Auckland Socialists.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 13, 2 June 1911, Page 12

Auckland Socialists.

ANTI-MILITARIST DEMONSTRATION.

The usual Sunday evening lecture held by the Auckland branch S.P. on Sunday, May 21, took the form of an anti-military demonstration. Over 2000 persons were present in the Opera House. The chair was taken by M. J. Savage. H. Scott Bennett commenced his address by saying that he regretted that demonstrations such as this had not been held throughout the country prior to the Compulsory Training Act becoming law. Ho was not speaking to jingoes, property owners and members of the Capitalist class but to workers, because it Avas the working classes who were affected by the law.

Tho resolution was moved by Comrade P. Frascr, who, in moving, spoke some home truths regarding militarism generally: ' 'That this meeting of Auckland citizens declares its opposition to militarism in all its forms, and calls on the workers of New Zealand to oppose in every possible way tho present scheme of compulsory military training and further declares that there is but ono army to which the workers can .belong, namely, the industrial and political army of the international working class. ,.

Robert Somple, in supporting the resolution, said that ho belonged to the army of the exploited, the army that had too long paid the blood tax, that had too long spilled the blood of fellow workers in Avars instituted by the Capitalist class.

P. H. Hickey made a strong point of the fact that military training had been brought in by the master class to counteract the effect of industrial organisation and to befuddle the brains of tho workers with ideas regarding imaginary enemies. The resolution was put and carried with only a very few dissenters in the whole crowd. Tho meeting closed with three ringing cheers for the International Socialist movement. — TOM BLOO WORTH.