AS TO UNITY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 572, 31 May 1913, Page 7

AS TO UNITY.

By H. Scott Bennett. i , ;

"Capitalists are not strong enough to chain the bodies of their wage workers, but they are shrewd enough to enslave their minds." "What will be the outcome of the July Conference?" Will there really be a united working class movement in this country based upon sound and lasting lines?" "Is Liberal-Labour-ism to have an extended lease * of life or will a movement worthy to take part in the world wide emancipatory movement really make its appearance?" These, and a score of similar questions, are being asked on every side"to-day, and the mere fact that they" are asked is in 'itself most hopeful, being indicative of the fact that some—l do not wish to record as being optimistic!—of the apathy that has clung like an old man of the sea to the workers in "God's Own" concerning class independence has passed away. For my own part, I °m hopeful as to the ultimate result of the July Conference. I believe that a movement worthv of the historical mission of the working class will be born with "flame of freedom in its soul and light of science in its eyes." My recent tour of the Dominion under the auspices of the Unity Committee, left no doubt in my mind concerning the sincerity of the wish for unity in the ranks of Labour, and, what is of no ?mall importance, in the over whelming majority of cases the desire for unity was accompanied with a desire, not less strong, for soundness in organisation plus a spirit of militancy that is the child of. knowledge and strength. What is there to prevent a, virile New Zealand working, class movement being born in July. Is it too much to expect that the delegates assembled will recognise that the time for merely playing with social problems has passed. Is it too much to expect that time will not be wasted in discussing the pros and cons of evolution and revolution, as though in organic or social evolution you can find revolution without evolution, or evolution failing to give rise to revolution? Is it too much to expect that it will be recognised that nothing short of a plain and unequivocal demand for the ownership by all of the land and the principal means of production that are worked upon the land must of necessity be the slogan of the wealth producers, hare an I everywhere? Such a demand must be the objective of the industrial army, nothing le3s than Lbat cun be the aim of the political party that should really be the shield 01 ihe army toat has to fight, by reason of the conditions surrounding it, all the time. The only objection I have yet heard raised to the foregoing emanates from those who fear that votes may be lost by a too plain avowal of the mission of our movement, i.e., a complete social transformation. Votes! Votes ye goda and little fishes. If "votes are to be the first consideration and as a -natural corollary principles are to be sacrificed upon the altar of expediency then lat all talk of Unity cease until we have reached a saner state of mind. The all-important work that awaits the movement a-borning is not-"vote-getting" but the great work of making possible sound industrial organisations and the consistent and persistent education of the workers upon fundamental principles, the education that makes for stabiliy and strength, 3nd prevents a movement from being blown all away by every little "reform" wind that happens to come along. These are the things that imperatively demand attention first and foremost. Organising, ever organising yes, these things must be the concern for the immediate future. One of the most cheering of auguries for the success of the Unity proposi tionis to be found in the unanimous denunciation by the Capitalist pres? of everyting connected herewith. From thß Bluff to the far North the cry is tne same—Anathema! Anahema! Evidently, then, the initial steps that have been taken are sound enough from the workers' viewpoint. The howl, these anahemas evidence the fact! Beware of the Graeks when they come bearing gifts" ; and, translating anew, one may with truth declare, "Woe unto a working class movement that finds fa ;our in the eyes of the bourgeoise press." A workingclass movement that is licked by the watchdogs of Capitalism shoula get out of business quick! Yes, I am hopeful that the July Conference will do things. And it is high time something was done. Dear old -de - dee and Tiweedle de-dum (Liberalism and Conservatism) have been allowed to exercise their hypnotic arts long enough. Craft unionism bas divided us long enough. The opporunity to replace the absurd with the sound is too pre cious to be missed. For Labour in July can make itself such weapons of deatruction and construction as to leave no doubt in the minds o "God's Own" parasites that in future Labour will assume a manly and defiant poise. Functioning through its political and economic organisations (may the former ever realise its limitations!), who shall stav the workers' march to the City of Freedom? Recognising the greatness of its mission, ever reflecting the material interests of the class it was born to serve, nought can hinder the movement's advance, naught can prevent Victory perching upon the banner of Labour's united hosts.