MR. H. A. CAMPBELL'S "WORST CLASS OF EXPLOITERS."

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2151, 18 May 1914, Page 6

MR. H. A. CAMPBELL'S "WORST CLASS OF EXPLOITERS."

Sir,—Tlio obiter dictum of Sir. H. A. Campbell, one. of tire organisers of the Social-Democratic Party, cited ill your sub-leader to-day, ehor-actonsing "squatters, solicitors, barristers," etc, as "all tlio worst, class of cXttloitci's who wax fat and accumulate, riclves out of the sweat of the- workers," recalls to my mind the- ejgnificant fact that' in tlio beginning of the 17th century, vrlmn the populace was clamouring for' political freedom against fliO reign of despotism begun Wider Henry II and culmmatina under >lw miiHi-maFried Henry V 5.11, a largo body of the members of the Bowse of _ Commons consisted of lawyers, against whom the Social-Democrats inreirth so bitterly. According to S. K. Gardiner (Hist. Sua., 1, 178), "tlio services which this class of men rendered to the causo of freedom ffere incalculable • . , , tlio hnrilwn of the conflict in the Commons lay upon tlio lawyers, ivho at onco gave to the struggle against the Cretvn that strong; legal character which it never afterwards lost." ,Why the SocialDemocrats should include lawyers among the worst class of exploiter's is inexplicable, seeing that their ranks csu only be recruited by men of studious habits and education, and are net open to iniltipnre v but free io all men irrespective of rank or station, as instanced he the fact that onn of this Dominion's ■ leading counsel of tha day wis at one

time, a newspaper vendor- As a newspaper voiraosv the Social-Democrats 1 would welcome- liim. to ''the .iH-ottieriwod of man," but, because, ho'wisely ap* plied himself to "study and became a lawyer, ho _ becomes anathema to the blatant Social-Democrats, What a sidelight on their attitude towards education! Even our respected Chief Justice, than whom no more anient advocate of "the brotherhood of Man" exists, is subjected to a tirade of vituper- i ntivo Billingsgate from-tho paid leaders; of this one-eyed class which sees no good in anybody of social standing of respectability. Tho men whose tactics are to howl down Cabinet ■ Ministers) while each one hits, an exercisable vote eqtjal to that of the squatter and others' of '_ 'tho worst class < f exploiters," met 'their deserts at the recent Mavorol election, which was a-triumph for respectability, and tbo still more recent school coMinittco elections. Thank God, despite tho senseless "blast of the fol-lcwtu-s of Messrs. Sample, Hiekey, et alios quos onumora.ro longum est, the sslior section of the community has shown itself in a majority, Init tho paid leader calls an utter foi.lt a. moral victory, and his ignorant flock accept his statement.—l am, etc., m„. PERCIVAIi R. WADDY. Wellington, May 10, 1914.