WHAT DO SOCIALISTS WANT?

NZ Truth, Issue 159, 4 July 1908, Page 3

WHAT DO SOCIALISTS WANT?

, The strange person w>ho /wrote to "Truth" from Dunedin last week was apparently stung by the 'words of reproof hurled alt- the New Zealand Socialists for their astounding opposition to Democratic legislation, and the enactments framed to benefit the worker. The reniiarkable; correspondent v mentioned, -who . is probably Scotch, carefully avoided reference to the Acts of Parliament passed within eighteen years by the 'present administration having for their object the improvement of the V working classes and the • compulsory restitu-tion.-',by; Pat of some part of the wealth' filched from the toilers. The secret • of the -Socialists' attenuated membership m New Zealand is that the Socialists are opposed to the bursting up of large estates, and the settlement of landless persons on the soil. ' They condemn 1 the Government which has effected, and is effecting, this chahjgie, and was* only debarred by the Tory element m the House last session from.' applying the. leasehold clause to every acre of land held- and aoquired fo^ the Crown. The ultimate subdivision of large estates is certain,' however, -a fact recognised by squatters m the North, who are leaving weekly m quest of land m Queensland and m the Riv-' erina district, where there is no damned Socialistic Government . and no graduated, land tax,, nor compiulsory seizure of extensive runs. The Socialists are few iii this democratic country because they are opposed to the workers' to stock their, leased State holdings without 'putting their hecks under the grinding heel of the private usurer, and which was responsible for \ heavy reduction m. the rates of interest. The Socialist's are opposed to the Government wbioh brought m .that beneficial enactment. The Socialists, have not got the sympathy of the workers because they are opposed to tlie law Which says that an impartial tribunal, and not the employer, shall fix the rate of wages ahd the working hours, a law still m ■ its experimental stage, but one which establishes • the principle that the v boss isn't vtlie' only person who has a say m tnis vital matter. The Socialists are '.unpopular with the Radicals .m these\islands because they (the Socialists) v are opposed to old age pensions, ahd'vspeak, m vitriolic terms- of the-Govefriment' which fought a three flays' sponeWall. to introduce that humane .ftnjsastire. The Socialists are condemned^bv the Progressivistis of this Dpminit^ liecause they do not favor j >the <c" law which compels the employer ol\ an\ injured workman to pay him cpmfoen-' sation for his accident. The S'qetol^ isis^are , scorned m the, commims^ because they do not appreciate ffactory legislation which transfpi • the life which was..- heij^nsffif' into one of reas^^e'^i^ The Socialists ;;; Tare-'-"" te^^^My sp_picipn because : . '^^'^^^trw.^hetlaw which emxWio^^' •ls4S'of'*< poor parents t y frbm the primary sciversity ;, '.•becatej^^ to. : Mxe^^^^M^ 1 ' hontfeaa^^"

astqa^^ expression on. -his countenance -yrwlSocialist is simply play% lriK^-fh^DHei hands of Fat by joining thai;Sp_flTop6.lis''/.:: person m a crusade ag4ite|ki „'ijc- Government that has bt^':£wfcett,.'iu liCvver by the vote of the V-^et^'and the worker naturally regaiis^in as an enemy. / It i& true |he Socialist promises tlie workr er ttij m|iieni_m, when he will have the . i\m htii t 'ot his toil, and when there wil bo uo < capitalists, but whiles tbese ■■remote advantages arc howled '"» ihtflu the toilers' car, the capitalist ' (\yrili- .'.v horn tho Socialist" is allied against the itadical administration) ;,is... getting m his work and helping to make tlie inilleniuni still niore remfote. The worker w.an:ts a fewi^comiorts tc go on "with-Hdow, ait the.present moment— and rnrbbablv realises, that a state of society tlfat has been built up on the;'; basis of erring \ huEhan nature -^ during - the course of efehty-centuri^ isn't v;oino; to he epm/p^eteiyi, changed by a~revoUriion <j£ Ufa wMel of ates within his Jii^time' 1 at!- ahyi*at_l/' 'So that when *'T^ot% ;&ys; f "as your kurnal, poses as the friend of the workers your i present : attitude of antagonism (to tbfe^Spcilaistsj is inexplicable, ?> , 4 ?JEfusK'/T replies?: i;hat its attitude is; fqnijbf ;^p'ahlC of sqlution.; Asa friend ' of the issrkejrs the paper!, is naturally antaCTpslig.'V.to : a Socialistic tribe that is to legislation designed fbs jjhe ■ amelioration of the --^——i A which is joining with 1 -he. 'kTti.i%'-; crowd to - put . back the, (clock ofr-vPirogress several years, of longer. • doesn't hold a brief . for Joey-Ward and Co., but ishey are ■the only crowd that have > ever done' •anything for the workers m New Zealand, and;' they are given due credit herewith. /This -journal reserves to ;- itself the fright it has ahya^s exer-: ■Msed to criticise ;the Government arid its methods, and ' takes the Opportunity to j_ieiltio6 that Ward's Ministry- isn't* sufficiently advanced ,m Democracy k to ''t__£ journal's- way of ithinkanjg.. Mo ' Riyin« the Government due. c^edim ipr what it has done Wrath" has, and . ' always Tyill, -open Iv ltd columns to forceful denunciation o\t sweating, or other fohns of 'ill-tre^atment, m tho Govrientls 4*4 service. But it does desire withlemi^'hasis to place on record its ilisjsatisf action at. the Socialistic .v£a'c|; of ; an Apministlfat|p|i^M||(2ll has done more tfer the wofliihMi; m%n than any Cther vernmient m Shfi>jprld. f'T-Pot." Dunedin, plbduces documentary evidence to -sbojp? that • Minister Millar of to-day is_ ' hot "•.$» ecretarv Millar of* tKSir-Seaiian's Ujnion "* .1891..; T^en he 'headed a strike— now he is opposed to strikes ;, that -is what it. amounts to. Well, Millar is 'reputed toj have soldi -his Dunedin /property ani paid the ilVoeeeds into the Maritji|e strike fuills, and afterwards did aVrast amountP pf | secretarial work fpi| nix. Milla£, Jnj fact, who" might hafe been weljj dff, j gave his life and career to PedlocTcacy . ■'• And the Ihcoi|istenc'y ? f He* with. thousands of others, realisj&Ji alt the horrors of the stride to the] wives and children of thd I strikers, iapd^ he supported the Ooftciliation /and/ Arbitration Act which was $1$! means of preventing strikes, at I'p&sfc |or a great many years. Millar ~4ii6w says that law must be carried : out. He realises thasi it is r i__,perfect and suggests amendments,. \but. while it is the law awhile is a M&isfer- it is his duty/ to Scarry it 61/t. - ]\|}liar is doing, 'Iris dutijr how as hje djs it i3^1891-.;-_s*tf£ he .^.s.-ieE¥led *$^S^_&: !91. ...... Itfis" a matter" of extr I^e) grief -^6' the Democrats of New Thaland that the Socialists will no'tpeppojuse the cause of the workers. \ :| rjl.'..