A SOCIALIST ON THE WAR

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11729, 20 June 1916, Page 3

A SOCIALIST ON THE WAR

THE DEMANDS OF DUTY AND HONOUR. The name of Sapper J. I. Fox, of the New Zealand Engineers, was incidentally introduced into & controversy m the Wellington "Dominion,' the factbeing mentioned that he- had addressed a letter to the "Maoriland Worker.; Sapper ? r ox consequently explains his position. In the course of a letter to the editor of the "Dominion' he says: — Personally, 1 abhor controversies at the present- time. Things are too serious to be trifled with. The State is in danger, and 1 has to be protected. The individuals who compose that State are called upon to make sacrifices, well, there is nothing strange about that; each epoch, has had its difficulties, and had to find out. means to preserve its status. That we have got to employ modern weapons to combat our adversaries is ouly a stage in the great drama Being a Socialist, and also alwavs' regarding the State as tho supremo factor in democracy, I care not whether the State demands the protection of its existence by voluntary military aid or by compulsion. In the past we" have been fed upon stock phrases like "Voluntaryism," "Freetrade, " Protection.'-* and .so on. Unscrupulous politicians have made us behove that these things are.of the most vital importance-forgetting that the world i' changing and requires new methods. Of course, it may be argued—and it has been done so—that our particular Stat- is not in danger, hence the government, who acts as its mouthpiece, has no right to demand these sacrifices. That is just the crux of tho whole position Whether we like it or not (and i venture to say that ninety-nine per cent do like it) we are members of an Empire, and that being so. that Empire being threatened by an outside, force, duty and honour demands that we should do all in our power to uphold that unity. No power on earth will persuade me to give up these essentials because certain politicians—or even the whole Government —fail to do certain things like conscription of wealth (another stock phrase), or so on. After all. here we have unbounded' opportunities. The people can change the personnel of the Government whenevei they desire. If they don't they deserve what they have. The whole truth is that Labour could have controlled tho State long ago—if it would have been wise—but, unfortunately, those who took upon themselves to steer the ship have had tho wrong compass. Their method.? were crude, and not scientific. In many instances stubbornness and orcjudice have been_ the cause of disaster. ' Let no man think that I am onlv surmising. I bavo been too long associated with the advance guard. A good many of us were the South African campaigns The champion, whom England extols to-day, had to be smuggled away at Birmingham, lpst the hostile crowd should attack. I mean Mr Lloyd George. But this war is different, Dr Liehknecht in the Reichstag declared that the instigators of this war were members of his own nation. The German Chancellor having given an ultimatum that no peace overtures can bo made except necordinc: to the present war map, means that the Allied Forces of Democracy will have to humiliate the War Lords of Germany till they ask for pardon for the wrong committed. \Vhen that is done, then we shall be able to resume our activities as Democrats to remodel the modern State. Meanwhile, every trade union secretary ought to be a recruiting agent, every union office a recruiting office, Parliament its headquarters, the members actively engaged towards thit end. Whatever the defects mav ba—and they are many-r-m spite of "all the shortcomings, the Democracy is sound for winning this war, sad Labour its chief driving force.