The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, November 16, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 1024, 16 November 1912, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Saturday, November 16, 1912. NOTES AND COMMENTS.

The essential conservatism of the Socialist thinker has been demonstrated by his refusal to be tempted by the weapon of Syndicalism, Mr J. L. Eugdahl contributes an article to the Twentieth Century Magazine affording ample evidence that, as in England, so in America, the Syndicalist propaganda is doomed to failure. The recent convention held at Indianapolis resulted in a definite endorsement of the old Socialism as against the new lure of Syndicalism, The difference between the schools is well expressed by the writer :—The Socialist cries to the worker, “Vote as you strike!” or “ Strike at the ballot-box ! ” The Syndicalist changes this phrase to read “ Strike at the ballot-box, but strike with an axe! 1 ' The attention of the Syndicalist is centred entirely on economic action- He appears to believe that it is possible for the workers employed in every industry to walk into factory, workshop, mine, or warehouse some fine morning, to send for the employer or manager, and to inform him that they propose to conduct the business for their own benefit. Syndicalism is the gospel of the bludgeon, and its anarchic appeal is its own sure condemnation and justification of the saner method of Socialism which seeks to “leaven the lump.’’ An argument put forth against Syndicalism is that if all the workers in any industry secured the absolute control of that industry they would then proceed to exploit the remainder of society for their own gain so far as that industry was concerned.

Thk Red Federation correspondence discovered in the Waihi Union Hali. slabs of which are being published, must be an eyeopener to intelligent workers throughout the Dominion. The lawless and anarchial means adopted by the reds to gain their ends at Waihi indicates to what length such a revolutionaries would go in order to capture the industries of this country, labour’s proper place in the industrial world can never be firmly established unless its champions are men of intelligence. So-called leaders of the Semple-Parry-Webb type arc unworthy and totally unfitted by nature to lead and educate the toilers and are the real enemies of reform. It is unfortunate that the workers did not cast these blind leaders oil long ago, but retribution awaits them, and it will not be long before they reap the just reward of their ill-doing.