The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1931. WHITHER WENDING.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1931, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1931. WHITHER WENDING.

Although we are not hearing from the Labour candidates so much about “Socialism in our time,” it is jjtill a slogan of the Labour Party in politics. One of the main planks of the political party endorsed by the Labour Executive, is “tlili socialisation of the means of production, distribution ana exchange.” This is the whole hog a,s regards the adoption of Socialism, and the electors should bear this fact in mind. As the matter stands, Labour is' the stepping stone to Socialism, while after Socialism the next

i stage is Communism. These “objectives” of the- Labour Party are therefore very closely allied, and the contingency involved in electing a Labour Government should not be lost sight of. In Australia there have been many disastrous attempts financially with socialistic experiments, the experience being the costly character of the operations and the ultimate scrapping of 'the attempts, iSociallism is of course a challenge to the present conditions, or as they are often described, Capitalism. The last; mentioned represents the ordered government of society as we know it. There is a head or authority, and the community is organised accordingly. The social structure is represented by the people and it is interesting to lock round the world and note the conditions. A remarkable advance lias been made in civilisation under capitalism because there is free play for the talents. Under the socialistic state- there is a restriction and an attempt to produce equality. Human nature is so complex that the idea strikes one as the impossible. Communism goes a step further and seeks to enforce the equality by a class war to remove class, and produce a level standard for all. Russia is the modern example of this, and that appears something to be shunned from the- outset, if Russian ways and manners are to be avoided. Under the capitalistic rule there is opportunity for all to climb the ladder of fame. Where there lias been failure in that direction does it not rest mainly with the individual? How often do we see golden chances thrown away, and the man described as a failure? Would he not be a failure under any system for he could not obtain greater opportunities? The degree of fail line does not rest with tnc, system but with the man or men responsible for the miscarriage of the opportunities. The social system depends in fact on the individual. It is not a machine to be started and to run true for a- given time. It is a condition calling for individual efficiency, and when that- fails the machine goes out of order, but we cannot say thait the social system lias gone wrong, it is tli& bad workmanship that is at fault. Capitalism lias built up a strong citadel, and there is protection for all. It provides ordered government-on constitutional lines. Tt calls for effort on the part of the individual, and does not count all equal till the equality has been proved. Socialism tries to create a state, of equality which must remain artificial, and it proclaims its weakness thereby. When, therefore, Labour talks of the socialisation of the State, it is 'petting out to- attempt something artificial which can lead only to confusion worse confounded. The Labour “objective” has not obtruded greatly in this election, but it is part of the political stock in trade of Labour, and electors should realise what they are in fact supporting when they decide to vote Labour at this time.