strong pull, assisted by the urge of unrestricted competition, will quickly pull us through into that land of the ideal, where, doubtless, Mr. Bloodworth's law reigns. X.

Sir, —Notwithstanding Mr. Bloodworth's disavowal, Socialists cannot escape from a largo measure of blame for the unsatisfactory state of affairs. If the Reform Government had legislated in consonance with the party's ideals, we should not have had the wholesale discontent that exists to-day. Any unbiassed inquirer must come to the conclusion that our troubles come from an overdose of Socialism. For years past the Labour Party has dominated the political situation, and weak Ministers have been driven to sacrifice the welfare of 'the Dominion in fruitless efforts to conciliate that party. All the special pleading in the world cannot disguise the fact that levels down, it does not uplift, and if Mr. Bloodworth had as much experience with co-operation as I have had he would not be so enamoured with Socialistic ideals. I will go as far as to say that if ever Socialism gains the upper hand and crushes tho spirit of adventure out of Britons, we may as well throw up the sponge and settle down into the natural position of Socialists—that is, _ become a slave race. Tho Socialist Party is the bugbear of our politicians, both Reform and Liberal. If they were fit for the positions they hold, they would know that nine-tenths of Britons are apathetic _fo Socialism and would ignore the chattering of the nostrum mongers, and legislate along the lines that would maintaih the sterling self-reliant qualities of our pioneering fathers.- <J-P»