EFFORTS BEING MADE TO FIND A NEW DEFINITION OF SOCIALISM

Wanganui Chronicle, 3 June 1950, Page 5

EFFORTS BEING MADE TO FIND A NEW DEFINITION OF SOCIALISM

LONDON, June 2 (Recd. 6pm).— I The chief tasks before the Inter- • national Socialist Conference now 'meeting in Copenhagen are: [ (1) To attempt a new definition of 'Socialism and of lhe Socialist attltud* | towards Communism. i (2) To discuss lhe Schuman plan for integration of European heavy industry and the altitude the Socialists adopt to it. On the question of the Socialist attitude owards Communism, there are two schools of thought, says the Manchester “Guardians” Labour correspondent, who is reporting the confer•cnce from Copenhagen. One section, i including a number of French delegates, believe that the Socialists can best combat Communism and ensure [peace by combining together to enforce neutrality. The other school, in ‘which representatives of lhe British Labour Party are prominent, believes that it is impossible for the Socialists Ito remain neutral in the ideological -struggle at present dividing the world and that wars cannot, in any case, be prevented by neutrality. The conference will endeavour to reconcile these two schools of thought if this is possible, and also try to settle an agreed policy by which the Socialists can resist Communism and at the same time promote the Ideals of their movement. There is likely to be considerable argument about Socialist support for the Atlantic Pact, and already sharp divergencies of opinion are evident. British delegates, for instance, hold that lhe pact is essential, but some French delegates and the Swedes and Swiss contend that it is incompatible with Socialist neutrality in world power politics.

The conference will have before It a report, already published, of an International study group appointed to examine the possibility of integrating Western Europe’s basic industries under a common authority. The British Labour Party has already invited alb European Socialist parties to send representatives to a conference in London later this month, when the question of the Socialist attitude to participation in the Schuman plan will be further discussed.

The present talks in Copenhagen will therefore be largely of an exploratory nature.—Special N.Z.P.A. Correspondent.