THE IMPORT OF CURRENT EVENTS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14706, 5 June 1920, Page 2

THE IMPORT OF CURRENT EVENTS.

CRITICS AND CRITICISM.

(The New Zealand Welfare League.) Mr Sydney Smith, the famous English wit, once said," 'fit was a mistake to read a book before you reviewed it, as you were apt to become prejudiced." This k somewhat like the attitude of the New Zealand Labor Party politicians, with reference to Samoa. They first of all denounced the indentured labor system, and then sent their representatives to investigate. We ven- . ture to think that Messrs Holland, Howard, and the others dare not express any view but the one stated by the party before the book was read. It may be a right view, but it was certainly hot arrived at by the exercise of free judgment. The open mind of an individual is abhorrent to the Red Dictatorship. INTOLERANCE. What is the most striking feature of the Red Revolutionaries? Why! Intolerance ! sheer, stark staring mad, bigoted intolerance. In exactly same temper as the most insane theological bigots the Red 9 thunder forth their affirmations. There is 110 God but Socialism; he who believeth shall be saved, and he who believeth not shall be damned. Society to them is simply the good and the bad, namely, the Socialists. and the non-Socialists. Speak to them of the complexity of modern society and they raise their voices and shout "there are only two classes, the Capitalists and the Workers, these have nothing in common. It is the historic mission of the workers to destroy the Capitalists." Try to reason with them as to. what is meant by Socialism and they treat you as an infidel and an unbeliever. It is what they say it is, and one will pronounce it "collectivism," another "syndicalism," another "anarchism," and: the main body of them talk of harmony, comradeship, brotherhood, love, and sympathy, which you ■shall believe in though, you practice it not, and affirm, though you murder the capitalists in cold blood. • That- any who are nob of their belief should have a right- idea 011 any' subject is to them unthinkable. They have fathomed the heights and the depths of all truth, and woe to any who dares to contradict them, or call their opinions in question, for such the lake of fire and brimstone is bub a resting-place 011 the way to the greater damnation of their high displeasure. It is no marvel that this class mad spirit of intolerance finds its outlet in the formula, of dictatorship, since it is the very antithesis of reasoned government and true democracy. Dictatorship of the proletariat, and dictatorship over the proletariat, and beyond all the dictatorship of passion, lust for unbridled power and ultimate tyranny of the strongest. This is what it is leading to, and where it must end. A certain Socialist Labor paper, published in Wellington, is much concerned because the Welfare .League will not argue with it-. In order to " show the League the wisdom of reasoning things out it politely informs its readers that the members of tho League are "Scribes and Pharisees" ; 110, it does not say •'hypocrites," it keeps that to itself. In another instance, in order to reason with the League, it makes a violent and abusive attack upon Mr C. P. Skerrett, and because that gentleman has cared to express views which it does not agreo with it suggests that "such conduct is both dishonest and immoral"; further, to exhibit its skill in the subleties of vile abuse, it asks "can it be that civilisation is rotten ? that the law is unjust, that Mr Skerrett is a. parasite and a hypocrite, and in every way a' bad citizen?" Warming to its work, this refined journal asserts that "if the social contract were observed Mr Skerrett, as lie is to-day, would be a criminal." In its Inst issuo the paper complains that the League "avoids coming to grips with this journal." Well, wo admit that wo are not disposed to come to grips with the habitus of a literary cesspit. The only person wo know of who could argue with this journal is Mr Robert Semple when in his most ferocious mood. He would then tell it, as he did once before, that its journalism was in gutter language, Benjamin Franklin once said: "There is a cwt-aiu type of journalist that one can only' argue with if in the possession of 'a. good stout cudgel/' Being composed of peaceful, law-abiding citizens, the League cannot in this instance argue with or further consider tho journal above referred to. It was of this paper Mr Robert Blatchford wrote: VI damned the paper, its contents, and the writer of those articles. Even was I tempted to damn the Government of New Zealand for permitting the issue and circulation of such opinions at such a, time as the present. Never again do 1 wish to set eyes on the Maorilauder Worker please." FREEDOM AND LICENCE. The Welfare League has consistently supported the rights of free judgment, free speech, and free expression 01 opinions. The publicity campaign is an affirmation of that riglit, and it justly concedes to others wnat it claims for itself. 11l the minds of all fair-minded people, however, a clear distinction is drawn between freedom and licence. No one lias the right, nor should have it, to pour out abuse into the public mind. That is not an exercise 01 Ircedom, but an exhibition of licence, which if continued in has the effect of destroying the right of social liberty. The sneering, insulting relerences thathave been put forth by certain semiBolsheviks' in New Zealand against the prince of Wales cannot be taken as criticism, or where it is published as journalism. It is definitely blackguarding. nothing more or less. The use of language which, if directed against a person in. a public place, would be likely to result in a breach of the peace, ls.iu'st as much an assault- as it would be to strike a person with your fist. It makes the matter not one wit the less an assault, because the person who does-it is an editor, and pleads that it is done .in the interest of Labor. Blackguardism is the indulgence in blackguarding, no matter who does it, or when, or where. ■ Let any fair-minded person, whether Laborite, Socialist, Capitalist, or anv persuasion whatsoever as himself where liberty and right would stend if every person choose to direct language against others, such as thei Maoriland Worker directs against persons whom it differs with. We welcome all honest thought and criticism. Let- the expression of opinion be free and untrammeled. It is well to remember this, however, that in order to nrcserve liberty the exercise of unbridled licence has to be suppressed. ."Where attack and abuse becomes the order oF the day the dictator and the charlatan has liberty, but nobody else has it- Social liberty dies in the atmosphere of licence and personal abuse. It would be well if those calling themselves Socialists would but realise this fact.