LABOUR MOVEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17803, 30 August 1929, Page 11

LABOUR MOVEMENT.

PRINCIPLE OF DEMOCRACY SOCIALIST POLITICAL VIEWS. In the early days of the Labour movement it was strongly democratic. Since it took on a socialist cast its democracy has more and more weakened. From time to time we find Socialist Labourites expressing views inimical to representative government. A few years back one of our New Zealand M.P.’s voiced the opinion that Parliament should be abolished. Though he qualified it later the view still remained that the Socialist seeks some other power than the representative one with which to work his will. The British Labour Prime Minister, speaking at Durham recently, said: “I tell you frankly that I can do three times more work when the House of Commons is not sitting than I can when it is. The House of Commons itself is a problem, and never a bigger one. than to-day, because you did not give us a majority. But when the House has ceased to meet then we have got a free field for work, and I want that free field.’’ Parliament a Problem. No doubt the Parliament is a problem, but a true democrat will recognise that executive authority, apart from the people’s representatives, is also a problem. This desire to get away from Parliament as expressed by Mr MacDonald may mean merely a desire for some release from the strain. It carried, however, another meaning when a leading speaker and teacher of his party (Mr G. D. H. Cole), lecturing before the Fabian Society, delivers himself thus — “We must go outside Parliament. We must not try to be too democratic. Democracy is no good for getting things done. The only means to achieve our ends is the widest bureaucratic power.” So it is not democracy these Socialists seek, but power, with or without democracy. The Morning Post refers to Mr MacDonald's utterance as “building Caesarism,” and says the sentiments would be suitable as coming from Signor Mussolini or Margues De Estella. The fulier report of Mr Cole’s speech, which we here quote, gives the show away as far as the Socialists are concerned — Outside Parliament. "Socialism cannot be achieved by democratic means,” Mr .G. D. 11. Coles said. “Democracy is all right foi holding things up, but as an instrument for getting them done it is no good. In the transition from Capitalism to Socialism we must go outside Parliament. Wc believe in democracy insofar as it may give us victory at the polls, but once the people have expressed their willingness to be ruled by our party we must not try to be too democratic. There is no other way for attaining our end than that of full bureaucratic control. “We shall appoint our experts—men who understand the industrial problems with which they will have to deal; and we shall expect them to get on with the job of organising industry on socialist lines.” The speaker also expressed the belief that the young people of this generation are sick of democracy and will welcome a bureaucratic regime. Note the cynicism of the sentence: "We believe in democracy insofar as it may glee us victory at the polls. The man who spoke these words is not an irresponsible street-coiner orator. He is a Fellow of Univoisity College, Oxford, a reader in economics at that university, an executive member of the Workers’ Educational Association and one of the scholarly guides of the’British Labour Party.

Theory and Practice. In theory, of course, the Socialist labourites are still democratic. It is necessary for election purposes, if for nothing else. So in degree is Soeiet Russia. It allows for elections of the Soviets and directs how these shall be carried out, There may be much surface or seeming democracy whole the actual “Government by the people” lias no existence. In practice the socialist labour movement often displays an utter disregard for democratic principle. Wo And it entering upon industrial strikes which cause widespread distress without oxen taking a ballot of the men and women who arc directly involved. Whilst professing to be in favour of the right to work” for all, it stands for methods of preference and compulsion which debar a number of workers from employment when it is oftered to them and leave them no means of redress. It further tyrannically requires from members of labour unions support of political activities which the individuals do not agree with. In many instances it abrogates the right of private judgment where the persons concerned can show good reasons for the opinions they hold. In relation to the general community it sets up standards of class and party interests on the basis of its own socialist doctrine to the utter disregaid of democratic principle in many instances. , . Lowers the Standard. Socialist Labour has not hesitated to use the weapon of industrial warfare for political ends. r ilie geneial strike, boycotting of those it is offended with, mass picketing - works and other methods of entorcing its will on the community have been nut into practice in complete defiance ot Civil rights Which democracy is expected to respect and protect, Ihe democratic principles freely announced in political speeches aic but too often followed by practices that are so dictatorial as to leave no doubt with respect to how lightly th socialist labourites regard democracy, in comparison with their own wi 1. The man who writes that “democracy is no good for getting things done but demonstrates that he has no real regard for democracy. He sets the vague creed of Socialism abo\e 1 , an sees nothing in democracy but an expedient for gaining power. As e view it true democracy is the embodiment of the principles of liberty and justice. It is more than majority lule or executive authority, though both are of vital use. It is the_ recognition of mass and individual lnitiaive reason and social unity. Not Social ism. Sovietism, Anarchism, or any doctrinaire view of life can take cinles of democracy and seeks nssist itself in a spirit of dictatorship it lowers the standard of the people m general and injures the workers whom it thus misrepresents. (Contributed by the New Zealand Welfare League.)