"RULE, BRITANNIA"

NZ Truth, Issue 692, 21 September 1918, Page 1

" RULE, BRITANNIA"

When, towards the -end^of last year, Mr. Massey complained of the incessant agitation caused, by the Prohibitionists with their never-ceasing* de- . xnands for licensing legislation or reform, and practically pledged himself to State Control as a remedy for this agitation and confusion which he rightly denounced .as being Injurious to the progress of the State, it was not anticipated, that within than twelve months these wretched "warwinning" wowsers would engineer another "shindy" and attempt to take advantage of abnormal conditions to Impose. their Prussian-like will on the Seople of New Zealand. In view of hat th© Prime Minister and the Minister of Fincjioe practically agreed upon; It was, at - leastj conceded /that the question of liquor or lioensing reform could well await the oonolusion of the war .when the public mind would be- calm, and Intelligence could be brought to m the consideration of a question which, after the war, firomisjes to receive the serious attenlon of the best minds of . the civilised world. However, believing that the present is the fitting time when Bentimehtalism and hysteria will make impressions on sorrowing minds, the Alliance wowsers have launched a - gigantic but cranky crusade, and are uslly " ■ . engaged In preaching intolerance and running riot m the expenditure of "silver, bullets" m advertising their wares and dividing the country ■Dn a contentious issue upon- which Unanimity never. will be attained© Not only has the Alliance launched this crusade, but, as all are aware, it has j-.epeated its former egregious error of importing so-called Prohibition specialists — with the inevitable result. These specialists are not being accepted at the valud pla*ced on them by their employers, and, as readers of "Truth" and others are aware, the bona-fides of. these men have been questioned, and challenged, and, wh^n all the circumstances are fully considered; it is clear that any individual and newspaper is fully justified m challenging the bona-fides of the importations — providing, of course, that there Is a sound basis for the quesr tioning and challenging. We are aware that the Prohibition Party made a »great fuss over the fact that it proposed to bring speakers on Prohibition from all parts of the world, and with more than the usual flourish of trumpets heralded the approach to this Dominion of three Canadian visitors, Messrs. George Bell, described as a • member of Parliament from British Columbia; W. D. Bayley. a professor of economics, from Winnipeg; and •> James Simpson, a Labor leader and Socialist from Toronto. --'-.Of late, nothing has been heard of Mr. George Bell, but quite a great deal has been Been, said and heard of Messrs. Bayley and Simpson, who have been, and are still being, relied upon by the Alliance to- convert the workers to the cause which the Alliance so feverishly, frantically, and fanatic-like espouses. While the imported trio have stood together on the public platform equally testifying to the beauties of Prohibition In Canada, it is remarkable to note that whenever the visitors are "tried" on a purely working-class audience, Messrs. Bayley and Simpson aro "star^ red," while the third member of th& party is kept m the background. Obr ivlously, there is a reason for this, but none is forthcoming. .*'■..'■ «►. ■#. ■ # However, shortly after the arrival m New Zealand of the trio of Canadians . a Wellington Trades' Union secretary «aw fit to suggest that the workers would do well to adopt a "go-slow" policy so far as welcoming and receiving the Labor men from Canada, who were In the pay of the Alliance," until such time as the workers were eatisfied on the soore of the credentials of the visitors. This wa_ a timely admonition, and one entirely Justified by the previous experiences of work-ing-class organisations m New ' Zealand. '' Moreover, if Labor organisations m New Zealand had set' out to bring to. this country representatives of the Labor movement m other countries for the purpose of strengthening labor's cause m this Dominion, we need hardly remark that a huge

' outcry would have been raised by W the plutish section of the community, and that the capitalistic newspapers would be raising bogeys of spies, disloyalists, anarchists and 1.W.W.-ites, and. emphatically calling on the Government to bar the way to ,the unwelcome guests. When, noweyer, so-called Labor representa- , tives are brought from other climes to this, fas the hirelings of the Alli- : ance, al combination of lndlvldauls bitterly ; opposed to all Labor ideals, - a seemingly different situation is', created; and the fact that a newspaper like the Wellington "Do--minion;" acts as the champion of the Labor representatives brought to * Kew Zealand from Canada by the Al~ Blanc- is m Itself a reason why caution

