The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, July 29, 1915. SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC MADNESS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1430, 29 July 1915, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. Thursday, July 29, 1915. SOCIAL DEMOCRATIC MADNESS.

Tr-T h proceedings of the Social Democratic Party Conference, so far as they are made public through the Maoriland Worker, leave anything hut a pleasant taste in the mouth. There is more than a flavour of disloyalty in the business, as witness the references in the report of the Executive dealing with the war, the causes of which are said by it to be found “deeply rooted in the present commercial system.’’ The war itself is also, on the same authority, said to have been brought about by (amongst other things; “the capitalistic press , . . . fostering a sham and pernicious patriotism,’’ and we are told that “what was humanly possible to prevent the war was done by the Socialist parlies of all countries.” How far removed this is from the truth is apparent in the fierce controversy that has raged in the leading Socialist reviews for some months past, in which the so called “Nationals” are arrayed against the “Internationals,” the latter hotly condemning the former, and in the practical denunciation by the German Socialist Party of Dr Liebkuecht, the one Socialist member amongst a group of no forming the strongest party in the German Reichstag, who had the moral courage to oppose the war, and to vote against the war credit of five billion asked for by the Kaiser’s Government on the 4UI August last. “We have good reason to believe,” the report proceeds, “that in Germany the efforts of Karl Iflebknecht and his brave comrades, both men and women, have succeeded in formulating a demand for peace.” And then comes this extraordinary passage: “There is no good reason even now why the Allies should not make known what their terms of peace are. The workers have a right to expect something more definite than vague and meaningless phrases about smashing militarism. We recommend Conference to pass a resolution demanding that the New Zealand Government urge upon the British Government that they make known on what terms peace could be arranged. This would not weaken, but rather

strengthen the position of Britain in the eyes of the world !” The fact that the leaders of the great political parties in the Homeland have again and again declared that the time for discussing or making known peace conditions has not yet arrived, counts as nothing with the fatuous spirits who speak on behalf of the Social Democratic Party of New Zealand. Should the opinions of Mr Asquith, Sir Edward Gray, Lord Kitchener, Mr Balfour, Mr Lloyd-George, Mr Bonar Daw, or even Mr Ren Tillet, he allowed to prevail over those of Mr Hiram Hunter, Mr P, Fraser, Mr P. H. Hickey, Mr Rod Ross, Mr J. Glover, the Rev Moses Ayrton, Mr P. C. Webb, and Mr J. McCombs? Perish the thought. Has not each of them said in his heart, if not to his colleagues and the public : “I am the thing ! I am it ! When I open my month —let no dog bo ik. ”