THE GENIES OF BOLSHEVISH.

Hokitika Guardian, 16 December 1921, Page 4

THE GENIES OF BOLSHEVISH.

(Contributed by “X”). 1 (Concluded). Xow though there ear be no doubt whatever that German intrigue has been largely responsible for some of the serious truugles which lire now menacing the world--more particularly the ' British Empire- it is quite passible that some at least of those who are fomenting these troubles- possibly the majority, are quite unaware that they are working in the interests of Germany. We know that Lenin and. Trotsky were. { at one time (i.e. at th e lime of the dis- | posing of KorenskyJ acting directly in German interest;-, under German instructions .and with German money. There is also direct evidence that a H i-cat- deal of German rionev went to, and is yot t in'dating in Ireland. But though we may have every.reason to believe that, those in the direct pay of Germane have played, and arc playing an important part in the troubles of Ireland, in Evpt, and in India, in the industrial and labor troubles throughout the world, and the spread of sediion and disloyaly throughout the British Empire thb operations of German a-'onts are so carefully bidden that direct evidence on this point is, as might -be expected, not easy to obtain, a,ml it would in any case b e utterly i wrong to assume that jhose who appear j in the forefront in these disastrous agi- | tatioiis are necresa' fly in German pay. I The re-opening of old sores; the fanning ! of the flames of fanaticism— religious j and national: the appeals to “national ! consciousness” of the smaller nationalj itbs, which are integral units of the i British Empire; the appeals to “class I cunseioiisness’’ of the workers: flu* disI semination of Marxian -socialists, coinI monistic and other extremist propaganda; this can all be worked in the interests uf Germany without German agents appearing directly in it lit all. The war which Geimany forced on the world, though it. did nut bring about directly what, was intended has created economic and so- ial conditions which have provied a fallow field for the sowI ing of poisonous seeds of discord, de--1 struetinn nnd anarehy. But these cannot he scattered broadcast as in the I case of demoralized and ignorant Itus- ! sin. They have to he carefully and j secretly mixed with the good seed which honest and intelligent humanity is endeavouring to sow. This .mixture has been so thoroughly and effectually performed Mint, only by the greatest care ran the good he now separated from the had. Yet it' this is not done the crop we shall reap will lie tares, not ! wheat—revolution and chaos instead of | evolution and progress. i In conclusion, writing as an employer ■ to employers 1 would issue a world of warning. Wo must, use the most careful discrimination in judging the notions and motives of those with whose opinions we do not agree, even in eases where wo Believe those opinions are highly dangerous. A man may he honestly and fanatically patriotic, and yet be all enemv to the best interests of his country. A Socialist and a Communist may be a mere visionary and dreamer, , not uhrossnrily a inalicrnniit- find bloodthirsty revolutionary. A labor agitator my lie in his own opinion honestly working for the betterment of those lie believes lie represents, without any ulterior motive of destroying society by piomoting Bolshevism. The repeated and sometimes unreasonable demands of labour mav he merely caused hv the illusion that- there is an inexhaustible margin of “profits" made by the employers (an illusion fostered probably hv tlie misleading manner in which total “profits” of large industrial institutions are published, without, at the same time explaining the amount of capital invested). Tf wo as employers take this tolerant view we will probably find the more intelligent and responsible section of “labor” will also be prepared to take a more tolerant view of the position of the “employer” class. . Lot ns lay down only one preliminary condition that pure reason and practical common sense, and not prejudice is ,o eovorn the deliberations-and there is not one single point as between employer and employee, both of whom are really of one class—tile industrial class which could not he satisfactorily explained and adjusted. Then we would he free to consider conjointly those social, political, and economic conditions which me inimical to welfare of both and to the whole of the colli miinitv. Organize the industrial ( .]. V ss ” anil vou have an irresistible force, which, in a democratic countij can control, in a legitimate and constitutional manner the destines of people, the nation, the Empire Split this “industrial class” up with factions, both incorrectly labelled “capitalists and “workers,” and set one against the other, and true democratic progress is barred. Scope is provided at the same time for the operations of those sinister forces which would destroy civil tuition and bring the horrors of < 1 war. anarchy. and destruction on humanity. And we not only know the nation in whose interests this would be hul we know that nation has expressed the deliberate intention to bring tins [about if possible, so far as the British Empire is concerned. The spirit whie i prompted the “Hymn of Hate 's still very much alive. „ T The employer who would classify labor” with “Bolshevism” and the aspirations of the oiie (even though sometimes unreasonable) , with the poisonous propaganda of the other, is working directly into tile hands of tile ' extremist. Let' us look rather on the feverish unrest and sometimes incoherent ravings of a section of “labor” as merely a sickness due to partial assimilation of a noison against which none of us are entirely immune, but which affects us fust in proportion as our reasoning faculties are developed or undeveloped, and the knowledge at our disposal is either extensive or otherwise. Let us not regard labor generally as disloyal, (unintelligent and revolutionary because of the utterances of some of those who profess, t'o be leaders. Let us rather credit the vast majority of labor” with honesty and intelligence anc meeting them on this ground freely and openly'discuss all aspects of the industrial situation. By this means ire may develop unity instead of distrust, and ultimately solve tho whole problem industrial unrest. *■