should be exercised by the workers of this country. However, following on the warning uttered by a Wellington j I^abor representative, a Wellington working-man, an ex-resident of Toronto, Canada, wrote to "Truth," giving his reasons why one of the importations should not be received with open arms. We are all aware of what has followed, Mr, James Simpson availed himself of the opportunity to answer "Truth's" correspondent m these columns. Not only has he answered the correspondent m these columns, but he has done co from tho public platform. Indeed, it seems to be the case that within the past week or so the visitor has forgotten his "mission" and his "message," and gone m i for a series of bitter and vitrlollo attacks on "Truth." which, of course, will not be lost on those to whom tlie Alliance, through ita Importations, seeks to appeal, ' • • • • "Truth" does not propose to further "argue the point" with Mr. James Simpson, the - be -diamonded ' and be-jewelled "Labah" representative from Canada, whose wrath seems to have been incurred because a , correspondent suggested through thdse columns that the object of his visit to (New Zealand was more a matter of "easy money" than the advocacy of the cause of oppressed and exploited Labor. While it is conceded that Mr. Simpson carries letters of introduction from a couple of men who are apparently identified with the Labor movement m Canada it seems to be a rather strained effort on the part of the Alliance to serve up Mr. Simpson's fellow-Prohib., Mr. W. D. Bayley, as a Labor or Socialist representative from Canada. The latter comes from Winnipeg, and seems to have been many things m his time, and the nearest approach by him to. the cause of Labor seems to have been when he stood for the Winnipeg Legislature as an "Independent" Labor candidate. Presumably, Mr. Bayley is. a theoretical Socialist, and according to his version is not a member of any Socialistic organisation, though we have had it from his own lips that he has been invited to join Socialist organisations m Canada. Indeed, it would seem to be the case that though both Messrs. Simpson and Bayley come from Canada, the pair, until about the time they embarked on the voyage to New Zealand, were not acquainted with each other; m fact, were almost strangers. Consequently, when the New Zealand Alliance introduces to New Zealand as a representative of Canadian Labor, an individual who is In no way identified with the various working class organisations of Canada, an excellent reason Is provided for doubting th© Alliance and its professional platform posturer. What seems to be the case, m fact. is t^e case, is that with the arrival m New Zealand of Mr. Baylsy came a, version of an incident which was held to be. a reflection' on his loyalty to the British Empire. It Is also said to be the case that the whispers or rumors which were spread about the gentlemen caused undue concern to the Alliance, and it can quite readily be understood how m this extraordinary period tlie suggestion that the Alliance had thrown its mantle over an individual whose loyalty was suspected would cause the Alliance much uneasiness. Consequently, when a Wellington citizen penned for publication m "Truth" as a letter, to the editor, a stinging criticism of Mr. Bayley, and moreover produced excerpts from a number of Canadian newspapers bearing on the matter, it was "Truth's" bounden public duty to publish the letter, though m order to free the paper from any imputation of bias or prejudice a courteous invitation was extended to Mr. Bayley to reply to and explain what m ordinary circumstances were serious statements, and this Invitation was, apparently, gratefully accepted. » •■■•■■• Now, "Truth" considers itself fairly liberal m its conception, of loyalty or disloyalty, and is, not disposed to regard frank outbursts as being indications of ill-will to the -Empire. What m ordinary normal times is, often warranted cannot m abnormal times be justified nor permitted. Mr. Bayley's offence, if it may so be called, seems to have been a protest made by him against the teaching m 'the Isaac Brock' School. Winnipeg, of the song 'or anthem "Rule, Britannia," which he considered to be "the worst piece- of egotism which any nation could teach, and which was responsible for Britishers going swanking all over the world and making themselves offensive everywhere." According to statements made m several Canadian newspapers, Mr. Bayley's views on "Rule, Britannia" were hotly resented. A learned King's ■Counsel at Winnipeg, one slirely who would consider all surrounding circumstances before committing himself to any utterance, expressed his regret that a man capable of making such a

