COMMUNISM POSTPONED

Hokitika Guardian, 1 February 1923, Page 1

COMMUNISM POSTPONED

J THE RED INTERNATIONAL. i . ' PUTS ON THE BRAKE. ! f LONDON, Dec. 11. : The world has already become aware of tiie fact that even Lenin is letting up on the pure gospel of Communism. This we had surmised from the beginnings made to attract trade from the outer world, and although . these attempts have been bungled in many ways, yet the spirit was clearly indicated of a desire to slacken the rein in the wild ride for pure Communism.

Evidence of this continues to accumulate and a very notable body of this evidence is forthcoming from the recent conference of the Third International which has been sitting at .Moscow. At this a long document was included in the agenda and it amounts in fact to a report front the Russian authorities on the existing position. What thi* report does is, in brief, to advise its supporters to postpone to some future and indefinite time the lull realisation of their aims, lit confesses that there still lies a long period of proletarian struggle before the triumph of Communism. The programme which is put forward in this document does indeed include the nationalisation of large industrial undertakings ami means ol transport, hut with regard to the nationalisation of land there is this very astute provision :

“The extent of the ground area to In* delivered up to the peasantry is determined by economic expediency, and by the necessity of neutralising the peasantry, that is. by their socialpolitical importance.” T!-" other fundamental measures include the •■neutralisation.” which appears to be another word for nationalisation. of hanks, and of wholesale trade, the. cancellation of State debts, the “monopolisation” of foreign trade ami of principal newspapers. Hut what i* more important is that with all these foreshndowings of complete nationalisation the report, actually advises that ‘ small and medium p:opei I ins”- should not be natioiial.,..,l First, because the Soviets lack organising forces to unite these businesses. and, .second, because the pro--1,-lariat should not provoke thee intermediate groups against it.” These undertakings, which would diilv he "cumbersome ballast.’ must ! • left to private initiative. It even goes further and makes im-.vii Use remarkable news that capitalistic forms of administration sucli :i* "individual stimulation to work, i.. ,oi*i~’ el*., are unavoidably ~,- rv Again, n is advised that ilie my proletariat must "set- up no 1 1-r Li's to the individuali-tH* working 0',,::,-,.* ~f the peasant ry“—another confession that ( ninimniisiii lm* utterly ll|, <l to coerce the Russian .peasantry cajole 1 belli, and therefore inii-t 1, five i kern alone. Ibi! tin* whole lale of its Guam back : , ,-ldor idea yet remains to be Ldd. and v.e have to cute '» this, ext raordii cry ivp-ii't lie* real incut ol the question of religion. • ■ l'nder the ''ending of combating keip .*'o, 1 '■ - 11 is -imU*-;** and superstitions. the !ir*'. place is taken by the light a .aiu*i religion, a fight which mu* l,e carried on with all roiiiiisite 'act a|l caution, especially among the* - of worker - in whos,* daily lit ley-ion has hitherto been deeply r<->*:-

It then got- oil in si, many w„rd* l„ acknowledge Hint ils go-pel •* by no moans fully admitted in Ku*-.-ia. for it declare.-, that unless Hie i"u,nuitv of Hi,* trade unions i* won ov- i th,, realisation of Hie • dictatorship »■ llio proletariat" i- "unthinkable but it is urged that the masses >hoiil I be united under tne Communist ling by imiiating -noli quest:..ns a* '"creased prices, employment, and higher taxation.. This, it would appear, does not apply to Russia, but in Western Europe.