EMINE T FRENCH SOCIALIST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8163, 23 July 1906, Page 2

EMINE T FRENCH SOCIALIST.

HIS VIEWS ON NEW ZEALAND, ON THE WAY TO STATE SOCIALISM. A most interesting personality is Dr. Rudolf Broda, of the College of Psychology, Paris. He is now completing a tour of New Zealand, enquiring into our social conditions, after having trayersed the continents of Australia, America and Asia, on a similar mission, lie passed through New Plymouth on Thursday, and a News representative, in conversation with liim, secured his " impressions" of New Zealand as the colony appeared to him. Dr. Broda was yery enthusiastic in his praise of our advanced legislation. His opinions are best expressed in his owu words, for he speaks splendid English. "I believo," ho said, "that New Zealand is on tho way to State Socialism, and will roach this goal oarlier than any other nation in the world. You havo restricted tho absolute right of property by your leasehold legislation. The State, which moans the people, has tho suzerainty and the linal regulative power over your agriculture, and it is enabled to direct your agricultural methods towards the highest production and the highest benefit for the people. You have restricted the absoluto right ofl property, of the employer, as you give the people, through their inspootors, the power to regulate the sanitary conditions, to regulate tho wages and the liours by law. You have given tho worker, who was formerly at the mercy of his employer, a legal position and tho right to gain fair wagos. You have practically recognised and realised the right to find employment, which, for so many years, lias been striven after by the workers of Europe. You have realised an eight hoars' day, the great goal of the European working class, and which is being proclaimed as the aim of the workers of Europe at their next International Congress. You have nationalised the railways, part of your mines, of your insurance, you have municipalised your trams, lighting and power works, and you will soon have municipalised the working men's dwellings, and nationalised all the great monopolised industries. I hope you will proceed further and take over mfo the hands of tho people all the means of production, distribution and exchange. By doing so, you will give the worker the full product of his labour which to-day goes iuto the pockets of the omployer class; and more important still, the scientific direction of economic life will make labour more productive than to-day j you win avoid any crisis duo to lack of employment, any wasting of labour by insufficient machinery and techniques j you will use the labour torces of your people in the most efficient way, and so the children of the present generation of New Zealanders will see a true ' golden age.' They will work for the benefit of the community, but have leisure tor intellectual advancement and artistic refinement. They will be safe from any crisis and disaster to their personal isate j they will be educated to look without fear to their own and their children's future; and if you fulfil tho duty of your democracy and establish a broad and democrats educational system, if yo i give to every boy and every girl of capacity a chance to rise to the ranks of intellectual labour, to do the woim of scientific investigation and artistic activity; if you will further spread the achievements of modern science over tho broad masses of the people through the popular universities, then New Zealand will possess a happy people, and the glory of wonderful intellectual advancement. We European Socialists believo and hope that New Zealand will show to the world the wonderful benefits of the realisation of our socialistic ideals."

In answer to a question inviting a comparison between Australia and New Zealand, Dr Broda said: " New Zealand and Australia aro one type so far as both have gone the way of State Socialism, and created a Socialistic environment; but Australia being a great continent, may have a broader horizon than the isles of New Zealand j the sunshiny atmosphere may have created a more sunshiny temperament and more artistic feeling ; but on the other hand New Zealand, with its vigorous climate and ; .ts England-like conditions, presoryes more faithfully the intellectual, moral and earnest ways of the Motherland the creatiye genius of New Zealand has first produced tho wonderful measures of progressive labour legislation, and Australia has followed in your steps. In the future, humanity may be proud of au artistic and joyful Australian and an earnest and creative New Zealand people." Dr Broda stated that so far he had been highly and favourably impressed with New Zealand. Her people were very hospitable and very kind, and the foreshadows of a socialistic li nd were to be scon in New Zealand—fidelity and the brotherly feeling of mankind. He confessed that except for his own home-land he liked Australasia better than any other part of the globe he had visited. Aust.'alasia was grow in* in a more future-like and healthful way—with ils Slate-controlled life—tliau.America, with its competition and anarchic system.

In France the thinking and socialistic minds knew of Zealand, and the French Socialistic minister, M. Millerill I, hill introduced into Parliament a Bill modelled a.ter our arbitration laws. Jt, hau, 10 .\ ,er, been opposed by the Trades ITnio s, who were afraid that the automatic regulation of wages would we .ken their inaispensability. " I, myself, belieye," said Dr Broda, "that f-oni a true Socialistic standpoint, wages should be regulated by law, and by the will of the people, instead of by rude competition." In answer to a question, Dr Broda said the late Mr Scddon had been very well known amongst the intellectual peoplo of franco, They viewed hiin as a man of great suggestive power over the popular mind. He exercised this power towards the good of tho community Dr Broda believed, from bis personal acquaintance with the late Premier in Australia, that though tie did not possess a thorough-going scientific knowledge, of the laws governing economic evolution, he was wise enough to seek the advice of highly-trained and far-seeing departmental heads, and introduced their ideals into political reality. " And I feel that it is the duty of 11 statesman to learn as a student from the groat s diool of political science, and then 'to realise llicir methods," he added.

.Except among tbo thinking people Xcw Zealand whs not known in France, other than tlml 111 (kin coiiiitry were geysers, an intelligent and inte'lectual native raee, and advanced socialistic. legislation. Xhey knew America—" it makes the great advertisement, the great bom ! bom ! bom ! (gesl initiations), with its great fortunes of millions, its trusts." Dr Broda rel'e:rcd 10 his meeting with lion. W. ilall-.Foues, who hud. made a "sympa--1 lietic impression," and Mr Tregear, whom lie eonsidored the " greatest and broadest-minded man of Australasia, who can truly see, and the only one, I believe, who truly kuoivs that you go to iSoeialisiu, and' who conscientiously directs the whole evolution." I