speech should go to New Zealand , to represent Canadian ..'views on- anything. We also find that a Minister of the Crown at Manitoba expressed ". the view that a man who made statements i similar to those credited to Mr. Bay- ( ley should be Interned. Readers of). "Truth," having heard or read Mr. Bayley's version, are, of course, capable of reaching their own conclusions, and need ho directions from "Truth," which proposes to publish what might be considered a fair excerpt from the address of which a part is questioned; We find that Mr. Bayley is reported as having said: "The children, were taught that fight-, ing was the highest form of patriotism. One school m Winnipeg was I named the Isaac Brock, another Cecil Rhodes, and so on. The viewpoint largely insisted upon was the antithesis of democracy. Pamphlets' publlshr ed by 'Imperialists' were easily distributed, but what would happen were the pamphlets of the Labor Party, with their ideas of statecraft, submitted to existing school authorities. "The same thing was seen m the songs the children are called upon to sing. They were taught to sing 'God Save the King,' but why were they not taught to sing - 'God Save the People,' of whom they form a part? The same thing was. true of 'Rule Britannia.' To instil "into the minds of children the ideas embodied m this particular poem, was to establish an egotism that made them believe that we 'were the envy and dread of the whole civilised, world. If this idea were established, then it was no wonder that the Britisher was blamed for 'swanking' around the world as though he were the lord of creation. "The blg^luestion for everyone to consider was whether or not we were going to allow our children to be trained m an atmosphere of aristocracy, or to insist that there: shall be taught a code of social ethics based upon the rights of other people — a new standard of social conduct. Let it not be forgotten that it was the suppression of material facts that waa chiefly responsible for revolution. Tho free acknowledgment and teaching of the whole truth would be an enlightening process." •'* • s Whether the visitor's answer -is* a denial of the words attributed to him or a^. justification ,of the -vfews propounded by him is, m "Truth's" opinion, not clear. It is true that our visitor attacks those who attack him, and makes all sorts of counter-charges, including that of dishonesty against a Cabinet. In short, Mr, Bayley meets a charge with a series of countercharges, and insinuates that the row was created when he left Canada, arid that he was not on the spot to deal with those who dealt with him. When Mr. Bayley declares that the public of New Zealand is not interested m his record, but the record of the Liquor Traffic, he is very wide of the mark. So far as "Truth" is concerned, the Liquor Traffic has nothing whatever to. do with the matter, and what is more to the point, the Liquor Traffic has got no more control over "Truth" than has the Alliance or Mr. Bayley. We have made it perfectly clear why the matter was touched upon m these columns- Mr. Bayley has been boomed as a Labor representative . from •Canada, a prize snared by the wowser party, and we are entitled to closely examine this specimen of Canadian If m Canada this gentleman is accused of saying or doing soniething akin to disloyalty, and m New Zealand is hailed as a loyal Laborite, who effects to sneer at the pretensions of loyalty m others, surely an investigation of him is warranted and welcomed. One thing, however, does seem certain: quite a number of prominent men and newspapers m Canada made. It pretty clear, and that before Mr. Bayley left Canada for "New Zealand and not when he was thousands of miles away, that they did not want the loyal and 'patriotic people of New Zealand to regard Mr, Bayley a.a representing Canada for any purpose, and this certainly is not complimentary to the Alliance and Mr. Bayley. « * o We are not m the least concerned about the circumstances m which our visitor "ragged" tho song or anthem "Rule, Britannia." There, is a time and a place for everything, and neither now, nor at any time during the past four years' has the necessity arisen for the assertion that the Britishers go swanking all over the world making themselves offensive everywhere. It is quite within the range of possibility that had Mr. Bayley so expressed himself m New Zealand he would have been called upon to answer a charge of making -a seditious utterance, and the Alliance of New Zealand' could hardly be called upon to justify such utterances/because from a loyalty point of view.it could not justify such sentiments. Therefore, Mr. l Bayley cannot blow hot m one country and cold m another: If he holds certain views concerning "Rule, Britannia" and "swanking and offensive Britishers" he should learn to either suppress those views, or, if not that, uphold and, if possible, justify them— a very . difficult thing to do at present. All that we are concerned with is a set of' curious circumstances from which the Alliance cannot escape. The Alliance has introduced Mr.. Bayley to the workers of , New Zealand as a representative of Labor m Canada. He has been accused m Canada by Canadians of uttering sentiments which are not patriotic. The accusation has been revived m New Zealand, and the Alliance retorts that Mr. Bayley is loyal and pat- ■ riotic, but remarkable to relate Mr. 1 Bayley iri.Ne,w Zealand is soon found m the company of soriie who are not considered .loyal' and- patriotic and affect to scorn others who profess loyalty and patriotism. Consistency might, as a rather erratic politician once said, he the refuge of fools, but m its importation of so-called Labor representatives who are succeeding m splitting Labor In New' Zealand on an issue which is a political issue at a time when' Labor In this country should stand "four square" to the elements 'opposed to it, the Alliance shows an .inconsistency which abuse and even adroitness cannot hide from the workers. ■'

The Alliaace, W. D. Bayley, and tbe Workers