SOCIALISM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16484, 25 February 1914, Page 12

SOCIALISM.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —With the writing of this letter my task ends. I claim that I have proved the impractical nature of both the revolutionary and evolutionary Socialists’ proposals. All that remains for me is to trace the last (stage of the Socialist movement that lias finally culminated in the syndicalist propaganda. The Socialist movement lias passed through many vicissitudes, but nowhere has it been so injured as by the advocacy of the syndicalist dogmas of violence and sabotage, of destruction of life and property.' The plan of . the syndicalist ,'s to wreck the existing industrial system by a series of industry dislocating general strikes, and to reorganise society upon a Socialist basis, on the ruins of the present social order. The shortsighted vision of the advocates of syndicalism is proved by the fact that they' never reckoned with the resources of civilisation, that the power of the modern State, with its police and military forces, is superior to that of any undisciplined body that can be arrayed against it. The movement was foredoomed to failure because it deified brute force and reason is always superior to force. Its motive power is hate, and altruism and mutual aid are saviours of the race. Syndicalism originated in Russia, and is of Nihilist origin. It was introduced into B’rance and spread from there to America, under the title of the I.W.W. It has left nothing but ruin and misery in its wake, and it lias retarded the march of orderly progress. To-day, however, it is a spent force, exhausted by its own violence.--I am; etc., F. W. BURKE.