SOCIALISTS AND SOCIALISTS.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 1, Issue 5, 20 January 1911, Page 11

SOCIALISTS AND SOCIALISTS.

Dear Editor, —In the hearing of a recent libel case brought in Wellington against the proprietor of a labour paper, Sir Robert Stout truly remarked that there are Socialists and Socialists. How true this is in NeAV Zealand to-day ! I know of no more dangerous element in the Labour movement here than the presence of certain enthusiastic people whose zeal is in constant danger of outrunning their discretion—whose concern for the letter of the law exceeds their desire to fulfil its spirit. You must be aware as well as I am of the existence of a dogmatic element among the Socialists of this and every other country—a very active and fairly able sect, who set up a god, Karl Marx, on an altar, Economic Basis, and would have every head bow down in reverence. They treat the actions and pronouncements of the body to Avhich they attach themselves as the " advance tuard," with an air of Marxian nality. The Labour movement Avill not be Avhittled down into such shape as Avill fit a Marxian formula. The movement is alive, and you can't treat life like a proposition of Euclid. No sufficient data can ever be collected. No final conclusion can ever be written. The presence of growth cannot be ignored; its action cannot be anticipated. If you attempt to shackle the movement with formula one of two things will happen, either:—(l) The movement will die, or (2) the formulae will burst. All this I Avill concede is commonplace, so commonplace indeed as to be written in every page of history ; and the story of the Labour movement in particular is eloquent witness to its truth. In which case Avhy employ the "dirty nurse to tell us it again? Shall we expend the time and energy necessary to put our movement through the above-men-tioned phases in order to convince some of our leaders that " wisdom Avill not die Avith them?" I am a Socialist, and I agree that these men are honourable and loyal and enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is of great value, is indeed an essential to this or any other movement; but it needs to be bottled up until it can be turned into the right channel. If it be not properly directed it will prove injurious to the cause in Avhich it is used. Besides, there is nothing so cruelly wasteful as misdirected enthusiasm. The Crusades, Dancing Dervishes and Anglican Missions are cases in point. If the energy that misguided or unguided humanity has wasted on futile wars and religions were available behind our movement today we would bring the millenium in with a single heave. No, enthusiasm may be a positive impediment rather than an advantage, and I'd like to have my own hand on the throttlevalve were I riding Avith a man Avho despised " mundane details," and thought " enthusiasm " for the cause was all in all. With repeated good Avishes for the success of the paper, and the early realisation of the ideals it upholds.—Yours, etc.. FRATERNITY.