SOCIALISM.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13594, 14 May 1908, Page 3

SOCIALISM.

To the Editor of the " Timaru Herald.

Sir. Your correspondent " Socialist," whoever he is, seems as mild a mannered man as ever cut a throat. The picture we usually frame of a Socialist is something of the Guy Fawkes order with all our poor M.P.'S going skywards, but I suppose that stvle or brand its only for a start. " Peace, gentle peace" comes after all the old lot are safely slowed away, and we start with a new heaven and a new earth.

To business though. How you are going to turn on the tap for, say, a milk supply, I can hardly see. It looks.- wimple, but- m that small matter even there are piobably a siood few hitches. The fellow that milks does not turn up, or gets tight, or kicks out the beris. the mains go foul, the principal authority—the cows—make a ruction and refuse to* be milked and so on. D<* not ask me to put by hard-earned coppers into a "general milk supply," unlimited. The whole fabric' would strike me as unworkable. I do nob wish to plagiarize, but theie is certainly notihing to prevent the whole of us in New Zealand say, voling one another £5 per week—an advance if you like—but what about the other fellow —the customer or consumer - / He does not see it, and as there are, pleuty active young Scotsmen—or Japs or Chinamen at- a push—quite willing and graceful to be employed for les.i money (a good deal less), i" cannot see any very stable foundation—until. indeed. the lion lies down with the Jamb; and a>> there is no immediate disposition that way unless, perhaps, the lamb is an inside passenger, the question can be dismissed as an illusion. Dreams, idle dreams'. How diti'cicnt to what is at people's hand. No bursting up theie, no uiaiimg at the top. Xo nofse at all. The dew of heaven ! the gentle light! the changed heart! the honest, desire! the earnest, endeavour! l'er contra—the iconoclast, th<> destroyer, the terrorist. Then for illustrations remember our friends at Rro?t. at West Ham. in both cases effectually killing the goose that lays the golden egg—the same goose having gone elsewhere and kept eteadily at work ever since. Then again, Russian

and other recent experiences—innocent wo man not even free from' malevolent effort-? —the Queen of Austria. Their magnificent attempts to obliterate everything that is. sacred and good. Do these efforts suggest) anything of the Sermon on the Mountfriend Socialist refers to. No, but Ave must make a start, we must have the ground clear and then the beautiful fresh grass will come on. Very like, Mr Socialist yon do not know human nature. The> human heart with some very decent points is -unstable as anything, and unless anchored on a rock there is little chance of in due time making the haven. Begin with the heart—begin with the beginning. If you are a contractor, or carpenter, you ought to know that, my friend.—l am, THOS. THOMSON,