Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1911. SOCIALISM CONDEMNED.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10233, 9 May 1911, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1911. SOCIALISM CONDEMNED.

The London Spectator, in an article dealing with the "Right to Work" Bill, introduced, by a Labour member of the British House of Commons, enters an emphatic condemnation of the fundamental principles underlying modern Socialism. In its conidludrng remarks it says:— "Let us fsay once more that we who oppose Socialism desire as much as any Socialist the reduction, of human, misery. We know, however, that it cam never be obtained by weakening human enei'gy and .diminishing exchanges. If men are to have more, there must be inoTe to go round, and that more will only be obtained by an increase in the efficiency of the workers. As Chambers saw and insisted, poverty is, in the last resort, a. moral evil, and requires a moral treatment. It is from the greater efficiency of the workers, and from an increase in wealth that we shall improve the general condition of the people. What is wanted is not less capital—that is, less wealth —but. more. The workman's ideal of two jobs looking for one man is &

perfectly sound economic Meal, and , it is one whiah we long to see aooom- | plashed. But remember it can only j be accomplished by itbe accumulation of wealth. If the workers would only understand that every accumulation, of capital tended' to put capital more at their mercy in the matter of hiring, ,tsiey would become the most ardent desirers of such accumulaturns. Let them only be persuaded to spend a little less on unnecessary things, to save ft little more, and to put a little more energy into their work, and the question of unemploymenib would very soon solve itself. But this is, of course, in the end a, question of character, and unfortunately we are for ever, as a State, destroying rather than building up character and independence in the workers. In the day w© weave t*he weib in education, and at night undo it by pauperising and characterwrecking legislation. When we put premiums broadcast on slackness, thriftlassness, and economic folly, how can we expect not to find a large and flourishing crop of these qualities? We shall only get a better state of things in this country if we have better citizens, and w© shall I only gat better citizens by making ! it unpleasant and unprofitable i-"> be a bad citizen, and pleasant and profitable to bo a good citizen. We fully admit, with Mr Lansbury, that there remains ever the problem of j the idle and luxurious rich, but that I problem would .soon cure itself if the 1 workers were more efficient, more

j thrifty, and more sefljf-respeoting. It is the demoralisation of the labourer, caused .largely by Socialistic legislation, which gives the idle rich man his opportunity. The cynical capitalist has nothing to fear fn.>Socialistic legislation. It is that is j the last resort which gives h'm a j high rate *">f interest for iiis mu!t«v, and puts,t v e unemployed &t his mercy."