The New Zealand Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1918. ADVANCED DEMOCRACY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10087, 28 September 1918, Page 6

The New Zealand Times. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1918. ADVANCED DEMOCRACY

It has been said, .with.' a great appearance of point and some vigorous decla- I matron; tHat Mr Hildreth, the Liberal candidate, is "masquerading as an ad- j v&nced Democrat." If this means anything, it nfeans ' that the Liberal candidate is poaching on the preserves j I of the Labour candidate. In other words, the only really advanced Democrat ia the Labour candidate. It, therefore, becomes necessary to get a: clear.idea of what advanced Democracy lis.. ;Mr.JVaser, in his charcter of advanced, democrat, has at various times had a good deal to say in support of the Bolsheviks of Russia. In the discussion oS his attitude it has been pointed out that Mr Fraser stands for the Bolshevik theories rather than for the Bolshevik practice. The distinction is a,cademio. As a matter of fact, the Bolshevik practice is in full blast, and the amiable, if totally impracticable, Bolshevik theories are in abeyance. .the circumstances are such as to support the conclusion that the Bolsheviks are doing evil because they are persuaded that their intention to do good represents the impossible. To this conclusion the usual reply from the friends of Bolshevism is that the Bolsheviks deliberately do evil that good may come, which means that when. they have reduced the world to cinders by their ferocity they will build from the ashes a new world in strict accord with their very amiable and beautiful theories. All this, however, is academic. As a matter of praotical fact, Bolshevism has produced anarchy, and is persevering in its anarchy. Its intentions are words, and in view of its practice worth nothing. Good intentions pave the floor of hell. "What ja more, they grease the already easy descent into the infernal regions. Which of' these stages—the greased descent, or the lamenting failure—represents advanced Democracy P We leave the answer to the supporters of the Bolshevism which has worked the greatest mischief in all history. Whatever may be the answer, the question arises not whether Bolshevism even in the suspended theory is advanced Democracy, but whether it is Democracy at all. Bolshevism was in possession of the governing power, which it had usurped, when tEe Constituent Assembly oi Russia was elected to settle the question of the government of the country. The Bolsheviks had not suspended their good intentions when that ] Assembly met. But when they found that the majority of the elected representatives of Russia was not in favour of their minority party, they at once applied force, not without murder, and they abolished the representative Assembly. Whatever that was, it was not Democracy. But, so far as we are aware, no supporter of "advanced Dei mocracy" has ever denounced that act of autocracy. On the contrary, the chorus of approval of Bolshevism has continued uninterrupted. One is tempted, naturally, therefore, to ask whether "advanced Democracy" goes so far as to substitute autocratic tyranny for Democracy itself, under cover of the plea-that this ovil thing will ono day bo balanced by the good the tyrannous murderous usurper will do. Is revolution, supported by an armed minority, the ideal of "advanced Democracy"? Mr Hildreth has certainly never posed as an "advanced Democrat" of that typo. Neither has ho truckled to the international octopus with, any special expression of fidelity to the "Workers of the World." One of the amiable intentions of Bolshevism, loudly proclaimed, has never been suspended. It

is to rouse all the proletariats of the world to sweep their several countries with red revolution, reeking with blood and intolerance. I2ven Lenin is reported to have declared that the BrestLitovsk betrayal matters nothing; tecause everything will bo righted by tho Vast delujre of blood which is to precede tho Bolshevik millennium. Wo are quite prepared to believo that Mr Hldreth is an advanced Democrat in the sane sense of the word, but wo are Hot aware that he has Raid anything to justify his being called a disciple of Lenin, or a supporter of the Bolshevism, which has not suspended its amiable intention of dealing with majorities in all countries as it has dealt with the majority in Russia. Wo havo to deal with this advanced thing which calls itself democratic, judging it bv its deeds, not by thoso of its aspirations which it has suspended. This in both practical affairs, and in the world of dreams, for Bolshevism applauded here by people posing as Democrats, is as rampant in the unreal as it is in the real world. In the real world it gives the power of life and death into the hands of irresponsible individuals; in the unreal it treats all dreams, even the wildest, as solid realities. Between the two the bond of union is the theory that the baseless fabric of dreams is a Rood enough basis for the excesses and outrages of the practical world. This is an advanced cult, which goes beyond Democracy. At all events Mr Hildreth's Democracy does not advance quite so far. Nevertheless he is a good Democrat. He 1b a Democrat -who does not condone any swerve from. principle. Neither does he try for the impossible. Neither does he attempt the impossible tasK.of justifying the impossible. He knows, as all good Democrats do, the conditions of practical politics. Until Labour gets to -understand them as well, Labour will condemn itself to wandering fruitlessly between dreams that attract it and the anarchy that repels it.