TOPICS OF THE DAY.
-THE ALTERNATIVES TO , SOCIALISM.
BEFORE we deal with the alternatives to. Socialism we must make our salute to the new Ministry. 'Given the opinions and aspirations of the Labour Party, the Cabinet does them and their leaders great credit. The selection of the men to fit the various offices has evidently been made with care and knowledge, and there is an air of good sense and moderation in the majority of the appointments which affords proof of the temper in which Mr. Ramsay MacDonald is accepting his great duties and responsibilities. It is not a Cabal Cabinet, not an Administration formed by a group of politicians who have got together to " share out " the -spoils of office, but the work of a single mind. We shall, no doubt, have to oppose Mr. MacDonald and his policy -in general and in particular, but before the fight begins we desire to record our opinion that the country has a right to be proud of this—that, when the changes and chances of our political life required the summoning of Labour to office it could present a list of men whose character and integrity are assured whatever we may think of their views. They will, we are certain, receive from their opponents a fair field and honest fighting. They have a right to expect this and will get it from His Majesty's Opposition.
The present position of the Unionist Party is amazing —when we consider their immediate past. Less than three months ago they and the Government which represented them were in a position which the whole political world might envy. They had freed themselves from their enervating and demoralizing entanglements with Mr. Lloyd George and the Coalition. They had the general confidence of the country in a high degree. Till the end of October they had suffered little or nothing from opposition. Their foreign policy commanded the support of eighty per cent. of the Commons and of the country. In home affairs even the Labour Party were not bitterly or violently opposed to them, while the greater part of the Liberal Party was beginning to look upon Mr. Baldwin's Administration as fulfilling the functions of that Centre Party which so large a part of the community desires. And then the curse fell upon the party. Their leader, instead of regarding himself as a trustee for the people of moderate and left- centre ideals throughout the country, decided that it was his duty to select for an appeal to the nation the one point which would divide his own party and unite his opponents.
What was the result ? Not only were a large number of safe Unionist seats lost, but so much discord was engendered between the two sections of anti-Socialists that there was nothing for it but to adopt the weird reductio ad absurdum which for the time has become the basis of our political system. The country condemns the Socialist Party by a two to one vote, and thereupon , we install a Socialist Ministry in power !
It is useless to cry over spilt milk. Agreed ; but it is by no means useless to take note of the lessons of spilt milk, which we venture to say is not in itself a useful thing or an object of duty, and to learn how to avoid spilling milk in the future.
- • What we want to instil into the minds of Unionists with all the emphasis at our command is this : unless the Unionist Party now face the facts of the situation and consider how it was that defeat came upon them in the plenitude of their power, and then proceed to put their house in order, there can be only one end. Both in policy and in leadership they must regain that general confidence of the country which for the moment they have completely lost. The opportunity to do so: is there almost staring us in the face. , When we say that there must be good_ leadership, we mean that leaders must be chosen who will by theh good sense, their moderation, and their willingness to sink personal views and personal considerations in a public trusteeship guard the country from revolutionary acts. The role of the leader of a Conservative Democratic Party is to be Conservative and anti-revolutionary, and not to indulge in political gambles, however virtu- ously adopted. Wise was the king who said, " My rOle is to . be a Royalist." The rOle of the Conservative Party is to be a Conservative. But to be a ConservatiVe does not mean the adoption of a mere non possumus attitude. The best conservation is founded on wise and sound development and construction ; it must be active not passive. At this moment there is special need for a wise activity, in every direction. Our Con- stitution, controlled by a system of groups working through a single Chamber autocracy, presents the most glaring dangers in the way of minority rule. The Con- servative Party, if it is to live, must be democratic, ano so must support majority rule. It must make it its policy to fit the Constitution with that right of Veto by the People which, as Mr. Massingham's able article in our issue of to-day shows, is so much dreaded by the Socialists. But Constitutional Reform is not enough. The party must have a wise and well-thought-out policy of Social Reform. The duty of the Unionists is not to refuse blindly any and every form of State action, but rather to show, as it can be shown, how alternatives to the Labour policy can be provided—alternatives which will work more safely and more efficiently than those in the Fabian programme. The Unionists must never put themselves into the position of even seeming to say that they have no remedy to offer for admitted social evils. While those evils remain remedies mum be sought for till they are found. What is more, there. must be no refusal to experiment with suggested remedies, provided they are not inherently foolish, wasteful, and unjust.
Above all, the Conservative Democratic Party must not be afraid to trust the people. They are, our masters. We are their servants. Though we' must not be afraid to speak the truth to these masters, to warn them, and to advise them, we must never forget that it is our duty to honour and accept the lawfully expressed Will of the Majority until we can change it.
On future occasions we shall point out in detail what should be the various items in a programme of Social Reform for the Unionist Party. Here we will only say once more that we agree with Mr. Baldwin that the dominant tendency in our politics is the formation cl two parties—a Socialist Party and an Anti-Socialist Party. That this prospect is one which should cheer the Unionists we cannot doubt. The desire of the country is to look upon the Unionists as the natural leaders and supporters of the anti-Socialist policy. We must remind the party, however, that this happy future can be secured by the Unionists only if they make themselves worthy of their opportunities. But this cannot be, unless they have wise leadership and a sound policy—to be specific, unless they are able to offer a clearly expressed and well-thought-out series of alter- natives to Socialism.
The desire of the British people is always towards movement—towards the dynamic not the static course. But though they want to " get on," they want also to take the best road. Why not show it to them ?
J. ST. LOE S'TRACHEY.
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