CORRESPONDENCE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 2495, 19 October 1922, Page 3

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE RED PARTY’S SECOND PROGRAMME. WHAT MR HOLLAND DID NOT TELL. ' (To the Editor.) Sir, —We have read the report of Mr Holland’s speech in the Town Hall, Wellington. In that address h professed to tell the public what the' programme and policy of his party' is. Having closely’ followed the movements of his party we . know that the leader did not tell the whole of the facts but merely presented bis party as if it were just an advanced Liberal or Radical party. This is part of the game of camouflage that he and his colleagues, are pursuing throughout this election campaign. They are hoping to win the electors support by a mendacious use of the names of Ballanee and Seddon and b.y keeping secret their most revolutionary designs. What is not generally known by the public is that this party has two programmes—one of which they publish and present to the public and the other which they hold in reserve to use if they should ever gain control.' The second programme, and that which is most dangerous to the public interest, he did not tell his audience anything about. Here is the second programme, which has been adopted at the Annual Conference of his party, and endorsed in other ways: — 1. That for the purpose of acliieving the objective (socialisation) industrial and Parliamentary machinery' shall be . utilised. 2. The abolition of Parliament as now constituted and the substitution of an Industrial Parliament. 3. The Nationalising of banking and all the principal industries. 4. The government of Nationalised industries by boards, upon which the workers in the industry and the community shall have representation. !5. The establishment of an Elective Supreme Economic Council by all Nationalised industries. 6. The establishment o£ class constituted Councils of Action. A reference to the “Maoriland Worker” of August 10th, 1921 shows that all these clauses, excepting clause 2, were endorsed by a unanimous vote of the Party’s Conference. Mr Holland was appointed a member of the Australasian Council of Action, as representing his party, at the Labour Congress f in Melbourne in June 1921. Clause 2 we insert on the ground - that it was affirmed by Mr E. J. Howard, M.P. in the House (see Hansard July 6th., 1920 —page 356). Further in the “Maoriland Worker,” June 21st, 1922, Mr J. Roberts says.—“ Parliament should he composed of members —not representing geographical areas —hut industries. He had discussed this matter with members of the Parlamentarv "Labour Party and they were in thorough agreement with him on this question.” Now with respect to the foregoing programme Mr Theodore, of Queensland, said: “You might as well call it Communism,” Clause 1, is justified if used for the general advancement, but if • directed to a class end will become a movement of dictatorship. Clause 2 advocates doing away with the representation of citizens (it is citizens who vote not geographical areas) and substituting a form of Sovietism. Clause 3 would mean practically that industry, trade and commerce would become national property, with minor exceptions, which is exactly what obtains in Soviet Rus- " . • sia. Clauses 4 and 5 are methods of enforcing control on a communist . basis. Clause 6. —This is a direct challenge to the constitutional principle of representative government and was so described by M. J. 11. Thomas, M.P., the British Railwaymen’s representative. It is astounding to find a party in ■» New Zealand so carried away with the insanity of doctrinaire ideas .that it endorses a programme so plainly antagonistic to the principles of democracy, and utterly opposed to things winch the workers of this country have battled for the last fifty years to secure. These facts Mr Holland did not disclose. .We do so because we are confident that his party is not a true Labour Party but. one that is deceiving the people to serve the ends of their own personal ambition in spite of class hatred. The facts show ityt-o be an opportunist party without scruple, that is ready to play a double game in order to secure pow- . er which there is every evidence 1 it would be likely to abuse. Wc are, Yours etc:,

N.Z. ’WELFARE LEAGUE,