Time To Revive Evangelic Fire Of Socialism

Chronicle (Levin), 1 June 1949, Page 8

Time To Revive Evangelic Fire Of Socialism

Received Tuesday, 7 p.m. . LONDON, JHay 31. Mr. Ellis Smith, Labour Memher for Stoke, who recently expressed the opinion that the time had come _ to revive the. evangeiic al fire'of socialism in Britain as it was preaclied originally oy Mr. Keir Hardie and Mr. George Lansbury, has received a large number of letters which indieate that his view is shared by a number of Labour supporters. . Several of his correspondents expressed deep dissatisfaction with the record and achievements of the present Labour Government and claimed that it was compromising its Socialist prin- ■ ciples. Mr. Smith is now considering the , f ormation of an - organisation to be known as the Socialist Fellowship, wdiieh would work towards what he eon-sidei-s the true Socialist doctrine. A rally to initiate the fellowship may be fceld at Blackpool during the period of the fortheoming Labour Party national conferenee there and may be followed by further rallies in Glasgow, Manchester and London. / One Labour supporter who wrote to Mr. Smith, said: "We must have no more Budgets like the . last one which has done more than anything ;else to make the workers vote Tory or not vote at all. The housewife has done more damage to our cause than anyone and it will take some pretty good Labour propaganda t'o win her back — and this We must do to ensure victory next_ year. " " Several correspondents complained about the complacency of the Labour Party organisation and urged that more should be done to enlist the support of young people. Oue youth who said he had applied for membership of the Labour League of Youth a month ago, claimed that he had not yet ha$ any reply. Others who complained that the Government was not following true Socialist principles, said they were considering not voting at all at the next election. The Manchester Guardian political correspondent, reviewring the support given to Mr. Smith, says that no general conclusions can be drawn from the correspondence but it does show trends of opinion eritieal of .the Labour Party in sections of the electorate which the Government would like to idiink seeure.