The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1929.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 October 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30, 1929.

THE. DISPOSITION OF LABOUR With Labour in political power at Home and in the Commonwealth, more consideration will.be given to the disposition or leanings of Labour in its use of the political power it possesses. On this aspect an exchange points out that a short, time ago a German journalist who represents the Con- • tinental Socialist Press Tn London, created something of a se'nsation in political circles at Home by publishing a singularly sacute analysis of the present condition of the Labour Party. According *to Herr Wertheimer, British Labour no longer takes Socialism seriously. It has lost its original inspirations, it has become disillusioned, and therefore it has fallen back upon a system of practical opportunism directed chiefly towards the amelioration of the wage-earner’s lot. It is something more than a coincidence that in the last number of the “Round Table” the condition of the Austra* lian Labour Party is diagnosed on almost precisely the same lines. According to the ••Round Table” Marxism, in spite of the eccentricities of a few extremists, has lost its hold upon the Australian workers. But its temporary ascendancy has left behind it a keen sense of class-interest, and it is primarily in the interest of the worker sthat Labour aspires to rule the

Commonwealth. As a consequence of tne cinee-pany system, Eacour is compelled to "carer lor tne allegiance of

onier sections or tne community,” su as to secure and mainca.n power. But wane it may mane concessions to its

allies, n concentrates on one rmniutaole purpose. Tne /seal or tlie Laboui

rany, a...ys our 'trait,' is “government of tne pco.de by tne omor for Un worKer.” Australian Luoour may

lairiy be described as “trie movement envisaged by iVlarx, but'shorn of Ins idealism ana bis 40 - nil and ecoiionnt philosophy.” \vheie it is still Socialist, it is so “lor tiie benent of tilt enthusiast and the idealist.” Under these conditions tne Australian Laboui movement is rapidly traiiisiorming itself and its programme, it has even proposed to uiop trie famous ‘plaint' wiiicn. advocates “the nationalisat.on of the means of production, distribution and e.-cirange,” and it has to a large extent iorgotten its old love for diiKi nat.onaiisatl.6n or land tenure 'reform. -.Thus we nnd in many of tiie Australian LiibGtir ; Governments “a .dmplete absened' of Socialism,” and even a movement against Socialism, on -lie' part of the workers in .States ..'hiclt have already adopted it. In ihort, says the “Bound Taule,” Ausralian Labour policy is reduced to “1, lard core of tuiiri'ie human factors,’ thd bears a striking resemblance in ipirit and method to Bo shevism after ...en.n’s “new'economic policy’ was introduced. The leaders of the Labour movement, now to a large extent, as ve have seen, disillusioned and bereft if their old inspirations, turn for guidance to their; experience of practial life. “They .tome from a hard chool, nnd have been in contact with ealities,” and so their movement has ome to illustrate the methods that ne Germans know in the diplomatic orld as “real politics.” Unlike Briish Labour, the Australian moveient “has ho use for intellectuals,” ut contends itself with the ideas, the teeds and the idioms of “the man m ne street.” It thus develops a somehat brusque practicality which makes 0 attempt to ’square with abstract onceptions of logic or ethics. The Vliite Australia do trine, Labour’s dew of immigration, the extreme Proection that Labour advocates, and its ndustrial policy in general, all exhibit he “crude insularity” as well as the mcritical attitude which the “Round Table regards as one of the worst deects of the movement. Immersed in lie practical politics of the moment, mbour in Australia has not yet evolvo a new social policy distinct from lie Socialism of an earlier day. And .s the workers are constantly atracted to the poll by fresh offers of ssistance and benefit, they naturally ut pressure on their leaders to fulfil heir promises. Under the circumstances, ,it is remarkable that few Labour Ministries in Australia have leen notorious for extravagance. Like Mr Hogan 111 Victoria to-day, they -onfess a chastened regret that they .annot find enough money to carry out ’:heir election pledges. But opportunists are, as the “Round Table” puts ; t, “peculiarly subject to. sinister influences, ’’ and though Marxism is tending to disappear, and the official heads of the party, express their views with studied moderation, the danger is that the workers, with no definite economic or philosoph c principle to guide them, may he induced to make experiments that may react most disastrously upon the welfare of Australia.