POLITICAL LABOUR LEAGUE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9117, 24 December 1907, Page 4

POLITICAL LABOUR LEAGUE.

A REPLY TO THE HON J. T. PAUL. A " Lyttelton Times " reporter yesterday interviewed Mr J. Thorn, president of the Christ-church branch of tha Independent Political Labour League, in regard to the views expressed by the Hon J. T. Paul, and published yesterday, concerning the necessity for a leconciliation between .the League and the Liberal section of the Labour Party. Mr Thorn said that he had no personal animosity towards Mr Paul, and no would criticise that gentleman's remarks purely from a political standpoint. He was glad that Mr Paul sa v much more importance in the coming League conference than other workers and public men that he (Mr Thorn) had met, and he thanked him for treating the League in a serious manner, but he would like to say that Mr Paul had made several missiatements of the position as it concerned the League. Mr Paul was using many arguments which would earn for him the undying gratitude of those who had bitterly opposed the League. He was surprised to find Mr Paul suggesting an amalgamation with the Liberal Party because at the 1906 conference Mr Paul was very sound in his position in regard to amalgamation, and when the claims of the Libe-ral-Labour Federation were urged ».« against those of the Independent Political I+abour League, Mr Paul stated, .a regard to the former organisation, that Labour had been squeezed out, H^ might have said that Labour had been swallowed up, and now it 1 appeared that Mr Paul had been swallowed up, -nd was anxious that those who had -"ly political independence left should suffer a like fate. Mr Paul knew perfectly well that amalgamation simply meant the loss of Labour's identity in po-x^ics, and for that reason the members of +hs League who desired some political individuality were of opinion that the best way, though perhaps one which involved hard struggling, was to have a political party belonging to the 'workers, with its own platform, and acting independently of any other existing party. \ Mr Paul said, Mr Thorn continued, that Labour was divided against itself. That was not quite correct; &t any rate, the League was not in existence to antagonise Labour. It was in existence to antagonise the capitalistic system, and if the mass of the workers were cutside the organisation, it m?ght be that, those "workers were in error, and nox thq members of tjhe League. The Leagueclaimed to be fully awake to economic developments, and took it that its mission was to arouse the workers who were still under the hypnotic 6pell '»£ Liberalism to a knowledge of the actual trend of things, and a knowledge of their rights. Mr Paul attempted tto justify his arguments for amalgamation by pointing with great pride to ha legislation put on the Statute Book during the last fifteen years. ;The League was prepared to admit that some good Acts were on the Statute Book, but it was not prepared to admit that the mill would continue to grind on the water that had gone past. By all appearances^ there was a worse class of members in Parliament to-day than had_ represented the people at any during the past fifteen or sixteen years, and certainly the Ministry, in its expressed opposition to many of the principles which Mr Paul believed in, and which had been affirmed by Trades Councils, conferences and Unions for years, could not claim the League's enthusiastic support. The position the League took up in regard to men "who called themselves democratic was perfectly logical. When a man professed to support certain principles, and was then almost enthusiastic in his support of a Government which did not believe in those principles, he was neither more nor less than inconsistent and illogical. Such men realised the inconsistency of their position, and during the pa6t five, or six years had made desperate attempts to form new parties, the result being the " New Liberals," the " Left /Wing," and other short-lived organisations. To be logical, instead of flopping about in the way they were doing, these gentlemen shou|d come away from the party they were so meekly following, and fight for a party that stood for the principles they professed to, believe in. If they did not, and if they opposed the League, they need not whine, or express surprise if the League opposed them. Mr Paul wound up his statement by saying that the worst calamity the Socialist could witness would be the installation of a complete Socialist system to-morrow morning. That was the argument that the League's good old capitalistic enemies trotted out every time it had agitated for the realisation of an ideal, and he was surprised that Mr Paul should be bo destitute of argument as to fall back on that hoaryheaded old statement. The fact was, and Mr Paul knows it, that nobody knew better than the Socialists that it was not the wisest thing to give people a reform until they were prepared for it, and consequently the Socialists took the reasonable attitude of going forth to educate the people in the knowledge of their ideas. As soon as the majority of the people understood Socialism, worked for it and voted for it, they would have Socialism. He doubted very much whether any converts to Socialism would be made by preaching the doctrine of " going slow slowly." Mr Thorn added that the League intended to talk the truth, whether it was expedient or not, and although it was essentially a party of progress, and only incidentally a party of opposition, it was going to oppose men who opposed it, and oppose parties which opposed it. In conclusion, he said that n^ could heartily endorse Mr Paul's statement that Labour must manage its own business, and be master o£ its own organisation. If Mr Paul deflected _ long enough he would probably see quite a lot or sense in his statement. Mr James Thorn president of the Independent Political Labour League, addressed a large meeting at Ashburton on Friday evening. Mr Thorn dealt largely with the municipal platform of the League, and urged his audience to endeavour to secure independent Labour representation on the Ashburton local bodies. The speaker also referred to statements made before the Conciliation Board as to the falsity of State Socialism, and in the course of his remarks asked his listeners to study the question for themselves and form their own conclusions. At the conclusion of the address a vote of thanks was carried by acclamation. A large quantity of Independent Labour literature was sold, and some new members joined tha Ashburton branch of the League.