SOCIALISM AND OTHER MATTERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21215, 22 December 1930, Page 12

SOCIALISM AND OTHER MATTERS

TO THE EDITOR. SIB,—My critic, “A. H. T.” wishes to close the door and bids me adieu, not, I imagine, because we differ, but because he bankrupt of argument in defending wnat he set out to achieve. I do not think your readers will fail to see this failure, tie says he feels sorry to have stirred my bile and made me 1 uncomfortable, etc.' I smile. Old birds are not so easily upset. It is only raw recruits who duck when the “a B xr are rr« yIDK antl get perturbed, j says: “Missionaries endeavour to approach benighted countries ana make it possible for the white races to take an interest in them. The missionaries do not go to heathen countries or , ta he away the .rights of the people, but to help to make them better men and women,, and, to their honour and glory, have succeeded in doing fpv• Certainly they kept their resolves behind them, because it was the Scriptures, not bloodshed, they wished to teach.” A. M. r. surely has not read my letters carefully. I did not accuse the miswishing to do these things. What I did say was that the missionaries made is possible for the governments that represent certain economic interests and wish ter an expanding market for their surplus products to butt in and use the mailed fist, often on a framed-up policy of intervention, and I backed this up by quoting a speech in which Sir W. Joynson-, Micks said the British conquered India by the sword as the outlet for the goods of vJreat Britain, and by the sword they would hold it.; I do not think Sir W. Joynson-Hicks is a Socialist, but must admire his frankness and transparent honesty. Thus is the gem of all discussion, no matter on what subject or theme we may be 1 discussing. Then “A. H. T.” switches on to the land question, and wants everybody to get a home honestly, with a right to own it and control it. This is all right for the individual with a home and small section, but what about the individual who is allowed to own and control thousands of acres while thousands of individuals are hungry for land? Not only that, but under private ownership, where all are free to "sell” out, we will get the lot into the hands of fewer and fewer people and the many will be at their mercy; but where the whole people own and control in their own interests, this is inoperative, for the reason that no one could claim ownership individually, everything being Sf, common for all, in the interests of all. ihe land should be as free to all as the air we breathe and the sunshine that warms us. They are all the free gifts of. future and should be the privilege of all to use as his or her requirements needed, .this would be determined by those elected to administer the affairs under this new regime. The right of this administrative body (call it government if you like) to rule or administer is derived from the consent 9f the governed, and if this is not done in the. way the governed deem wisest, then it must be altered. All progress is based on trial and error—in other words, on we believe now that we have sufficient evidence and experienqe to guide us in instituting a more just system to replace th§ wUh e^L-°i? e ‘ . human wreckage with which we are being confronted in a larger and ever-increasing quantity surely should point the; moral that the ship is anything but seaworthy. It i 8 our job to build the new ship with more up-to-date of sailing, in which at least i . Set a berth and have some chance of being landed safe in port. Then I am told I am no theologian, and on those grounds ! am not competent to interpret the. Scriptures, etc. This may auit_ "A. H. T.,” but wbat would be Christs answer if He were asked to inthe following: “And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many aswere possessors of lands or houses, sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold;'and laid them down at the apostles feet; and distribution was made unto, every man according as he had need.” I Taney I hear Him saying: “Brethren, what mean ye? Is the wording of my instructions as to the conditions you should live under complicated, etc.? ” Would He bring, in the theology argument, thereby clouding what is in real essense as plain as the nose on one’s face? No, Christ showed them all that was necessary to live in a state of harmony, where all _ wonld be partakers and cooperators in living a full life. The same holds good .to-day. To produce our necessities we must have access to the land. All wealth, raw material, is derived from the land with human labour power applied to it. Capital, which includes everything else we use in making np into different categories for the,sake of variety, etc., is the product of labour applied to the land in the first place. To narrow Christ’s interpretation down to the Church's sustentation funds, etc., is too narrow in my estimation to warrant serious consideration. Christ also laid it down; “Lend and do good, expect nothing in return, not even the principal lent." What does “A. H. T.” think He meant? — l am, etc., P. Netlson. December 18.