NATIONAL DANGERS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1753, 19 May 1913, Page 3

NATIONAL DANGERS.

ON THE ROAD TO DECADENCE. Sir. Tour leading articlo in Saturday's paper deserves the serious attention "of oven - thinking man nnd woman in NewZealand. Wo are face to face with a momentous problem—our future. You have, called our attention, to facts that liavo often been reftrred to, but you have definitely indicated that there is a scientific basis for your opinions. Throughout tho world there are two opposing tendenciesLiberalism and Socialism. In every country of tho world this is recognised, and there is a clear-cut line of demarcation between Liberal thinkers (those who realise the part the individual plays in social evolution) ami Socialists (who emphasise the power of Governments); and i yet, it seems 'to me that in New Zealand (alone among tho nations) there is 110 real attempt made to convince the general Public of the philosophy and economics of the opposing positions. It may be that the long reign of the pseudo-socialistic Scddon-Ward party (misnamed Liberal) is the reason for it. It is certainly true that there are no active opponents of Socialistic tendencies iti political life today.' Wo have from your leading articlo a clear warning, and if wo understand the value of history at all we must realise 'that there are tendencies extant to-day that pave tho way for national decadence just as surely as in. the caso of Rome centuries ago. It is not merely a coincidence that Rom© decayed after a period remarkable for declining birth-rate and feverish attempts on tho part of callous citizens to use tho State for every conceivable activity where previously they depended on. individual exertion-. It might ba bad reasoning to say theso things were the cause of Rome's decline if we could definitely point to other forces more important, or if we could point to Rome's caso as isolated in history. And it might bo bad reasoning to insist that there is decadence ahead of New Zealand (if not already noticeable) if theso grave national dangers of declining birth-rate aad increasing dopondeuco on the State were absent. Unfortunately they are not. Everyone admits, that the conditions exist. The troublo is 110 one seems to realise tho logical end of it all. There is an optimistic hope that things will right themselves and wo will by our superior knowledge of economics and science offset tho approaching? doom. The same criminal optimism was prevalent in. Rome prior to its decadence, but conditions became graver as the moral calibre of the citizens became weakened. In New Zealand wo need an awakening. We miist ask ourselves if wc_ are right in condoning these evils of Socialistic experiment. I know few call Socialism an evil, but those who do generally pander to tho wish of tho majority, who seem to consider there is 110 way out of tho economic labyrinth but by more Socialism—or what is tho same thing, tendencies along tho way to Socialism. Is our country definitely and irrevocably pledged to this policy of Socialism? Must we for ever pander to tho claims and even the threats of Labour agitators?. Wo find business men, Merchants' 'Associations, Chambers of Commerce, and others whose interests are conflicting with Labour, pleading only for peace; and allowing, betimes, "Socialism to become more and more firmly entrenched among us. With increase of State activities, there is logically decrease of individual activities, and the public will expect as years roll by that tho State must perform services at present performed by individual business men. At the back of this desire is the selfish desire to obtain some "Government job," tho false idea' that State interference is' the only means of redressing particular grievances. No one to-day dare speak out in favour of individualism, or tho logical position in society of that philosophy— anyhow, that is how it seems to me. 111 America young men are inspired to have faith in their power of succeeding in life by their own efforts, and the logic of individualism has meant iu that country a production of national wealth that is elsewhere unknown, Every man in the struggle for existenco must inevitably interfere with the freedom of others to_a greater or a lesser extent, and just as ill biology we know tliat the survival of the fittest means tho survival of those fittest to assist evolution to higher forms, so in social evolution wo must without delay realise the same truth. This is tho logic of individualism, and it brings with it the impetus to national prosperity, and. abovo all, backbone and moral calibre. It condemns the impotent cries of those who lack the will to help themselves; it.considers them only when they are deserving. Even more strongly it condemns those who solace themselves with an idea that they lend a hand ! , in improving labouj- conditions; labour conditions are better everywhere where (lie citizens are more self-reliant. The troublo is few people are candid enough to mention these truths, and so we are being hurried towards national conditions that will in the long run deny individual freedom and sap the moral calibre of the race. With the levelling processes that are going on, one wonders where wo are to find in the future those individual geniuses and men of culture and ability who have been tho very mainspring of our progress. Historically and scientifically- they have been appreciated because they liad chances of developing and utilising their powers; ■ some of th'ein may have made fortunes (which tliey deserved) by the way, but they have improved the material and intellectual standards of their follows. In the State of the future—unless the leader we crave for comes along to educate us one and all—the highest genius will be to control civil servants, or otherwise grapple with the problems of an -unwieldy Socialised State, In tho • education of our peoplo wo must have straight talks on liberty and individualism, and wo must for ever resist the pleadings of spccial interests. If wo do not soon, for examplo, resist the special pleadings of Labour, wo will find ourselves hustled into Socialism by way of anarchy, for that is the avowed aim of advancing Syndicalism—l am, etC " ' STRAIGHT TALK. May 12, 1913.