SOCIALISTS, BUT- ?

Maoriland Worker, Volume I, Issue 6, 20 February 1911, Page 3

SOCIALISTS, BUT- ?

The nursery story books current in the days of our youth related a charming story of maternal solicitude and filial devotion, beginning thus: — "Mother, may I go out to swim,? ,, "Yes, my darling daughter. Hang your clothes on a gooseberry bush. And don't go near the tvater." One is forcibly reminded of this legend when listening to various so-called Labour members who visit us from abroad, for the purpose of enlightening our darkness. A notable example is Mr. Hodge , a stout gentleman from Lancashire, who was recently taken up, with rather hasty and exuberant enthusiasm, by the Christchurch Trades and Labour Council—and the Lyttelton Times. Mr. Hodge could say nothing but good for the Arbitration Act. it prevented strikes and lockouts ; it put all employers on a level, and so on, and so forth. In his opinion, it was obviously the method of dealing with the question of low wages and dear living. It was not the final solution. Hβ was a Socialist, of course,, but—but he would not lift a hand to bring in Socialism to-day, because the people were not fit for it. Just like the story book mamma, you see! Mary must not go near the water till she knows how to swim; slaves must not be free till they have acquired the virtues of freedom; the people must not have Socialism till they are fit for it! Mr. Hodge is a type of the philanthropic person who thrills with pleasure when he gives a little bit of sugar to the bird, quite oblivious of the fact that the bird is pining and drooping for freedom, or beating its wings against the cage, in a wild, heart-throbbing desire for one thing—liberty to live its own life in its own way. To come back to the Arbitration Act, can its warmest supporters tell us in what possible way this can benefit the workers of any country, who are united in one grand Federation of Labour, and are thus free to sell their labour-power on their own terms? Surely this is a more reasonable "first step " than to depute the onus of naming the price to a Supreme Court Judge?