The Wanganui Herald (Published Daily.) THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1930. THE WORKERS AND WAR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160726, 12 August 1920, Page 4

The Wanganui Herald (Published Daily.) THURSDAY, AUGUST 12, 1930. THE WORKERS AND WAR.

The decision of the various Labour organisations in the Old Land to declare an immediate general strike in the event of Britain making war on Russia, opens up a new vista for the nations of the earth, and affords a glimmer of hope that the day may come when humanity will no longer be doomed to be dragged for ever at the chariot wheels of its war lords. The workers of the world certainly have the decision of the matter in their own hands. If they take np the same attitude that is now being adopted by Labour in Britain, well, the millenium may he much nearer than many anticipate. It is one thing, however, for the organised and fairly well-educated workers of the United Kingdom to decide on a particular course of action, but quite another matter when some of the most formidable nations of the earth, from the point of view of man-power, consist in the main of disorganised, uneducated rabble, controlled by scheming autocrats and militarists, whose chief consideration is wealth and power. Certain it is that the wars of the past have not been precipitated by the masses, who have had to do the fighting, but by designing and ambitious politicians and rulers. It is very largely the workers who are killed in every great war. It is the men who know nothing of the jealousies of rival rulers whose blood deluges the earth every time that war is declared. The fact remains, however, that the fighting element is still strong in human nature, which is easily aroused on slight provocation, and the influence of various other stubborn facts has to be taken into consideration. There are personal and national ambitions, conflicts of interests, and • national jealousies. There is the possibility of aggression by barbarians and half-civilised races and nations that are incapable of self-government. Taking conditions'* as we find them, then, it is yet too early to hope for the establishment of that international commonwealth which dreamers of the future have predicted -as the final outcome.

With the spread of education and the general international recognition of the great principle of freedom, the abolition of war may be something more than a dream. The education of the nations—particularly the “dark” peoples—is, however, a slow process. The time may come when the “plain people” will become more enlightened and will perceive more clearly the conscienceless vicariousness of war’s penalties and the significance to the individual of the fact that he lives only once, and will prefer the joy of being alive to the glory he will not taste when he is dead. There is ,no disputing the fact that since the Great War many of the more eqjightened workers of Europe have displayed an indisputable disinclination for war service, and if this becomes anything like universal, it will take the occupations away from the annexing, conquering, bullying, sword-flashing rulers of the whole tribe of fire-eating bosses. For the present, however, no nation can afford to break its sword in the presence of the ring of armed warrior-Powers; but discussion and the appeal to reason can hardly fail to open the eyes, even of the most stubborn supporters of militarism. Some day the masses will come to their senses, and when they do, war will be at an end. Meanwhile good work may he done in seeking to secure general adhesion to a joint plan of action, such as Labour has decided on in Britain, which may abolish the age-long curse of war.