PROBLEM OF SOCIALISM.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 27 March 1914, Page 2

PROBLEM OF SOCIALISM.

(To the Editor). Sir, Your correspond'' t "J.C.I'.'IV (Just TJv.c; : -/V.selcss Twaddle) sturis oui r j- 'ieii. us throuti-h the coluiiv ■- ■?' ;.' - Horowlienua (.'hrojiieb ''• "is ' the meaning of Soci: -• il ' x But he never gets then '- <•■ ':•'. se ho cannot. Socialis , ' - ; -I- undefinable as the mUt on Hi-' ir'Uiitaiu side, lie indicates as his intellectual supporters, Chesterton, Wells and Bernard Shaw. Three of the most able- and vivid writers of th* day, but as far apart, in their views of Sociology and Socialism as the. sun, moon and stars. Each is individualistic and anarchistic, and presents his view of social conditions from his own individual perspective. The born !N T ew Zealander is level-headed as a rule, and if he takes the. trouble, usually detects the false ring in political specehmaking. We owe much of the ill-will and class trouble of recent years io foreign-ers--American, Australian. British, etc.—who import themselves and their opinions from overseas, as full of froth and fuss as a soda water bottle, and ready to go pop when the wire comes off. Oh, why do they thus trouble the land? The "NW Zealand reared man _ is usually a shrewd man, making U'ood grass grow on land reclaimed from bush and swamp. Live, and bt live is his nioito. (Socialism?) There is nothing of the downtrodden serf about him —a fair day's work for a fair day's wage. He is neighbourly and ready to put his hand in his pocket for the public good, as well as for the private good of the whisky seller and the Labour delegate. New Zealand is a hospitable land with a world-wide reputation for favourable conditions for workers, and shoals of these men from overseas land here with the idea of making trouble, shirking proffered work, and hunting a nice, soft billet for themselves. T would bet twopence (if T had it), Mr Editor, that ".T.C.r.T." has not been ten years in the dominion. Self interest is the game of his brand of socialism. T)o to your fellow.man as you would have your fellow mail do to you, and owe no man anything but comradeship, tliat is the note of genuine socialism. Why heave bricks and broken bottles! strew nails for horses' feet, check the commerce of the country, and encourage the savagery of sabotage? The 2u-w Zealand worker has gained much, a7id will gain more by legislation, and there is no need for him to revertto barbaric, methods. Fair play is bonny play. Every man and we ma n can choose a paid parliamentary servant, and if as M.P. he turns out to be a mere party inan, out for his personal interests an empty bladder of noise and gab, we can hand him the lemon at the next election, bid him go earn his tucker elsewhere, and vote for a better man to represent our interests. IVo, Mr Editor, 1 have no time for the red Hag socialist, nor the- so-called "Social Democrat," men who would trample the Union Jack underfoot, and replace- it by a u-ory piece of bunting.- -Yours, dc. ' OTI IiED FLAG.