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Hokitika Guardian, 27 April 1927, Page 2

Tm; marriage of M iss Peggy Thomas, daughter of Mr J. 11. Thomas, British ra i l way men’s secretary and ex-Cabinet Minister, notes an exchange, furnishes a moral which trade unionists of the vehement class-e mscioiis order might take to heart. The ceremony and the subsequent reception were attended by prominent political personages, including the Prime .Minister himscll. and the bride's lather quite unashamedly wore a frock coat and ton hat. In his speech at the- reception. Mr Thomas remarked that he would probably he lampooned for having paraded in the guise and in the company of capitalism. "I am trying,” he said, “to do the light thing, and disregard class hatred. Brains are not the monopoly of one class. I respect them, from whatever class they come.” In these words, Mr Thomas justified not only his invitation list, blit his frock coat and his top hat. Many Labour agitators, preaching cla.-s-coiiM ion- ness, have overlooked the immortal declaration of Hubert Burns that “the rank is hut tiie guinea stamp,” and that “a mail’s a limn for a y that.” The recognition of this divine classification by Labour leaders is very welcome, if perhaps .1 little belated. Air Thomas's own career is a substantial vindication of the truth of the poet’s aphorism. It is time that, the class-conscious idea, which is based upon that “inhumanity towards man,” against which'Burns so eloquently protests, came up for review. It leads nowhere, and is actually alien to the spiritual idea of Socialism upon which its advocates claim to take their stand. AVhat is wanted is a common, not 11 class objective. In his speech at the Wellington Chamber of Commerce dinner last week, the Prime .Minister (Air Coates) stressed tin l importance of employers and workers coming together for tin l common good. To that end, he said, it. was necessary that there should he no misunderstandings, and Hint the atmosphere which made misunderstandings possible, should he purified. Tll other words, there should lie a clear understanding of the objective—the prosperity of industry and of the best means of reaching it.