SOCIALISM.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 267, 9 October 1933, Page 2

SOCIALISM.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I beg space through the columns of your valuable journal to place before readers a few important points bearing on Socialism. And in so doing, wish to emphasise that Socialism does not propose to abolish something that would conceivably last for ever. Competitive individualism itself, as many, people throughout New Zealand unfortunately realise to-day, having lost the savings of a lifetime. The only alternative to Socialism is tyranny and social ruin. I might be pardoned for stating that, at the present time, we are having a gigantic demonstration of this. Socialism is the awakening of a collective consciousness in humanity, a collective will and a collective mind, out of which finer individualities may arise for ever in a perpetual series of fresh endeavours, and fresh achievements for the race. The great task of the future is the reorganisation of society, not in the interests of any particular section, but of the whole of the community. and in the interest of moral manhood. The economic development of capitalist production creates the idle rich on the one hand, w'hose chief concern is rent, interest and profit, and on the other, the slave or proletariat, by whose labour alone wealth is produced. It is wrong that the capitalist should, owing to his economic position (often obtained by the labour of his ancestors) be in a position to exploit the labour of producers for his own benefit. Under existing conditions, distribution of wealth is not determined by service, but by economic position. The man who can secure monoply values is more certain of a largo income than is the greatest genius of the time. • Genius does not desire wealth but service; it is its own reward. What is desirable is to ensure to all men, from tin* highest to the lowest, the essentials to a healthy and happy human life. — Yours, etc., H. E. PALLET.