SOME SOCIALISTS IN LONDON.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13568, 16 April 1906, Page 3

SOME SOCIALISTS IN LONDON.

Mb——— AN IMPRESSIVE MEETING. Br Constance Citde. With the inauguration of a Liberal Government, and tho importance given to a small but strong Labour parly in Parliament, it is natural that industrial wrongs and remedies should bo much before the public at present. This is aided by tho literary ability which of late years has been attracted to the Labour cause. Once upon a time the Socialist was always a serious and fioquently ait angry person.' Onco the Imperialist, like the Royalist of old, possessed all tho wit, and brilliancy, while the Little Englandor could onjjt- respond with a sour sermon on tho evils of war. Now, however, all this is changed. It is tho Tory, who, under Bernard Shaw's cultured irony, appears tho impossible, illogical, wild-eyed person that the Socialist was wont to seem of yore. As for Imperialism, hear the brilliant young epigrammatist, Chesterton, of the Daily News boldly announce the creed of Littleness: "Imperialism may bo defined an advancing outwards, the new ideal shall be a moving inward. If a man ruin England well, he shall bo promoted to nnc half England, and if ho succeeds in that we will advanco him again; wo will give him Battorsea alone. There he will iind new worlds to conquer."

Very interesting was the unemployed demonstration at Queen's Hall the other night. Two galleries and the ground floor thronged with men and women of all grades singing the "Marseillaise." ''Excelsior," and various Labour songs before and after the speech-making. Tlie resolution maintained that it was the duty of tho Stale to find work for the unemployed, and much dissatisfaction was expressed with tho ineffective Unemployment Bill passed by the previous Government. Walter Crane, the Socialist artist, and Michael Davilt were among those that scut apologies for nonattendance.'' 'Amongst those facing the audience, however, were well-known Socialist leaders of all grades and shades of view; some of a mildness that would not be recognised as Socialism in New Zealand, others of a fiercer typo. The mcr.t noticeable fact about the British Labourite is that ho is as much an enemy of parochialism as of imperialism. He does not think England should govern the world, but he does think thai, it should govern England. Imperialists, however, when they trouble with insular matters at all, consider thai Mudford should govern England! Thus Mr Keir Hardio (chairman) combated the idea that iho east of finding work in a certain poor district should fall upon that district. It was the nation's burden, and should be borne by the nation as a whole. The question of colonial emigration was dealt with by several speakers, one of the two women on the platform giving a sad picture- of the helplessness of city-bred men filing out into the wilds among conditions alien to them. Again, as one of the Labour members pointed out, if emigration increased the prosperity of a country, then should Ireland bo a nation oil millionaires. A sentiment of bitterness at. the idea (.hat Englishmen should be thrust out into countries that did not want them was very evident, and Miss Bonfield, a member of the Right to Work Committee, brought out statistics showing that tho '"millions of acres wanting hand" were to bo found in their own country, as well as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

It- is debated by some persons whether Bernard Shaw, essayist and playwright, dees not retard instead of advance the Socialist cause by his too brilliant wit, aided, as it is. by a clear, carrying voice and considerable capability for luVtrionic effect. The English as a nation are rather suspicious of brilliancy, and still consider that wisdom should be rather dull. However that may be, he can be trusted to bring down the house, as ho proceeds to do now. Tlic Labour party is small—too small. It reminds him of a man who went to an hotel and a3kcd for some butter. They brought him a very little piece; ho took it up on a fork, looked at it, and said; "Yes, that is what I want; now bring me some butler." That was how the Socialists should regard their Labour party. They should take it up on a fork, judge, it ns an excellent sample, and then demand a Labour party. As regards the phrase "right to work," he liad many doubts. This was not putting the matter in the propor way. It was the right- to wapea that they wanted. With the industrial army, as with the military army.-when there was no fighting to be done the soldiers should not be dismissed. They should stay in their army, and employment should be made for them. Why should there . not he agricultural exercises and mining manoeuvres, with the King to look on? As regards the difficulty of finding work, Mr Shaw perceived none. Knock down half London, he said mildly; "then go to Manchester. Don't knock down half Manchester." added the speaker, still more benevolently; "knock it all down."— (Tumultuous applause, during which a Labour man hailing from that grim city was seen to smilo.l

Miss Bonf.cM dwelt on the hopeless lives of women workers drudging for 6s, Bs, or lfls a, week; or, if married, trying to feed and clothe husband and children on 18s a week. It wasn't the man that had to do the managing; they must remember that: it was the woman. She appealed to the workers present, and they anplatiuecl, but without loudness. The British working man is still new to the idea cf woman as an industrial worker in any equal sense of the word. Deep down in his. mind remains the idea tliat to her suffering and deprivation are, somehow, more natural and beneficial than to himself. This is not a reflection on bis chivalry, but rather an expression of his strong belief in her superior affection, which makes pain to her less painful and material evils easier to be endured. We cannot blame him. for, if he read poetry, he would find many, women, Mrs Browning at the head of them, supporting the sentiment. Thy !ovo shall chant itself its jivm Beatitudes. A child's kiss set on thy sighing lips shall make thee glad, So the demonstration ends. A collection is taken up during the singing of a labour song, the amount realisms, we hear later, the sum of £30. The resolution is carried unanimously, and we riie to go out. " The ted flag; the red flag," cTy the people, and the song of the people's flag, that "sheltered once our martyred dead." ascends,to the roof as we paw into a white soft fog that shrouds the environment* of Regent's Park.