CLASS CONSCIOUS WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2872, 18 April 1925, Page 4

CLASS CONSCIOUS WAR.

A TRADE UNIONIST VIEW'' • POINT. In iho British Seamen’s Journal of January last, there is discussed tlie question of “socialist class consciousness,” and this is how the paper deals with (his idea of social warfare, which unfortunately has its supporters in our well favoured “Dominion”:— “Possibly no doctrine has created so much discussion in the ranks of the workers as the doctrine of Class Conscious War, and the abolition of the Capitalist System. Many of us remember this doctrine being preached on the continent, and some thirty years ago, when the leaders of the British Unions were endeavouring to develope trade unionism in foreign countries Ihev ran up against the snag called’“Class War.”

We may say that many of our Trade Union leaders did not quite understand what it all meant and we can quote instances of very prominent Labour leaders in this country describing the passing of the Class War Resolutions as mere expressions of a pious opinion (In other words, eve-wash, pure and simple.) Our Continental brethren have never looked at the matter, in this light, and when they found that the British Trade Union Movement —or rather, the Socialistic side of it—-endorsed the policy of the Class Struggle they felt sure that something was going to linpepn, and for a long time they have been looking forward to this country taking the lead in the movement they call the “Glorious Revolution.” As a result, the Socialists, whoso aims, objects and intentions are much about the sainje, are continually lighting each other on the subject. and in their wordy warfare they denounce each other as fakers and traitors.

Take for instance, the Moscow gang; they denounce Mr Ramsay Macdonald, Mr. Clynes, Mr. Stephen Walsh, and others, as traitors to the cause of Labour, on account of their attitude towards Class Warfare. The Socialists denounce the Communists leaders as families and madmen, and even use much harder terms, and so the merry game goes on. Yet, for all this, they yell, “Let us have working class solidarity and unity.” Apparently the leaders of these sections entirely overlook tho fact that workmen, like everyone ' else, occasionally do a little thinking for themselves, the result being that the average worker says to himself “A plague on both your houses.” We have felt that the preaching of .Class Conscious War lias made great dillicu'ltics for the Trade Union Movement. For example, if a Trade Union Leader is called upon to support a Resolution which has for its object the Class War Mania, and the destruction of the Capitalist System, he endeavours to give good and sutlieient reason for being in favour of such a doctrine; consequently, lie lets himself go, and usually describes the employers as “bloodsuckers, parasites,” and a whole host of other objectionable things. Immediately after delivering himself of his harangue, lie may have to meet an employer of labour on an industrial question, and during the course of the negotiations lie may suggest lo the employer how useful it would he if the employer would give instructions that none but union men should be employed in his particular business. We are of the opinion that it is Irving human nature 100 much to suppose I hilt a man, after lie has been called a “robber, parasite, and a bloodsucker,” and lias been told that he is going to he pul out of business as soon as possible, is going to say in answer to such a demand, “Why, certainly; I will sec that all men 1 employ shall he members of your Union.”

It is in consequence of this opinion thill we have never been able to support the class conscious struggle even if it was desirable to do so, and we ask tit (his stage, is ■ desirable as far as the workers are concerned ? W’liat' would the change really mean ? In our opinion it would merely amount to changing one set of Imsser for another, with no real advantage to' the worker, and one should remember the proverb. “Better the devil you know than the devil yon don’t.”

The present kind of employer would disappear, and everything would he managed by the State or thi‘ Municipalities; The wage system, we presume, would go, and it would be the duty of the State to provide every man and woman with work of some kind or the other, and. we take it, that if they refused to take the job offered them they would be put into gaol. Apparently that is how they have managed tilings in Russia, and, we ask. have these methods brought happiness to the unfortunate people in that country.

We have, in this paper, always maintained that it is the easiest, thing in the world to pass Resolutions, but we have always pointed out that they do not help a greatdeal. \\'e emphatically say, class war resolutions will not help to solve the troubles of the people. There is one solution and one solu lion only, and that is to bring all sections of the community into a great brotherhood with a better understanding of each other, and for work to be done it) harmony, and we are of the opinion- that such a policy would bring peace, prosperity and contentment. At the present moment the whole world is hungering for trade, and

llieve is sufficient work in the world to keep every man, woman, and (liild who is employable employed for years to collie, but tin- work is not being properly distributed liecause certain sections are preach - ing such wild dorilines as nationalisation and class warfare. It appears strange to us that the very men who preach these war doctrines are those win- have for years been denouncing all wars. Our view is that war is war, and is the same in its effects whether it takes place on the battlefield or the industrial Held, and whenever and wherever it takes place humanity is bound to suffer. (Contributed by the New Zealand Welfare League.)