In Our Opinion.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 29, 22 September 1911, Page 11

In Our Opinion.

nnHE subject of Prohibition has assum--fi- ed very large proportions in New Zealand, and on the subject a momentous referendum is to be taken at the forthcoming- general election. It is not at all unlikely that the referendum will establish Prohibition in, the Dominion — a possibility that must make our nextdoor neighbour Australia stare. Now, how should the class-conscious worker oir Socialist vote on the question? We ourselves one day got into an earnest discussion on the matter with a strong group of Prohibitionists, and finally asked for the strongest economic case possible on behalfooff f Prohibition. As the outcome, the article elsewhere appears. Is it satisfactory? Is it convincing? How does Prohibition affect—how will it affect —Socialism? What should Socialists do, the situation being as it is? We throw open our columns for a number of brief contributions to the debate. Your "yes" or your "no" —reasoned in from 100 to 200 words, and no moire — will be welcomed in regard to the queiry we propound: Should Socialists vot© Prohibition ? A ■TOTHATEVER may be the merits,of * * the Mills unity scheme —and it has many—it has to be confessed that "failure" is already writ large across it. _ Neatheir Federation of Labor nor Socialist Party will have anything to do with the scheme, and even if you regret this state of affairs, it is yet obvious that a unity scheme that doesn't unite isn't a success. Professor Mills may go on organising—and as far as his work makes for public alertness and education good luck to h.is work —but its outcome will not be unity because unity would be disastrous and disentegrating. You cannot mix oil and water: much less successfully can you mix Socialism and Liberalism. The unity scheme which offers as its cement arbitration on the industrial field and Labarism on the political field is a unity .scheme- right enough for arbitrationists and Laboriets, but all wrong for Industrial Unionists and Socialists. Let Professor Mills get his forces more closely welded by all means, and the Labor Federation and Socialist Party also consolidate their forces—and thus shall both be readier for the final woirkers' fight, which -will be between these armies; and in the meantime let the forces of each side, as far as they can, fight together the common enemy, and even combine to do -it. $ nnHE Navy League, not satisfied with ~«- conscription for armies, now wants conscription -for navies, and it's not mi■- ■ probable that the mad-dog Imperialists of this country will get big support fo<r their alarmist proposals. When all our boys are either soldiering on , sailoring—and all our dads and mothers are toiling like Hades to pay the piper—it is surely not wildly chimerical to expires** the hope that the people will begin to count the cost. But it does seem absurd. to talk about a distinctive national sentiment in N.Z. when, more than any other portion of Australasia, this Dominion is rabidly and sxiicidally foreign and- Jingoistic. A nnHE coming elections ane like -to be JL more of a scramble than an orthodox contest on accepted party lines. In addition to the Government and Opposition parties, there will be some independents or inbetweendents hovering round, with outside of them absolutely the Labor and Socialist candidates. Whatever the result, the elections will have ordained it. Realising this is why all parties are putting forth every ounce of energy in relation to the imminent campaign. All parties feel that it's' it oa' the others, not alone at the coming polls, but probably for many successive polls, but determined by the approaching polls. Provided the elections make it possible, the malcontent Liberals would like to throw over Ward and some others, certain Masseyifces would like to join Ward, quite a lot would be ready' to "down with conscription." Anyway, Government and Opposition are bound to ally in time to come. An aspect which interests us, however, is the tussle between Socialism and Laborism—for whichever party of the twain gets the lead is almost sure to keep it — and if it isn't the Socialists it will be bad for the great and saving cause of Socialism. Nothing succeeds like success — granting that many successes are abject failures—and in order to win we must win. Take, then, the elections in grim earnest and. give day and night service to the pioneer candidates of the Labcir Federation and the already-tested candidatures of the Socialist Party. $ NOT the least serviceable part of the Dominion's nnti-ennscriptive movement is the splendid stimulus it is giving to the Australian anti-con scriptionists. Ere long the movement will be allAustralasian and of ever-widening dimensions. The more publicity in respect to militarism the sounder the recoil from it. For centuries the Avorld has been militarist, and naturally the newer and groat idea making the sound and formidable* antagonist takes time to tell and necessitates tremendous educational activity. Ec this certain —the day will come when every anti-conscriptionist of our time will l-ejoiee in pride and triumph because of the uphill work he did in the movement, and the day will inevitably come when the workers of New Zealand will see as their real firiends the anti-militarists.