The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MAY 9th, 1925.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. SATURDAY, MAY 9th, 1925.

SHL IAI.IS.M AND SA< KI KICK. V cool) deal is being said 111 lilt? {T«\s> and- from many a platlorm aliout i-ocl-alism. Today v.e publish an essay on the subject, combined with lin: huger i|ia.'li in i | s.untnc. which m essomc I i n'itii's tnn’ socialmni. Tin; writer in Mr \\\ T. .Morpeth, CliiH (.'ommissiouor of ('loan Lands, and those pernsiny lln 1 arti.-lc will have no diflnulty in following the subject ami realising that a very interest jpo, Ilot to say illuminating, review ol the subject is afforded. ISoeiali.snt in the ahslraet is a very wide snbjo t, and its application can la; made one of degree from the moderate to the extreme. Tlie ease of New Jlarmuiiy quoted in tlie essay, refers to an instance of practical socialism on simple lines which failed a.s New Australia and other similar eii'orts failed- just for the reason ((noted against New Harmony, the failure to apply a natural law wliiili has governed individual progress sinee the time <f the cave man. .Mr .Morpeth’s article makes it plain, Imue.er, that there can he no .success for socialism. without effort, not for self, hut in a spirit of sacrifice for the

common good. Biitain has made a notable financial saeriliee since the war to keep her credit good - and she has succeeded. Other nations, deopIv involved, have shirked the obvious

icrifice, ami even talk of repudiation Naturally their currency is depreciated causing an immense national loss. and with their credit cone, the hurilon must he heaped on the |:eople to nr extent difficult to calculate. By tin sacrifice of Britiiiu her peoples enjoy a financial condition of socialism affecting all trades of tho population, who are emerging from a seemingly impossible plight due to the exercise of the right spirit. This is in keeping with the quotation of' Benjamin Kidd in the article under notice, that ‘'the nation which has learned the lesson of the will to sacrifice, will have world dominion.” And the complementary state is demonstrated also, that without the will to sacrifice, world dominion is a vain delusion. That is exemplified in the comparison between the nations which emerged from the (treat War, and their plight to-dav financially. Then how is the lesson to he applied socially to im| rove general conditions and the lot of man as a whole? There must he some sacrifice on the part of all parties. It is not sufficient to wait complacently for a miracle to happen. It will not come to pass without effort. There is evidence of the effort of one section to help the other; hut unfortunately contemporaneously. there is evidence of the clfurt of another section to sprag the wheels by clamouring, unfairly or by evading work. There is not the will to sacrifice and this ujsetting of local conditions creates difficulties all round ami imposes loss on the community as a whole. While go-slow methods prevail at some shipping 1 <>ns, there is the natural desire ot shipping to avoid those ports, and loss ci sues because of the thoughtless action ol the workmen. It is better to build up than to pull down, and building up. is not possible with the lire and sword, the j instruments of revolt. But it is possible bv reasonable action to win those hotter conditions it is natural to aim for. and which in themselves are actually a negation of simple socialism. The betterment of the people as a whole is the truest form of socialism, and that "ill come from upliiting, home of work end energy well and fairly directed. That is the kind of sacrifice to hiing about the desired era of benefitting socialism —where all will work, and each will try to do better, so that all may prosper. In that brand of socialism there need he no setting of class against class, but each co-operating in the effort to benefit mutually. But. as Air Morpeth concludes this elysian state will not come quickly. Human nature is still tao complex to combine readily and nationally. But the ideal should

lie .strived for, and a study of Mr Morpeth’s eoiivlusions might lie helpful to some who fair-mindedly will reiew the position as it is and as it might be.