SOCIALISM NOT THE BEST REMEDY

Taranaki Daily News, 21 December 1931, Page 13

SOCIALISM NOT THE BEST REMEDY

(To the Editor.) Sj r —p. E. Dove, Lasswade, Midlothian’, Scotland, I'Bso, in his "Theory’ o£ Human Progression," wrote: • We nuasintain that a man may be slain, enslaved or defrauded quite as unjustly by a Government as by a private individual; and that such crimes on the pairt of a Government are usually incomparably more prejudicial to the great hotly of society .than any amount of individual crime that count reasonably be expected to take place in a civilised country. No instance can be adduced of a country being brought to ruin and degradation by individual crime, whereas legislative crime has produced resolutions, persecutions, civil wars, anarchies and decays innumerable." In regy -to “Youngster’s” criticism of “Antiluff” permit me to request him to state the case for the Labour Party as to what Socialism is. During the recent election the party’s candidates addressing the electors put forward some fantastic schemes. The Stratford candidate put forward the reactionary plank of derating, which according to the Lord Advocate in the Baldwin Ministry, 1926, went to Socialism’s enemy —the landholder at the expense of the landless. South Island candidates advocated and have supported robbery, miscalled protection, which Michael Davitt started “no intelligent working man could support.” Analysing the chief advocates of tho Labour platform speeches they are all at sixes and sevens and in the last analysis are much akin to the Reform and United policy. They supported the Ward Ministry and reduced wages by the system of taxation which they assisted to put on the Statute BooSk. Should “Youngster” be sincere in hifl advocacy of justice why does he not show what would be the strength of the parties in proportion to the votes polled by the candidates. Proportional representation would permit them to vote according to their strength in the country. The Rt. Hon. Lord Courtney of Penw&h, 1013, stated: “It rests upon ■the fundamental principles of liberty and self-government. Its aim is to give the govetcnment of the country to aB assembly where the dominant voice shall govern yet no voice be suppressed, which shall rejoice in vital energy and growth; for the assembly within shall be as a nation without. ... I would not needlessly tread, upon supressed fires, yet I speak to men who know and can think, ani I ask them whether they do not agnee with me that the most serious question in the political arena which confronts us to-day is the solution of what is called the social question. Some may regard that with grave anxiety, some with exultant hope, but the solution; of that question is the great task which lies before the politicians of the immediate future. Now, I am going ."to make bold to say that that nation which most closely incorporates the principle of proportional representation in all its political institutions has th® best chance of arriving at the solution of that question by the most peaceful means.” How would tho Labour Harty fare under such a system of election, when members would have real independence in Parliament, with a situation where members could voto according to their honest conviotions.—l am, e|tc., SENECA SIMPLEX.