THE LODESTAR. Max Pemberton. (London: Ward, Lock, and Co., Ltd.).

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIX, Issue 18, 2 November 1907, Page 31

THE LODESTAR. Max Pemberton. (London: Ward, Lock, and Co., Ltd.).

Socialism has so often been proved to be the parent of anarchy and revolution that it is excusable that the term Socialist has come to be regarded as only another synonym for anarchist or revolutionist. In Max Pemberton’s new Book, “ The Lodestar,” the reader is given a very fine conception of the ideal socialist, whose tenets are as far opposed to anarchy and revolution as evolution is opposed to _the latter; and in order to emphasize this conception, Mr. Pemberton has chosen for his exponent a man of gentle birth, whose natural instincts, being opposed to Socialism, disposes, at the . outset, of the commonly accepted belief that a socialist is a proletariat who, having set his foot upon the lowest rung of the social ladder, is thankful to demonstrate any doctrine that will help him to ascend the hitherto inaccessible ladder that is' to lead him up to prosperity, and secure for him social civic, and political equality. It has been declared that if there were enough official posts to go round in f Russia there would be no revolutionaries, and it is equally certain that if there was enough properly paid labour to go round m England, there would be no need for Socialistic legislature.. Mr. Pemberton’s socialism is the socialism of Christ, and his motif has been to show the difference between the real and the spurious socialism, that, is at best only its illegitimate offspring. He shows, too, the immense influence the example of a fearless, truthful, selfless individual like the “; Alban.. Kennedy ” of this book can wield over his fellows, convincing and impressing qven such hardened traitors as “Richard Gessnei,” the villain of this story, -and the brutal officials of Russia, to whom mercy and justice are unknown quantities, The scenes are laid in London and Warsaw, the majority of the characters being Poles, , and members of a. secret revolutionary’ society. There are .some terribly vivid pictures drawn of the everyday life of Warsaw, the more terrible by reason of the grim, earnest, puritanical style that is characteristic of Mr. Pemberton’s work. Speaking of the general characteristics of the Polish and Russian women, one of the characters says: 7

“The Polish ladies are old-fashioned enough to ’ove one man at a time —in their own country, at any rate. The Russians, nu the contrary, are less selfish. A Russian woman is often the victim of three centuries of suppressed female ambitions. She has large ideas, fierce passions, an excellent political sense—and ali these must be cooled by the wet blanket of a vo’v ordinary domesticity. In reality she is not domesticated at all. and would far sooner be following ■ her lover—the one chosen for the day—dov/n the street with a flag. Here you have the reason why a Russian woman appeals to us. She is rarely beautiful—some of them would themselves admit the deficiency—but she is never an embarrassment. Tell her that you are t»red of her. and you will discover that she was. about to stagger your van’ty by a similar confidence. In these days of revolution she is seen at her best. Fear of neither God nor man will restrain her. We have more of the show of religion and less of the spirit in Russia than in anv other country in the world. Here in Poland it is a little different. Some of our women are as the idealists would have them to be. . Rut, there are others—or the city would he intolerable.” Alban bad lived too long in a world of mean cynics that this talk should either surprise or entertain him. Mon in Unionstreet speke of women much as this careless fellow did. rarely generous to them and often exceedingly unjust.

The unrest of. Russia .and the selfish irdifference shown by its penpie in their relation to one another, and the, probable effect of .socialistic legislation in England is also touched upon.

“Those fellows are sitting down to supper 'with bombs tinder their* chairs,” he said, sotto voce; “that is to say, each thinks that a bomb is. there,. and hopes that it will kill his neighbour. We have no sympathy in ou£ public life here—the conditions are altogether against it. Imagine five hundred mon upon the deck of a ship which has strtick a rock, and consider what opportunities there would bo to deplore the drowned. In Russia each plays for his own safety, and doesi not care a rouble what becomes .of the man •ext door. Such a fact is both our

strength and our weakness; our strength because opportunities make men, and our weakness because we have no unity of plan which will enable us to fight such a combination as is now being pitted against us. I myself believe that the old order is at an end. That is why I have a villa in the south of France and some excellent apartments in Paris.”

“You believe that the Revolutionaries will be victorious?” Alban asked in his cuiet way.

“I believe that the power is passing from the hands of all autocratic governments, and that some phase of socialism will eventually be the policy of all civilised nations.”

“Then what is the good of going to England, Count, if you believe that it will be the same story there?”

