NO MILITARY FAKIRS

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 528, 8 June 1909, Page 11

NO MILITARY FAKIRS

CHRISTCHTJRGH SOCIALIST'S LETTER.; , HE APPROVES ROWDYISM; i " (BT SPECIAL COIIBESPONDKItT.) Chrlstchurch, Juno 5. I In a letter to a Christcliurch friend/ Mr. Jas. Thorn; the.Socialist, who iB on his way to'.England, .gives his impressions of Mel.'bourne... . • He says that ho attended the-Trades Hall Council there and spoke on New Zealand. Ho describes the council hall as a "great,place,"' muoh on the lines of a Parliament, but says that litt-lo attention is paid to the' debates; and speakers, are..disregarded.; The Labour party in Melbourne is described as: "respectIt has no outdoor propaganda, and is "strenuously engaged in chasing such legislative will-o'-the-wispa as we: have found ineffective to settle anything." . Mr. Thorn adds that; were the party to drop its: bourgeois radioal policy, and settle, down to Socialist effort, it would: do a tre-mendous-work. He describes the ; Socialist party as very active-with classes, a-band, a theatre, and a Sunday school.- The Socialists made Mr. Thorn very much "at home." "I am pleased to see,?'- the writer continues, "that Mr. M'NabV compulsory training -meeting was broken up in Wellington. That is the kind of treatment that: ought to bo dealt out to all these fakirs." Me Melbourne Socialist party is described as anti-militarist, and Mr. Thorn says that he met thero a man who said that ho would sooner bo placed against ' a . wall 1 and shot than fight for his country, and he goes on to spoak of the good qualities of the man. He received in Melbourno letters of introduction to prominent Socialists in Britain, including »Mr. Geo. .Bernard Shaw.' In conclusion, Mr. Thorn says that he hopes to "shake things up" on his return. . . 1 . • : '.'The: satisfaction which Mr. ' Thorn expresses at the success of the rowdies who broke up the defence meeting in Wellington," remarks a-Christchureh paper, "throws some light upon a similar occurrence in Christchi]rch. The militant Socialists -were very careful to explain at the time that-they took no part in th'o disturbance wliieh defeated the purpose of the great meeting in King Edward Barracks, but Mr. Thorn says. now that ftnvono.. who •is fttvountblo to compulsory military,'training should be refused a hearing from the public platform. Ho is oil his way to . London , with letters of introduction to Mr. Blutohford and Mr. G. B. Shaw and wo should like to. know what' these 'comrades' : will \ thin It, of tW methods' ho is applanding. The. editor of the 'Clarion,' 'in his simplicity,' does not- think military, traiiiins inconsistent witli the high ideals-of Socialism, and Mr. :Shaw has been"knotth-tfl glory in;.tho supremacy of the British , Navy.".