The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1926. SOCIALISM IN OUR TIME.

Waikato Times, Volume 100, Issue 16812, 2 June 1926, Page 4

The Waikato Times With which is Incorporated The Waikato Argus. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2, 1926. SOCIALISM IN OUR TIME.

The Independent Labour Party at its recent conference at Whitley Bay ■(England) adopted as its slogan “Socialism in Our Time.” It solemnly declared that the present go-as-you-please methods were not calculated to land tiiem at their goal lor many generations, and they desired therefor to “speed up.” Tho “Socialism in Our Time” programme includes the living wage, a national banking system, with the control of currency and credit, the nationalisation of the importation of food and raw materials and the nationalisation of railways, mines, electrical generation and land. This is a rattier big programme to accomplish in a generation. When the Labour Government took office in 1924 it seemed that the evolutionary group among the Socialists had got the upper hand, and would be able to impose their will for a long time to come on the left wing, with its doctrine of short-cuts and revolutionary transformations. The chief point to be borne always in mind is that those who want to introduce Socialism by revolution since evolution is too stow for them are ready to sacrifice democracy. They really care nothing for the will of the majority. They say, in effect, “If people do not know what is good for them we will find a way of forcing what is good upon them, it is ridiculous to wait till a majority can be persuaded. That may ho never.” Your true revolutionary fears nothing more than he fears the people, lie knows that tho British people will examine a horse very carefully point by point, and have it “vetted” more than once before they consent to buy it. Therefore he has little use for the persuasion business. If the members of tho Independent Labour Party were as democratic in practice as in name, they would be prepared to abide by the decisions of the majority even if they made the most ghastly mistakes. They would put up with the mistakes till they could persuade a majority to think differently. That is the only logical meaning of democracy, and anyone who disputes it cannot really be a democrat. The decision of the Independent Labour Party is a matter which concerns all, for even if the Labour Partyshould not come into power again soon in Britain it is likely to remain the official Opposition. The character of the party as a whole will react on the national life at innumerable points of contact. The time has therefore come when Mr Ramsay MacDonald, if he is to ho an effectual leader of the Opposition, must make up his mind between evolution and revolution. But perhaps that is not to state the case quite fairly. It is well known that he has already made up liis mind. lie said in a recent description of tho ideal Socialist that “he does not stop the life of society in order to try new experiments or to put a brand new system into operation. The pledges lie gives do not concern his achievement of the morrow so much as Die purpose which underlies and impregnates all his continuing action lie is an evolutionist par excellence." Can Mr MacDonald apply the brake to his more ardent followers, to ensure that the team will not get out of hand and wreck the equipage. Mr Brailsford, a prominent member of tho Independent Labour Party, lias explained in tho New Leader the need for hurry. lie is afraid that if Socialism is not introduced in our time the Capilalists may find a way of making their system sufficiently attractive lo stave off Socialism indefinitely. This urgency is, of course, the result of the new thoughts which have been taking shape here since the discovery that high wages can actually be combined with cheap production. 'We should have expected an idealist like Mr Brailsford lo say that if anyone could give the wage-earner good pay, good conditions and general happiness, he would take off his hat lo him and yield him place; but apparently Mr Brailsford is less concerned witii gelling happiness as soon as possible for tho working man than with setting up one of those brand new systems which Air MacDonald lias so explicitly condemned. Air Brailsford says, “If we shirk or postpone the task, if we fail to realise the need l'or a conscious and deliberate strategy, capitalism may save itself for a generation. . .Wo march to defeat if wo allow our own army lo suppose that our purpose is merely to win for it an easy material life.” We wonder whether Die working man ever understood that he was lo be used in litis way; whether lie ever understood that his life and prosperity were to he slaked on a doe—|ho doctrine of doing tilings in a certain way merely for Lite sake of doing them in that way? Surely he always understood that lie was invited lo accept Socialism because it could bring him a welfare Utai capitalism could not bring him. Air Brails ford’s confession is surely noteworthy. ji is an admission that lie is more, concerned about the route than the goal.