“It is only a step on the road. You will never have a revolution in your country, you have too much common sense. But you will tax your bourgeois until you make him bankrupt, and that will be your way of having all things in common. In America the working man is too well off and the country is too young to permit this kind of thing yet. It’s day will be much later: but it will come all the same, and then the Deluge. Let us rejoice that we shall not see these things in our time. It is something to know that our champagne is assured us.”

There is the usual love story, which, beginning unpromisingly enough in Whitechapel, ends -happily in the great, mansion at Hampstead, owned by the principal villain of this narrative, who has learned too late the vanity of riches without love -and honour. Socialism, as exemplified the person of Alban Kennedy, would seem to be the remedy for the existing state of things that is at present taxing the brains and resources of politicians, and all those who lay claim to be the lovers and well wishers of suffering humanity. But a grave warning is to be found in the following: —

“The whole nation is chasing a little ball,’’ he said. “We deplore the advance of Germany, but I would ask you: How does the German- spend his day? What are bls-meeds? • Where do his amusements lie? There, is a country, for you—.every, man a re-’.di er. every worker an intellect. in England, nowadays, our young fellows : seem to try alid find out how little they’ can do., We live for-minimums,- We are only happy when we. have struck a ball with a bat and it has gone far. We reserve our greatest hond'urs for those’ who thiis excel.”

Alban ventured to say that beer seemed to be the recreation of the average Ger man, and insolence his amusement. He confessed that the Germans beat his own people by hard work, but. he asked: Is i! really a good thing that work should be Hie beginning and the end of all things? He had been taught at school that the s.uprem<» beauty of life lay in things apart, and chiefly in a man’s own soul. To which Gessner himself reported that a woman's £obl was what the master meant. “We have let Civilisation make us what we are,” the banker said, shrewdly, “and now we complain of her handiwork. Write what you like about it, money and love arc the only two things loft in the world to day. The story has always been the same.-but people did not read it so often formerly. There have always been ambition, strife. struggle, suffering—why should the historians trouble to tell of them? You yourse’f Alban would be a worker if the opportunity came to you. I have, foreseen that from the first moment I met you. If you were interested, you would outdo the Germans and beat them both with your head and your hands. But it will be very difficult to interest you. You would need 1 some great stimulus; and. in your case, it would be ambition rather than its rewards.”

Alban replied that' a love of power was probably the" strongest 1 influence in the world. ......

, .“We all hate work,” lie sa’d, repeating his favourite dictum. ‘"‘l don’t suppose there is one man in a thousand who would do Another day’s work unless he were compelled. The success of. Socialism in our time is the belief that it will glorify idleness and make it real. The agitators themselves never' work, i They have learned the rich men’s secvcl. 1 have .hear 1 them preaching the digifity of labour a hundred times.' but I never yet saw one wheeling a barrow. The prior fellows who listen to them think that, you have only got to-pass,.a few Acts of Parliament to be happy for ever after. I pity them. But how pre'you to teach I Them that the preseht state of things is just? and if It Is not just why should you wish.it to last?” Gessner could answer that. A rich man himself ail' that concerned the new doctrines was of the profoundest interest to him. . t , r. “The present state of things Is the only state of things—ln the bulk.” he said. “It is as okl as the world,” and evil go on as long. ns. the world. We grumble at our rich pjen. but those whn have amassed their owii fortunes are properly the nation's bartkers. CdnSider what a sudden gift of money would moan to the workingmen of. England to-, day—drunkenness, crime, debauchery. You can legislate to improve the conditionte' of their lives, but

to give them creative brains is beyond all legislation. And I will tell you this- tha». once you have passed any considerable socialistic legislation for this kingdom of Great Britain, you have decided he. destiny. She Will in twenty years be in the position of Holland-—a country that was, ,but noy er will, be again.” There is much food for thought in “The Lodestar.” -Nor is it lacking in the lighter element, which is supplied in the person of a horsey ad ven Hirer, who, though a scamp, has the merit of being a very amusing scamp. In the mass of literature about Russia that has been flooding the journalistic wot Id, the tendency has been to exaggerate .the.capacity, for sheer brutality, of the Russian official. But the reader will not fail to note the naturalness with which Mr. Pemberton has delineated. the Russian official character, and has thrown the blame where the blame is most justly due, viz., the system. As a study in vivid contrasts, “ The Lodestar ” would be difficult to beat'. Mr. Pemberton is also to be highly congratulated on the lair and temperate way he has put his case for socialism. We are indebted to Messrs. Wildman and Arey for our copy of this admirably written story.