SOCIALISM AND POLITICS.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR"]
many of your readers are not likely to know much of the Independent Labour party, will you permit me to correct a sentence in your article on "A Butterfly Premier," in the Spectator of August 3rd, which otherwise might deepen the prejudices and confuse the minds of Unionists. Your article says that Lord Rosebery "trifled with the idea of Home-rule, with the idea of Disestablishment, with the idea of a second Chamber,' indeed, with all the chief ideas of the Independent Labour party."
Now, not one of the three "chief ideas" you mention occurs in the official programme of the Independent Labour party ; indeed, they are just the ideas which every Labour leader has declared to be mere political "red-herrings" drawn across the track of social reform, and the main obstacles to real social advance. To identify them with the Labour party is as strange a mistake as to assume that the "Social Democrats" are, or ever were, the "ardent friends" of Lord Rosebery.
Let me mention a few of the real "chief ideas" of the Independent Labour party, drawn from the official programme, and based upon the by-no-means novel principle that "the true object of industry being the production of the require-
ments of life, the responsibility for this production should rest with the community collectively" :— The establishment of a State Land Department of Agriculture.
The establishment of agricultural colleges and model farms, at which the requisite training in every department of food- production may be obtained.
The reafforestation of land unsuited for cultivation, and the reclamation of waste lands and foreshores.
An agricultural produce post for the systematic collection and transmission to markets of the produce of the farm, the orchard, and the dairy.
No child to commence wage-work under fifteen years of age. State pensions for every person at fifty years of age, and
adequate provision for all widows, orphans, sick and disabled workers.
The provision of work which shall be remunerative to the unemployed.
Municipalisation and popular control of the liquor traffic.
Surely here, Sir, are ideas which have nothing in common with the small insolences of Radicalism. They are, I venture to suggest, ideas to which a large number of Coalitionist Members are pledged, of which in great measure the Spectator has more than once approved. They lift the cause of Labour above the petty squabbles of party politics; many of them are certain to be carried into effect by the new Government ; and all of them should win the careful and sympathetic con- sideration of all good men who want to leave the world better than they found it.—I am, Sir, &c., PERCY DEARMER. St. John's, Great Marlborough Street, August 5th.
[We did not even suggest that the Radical programme was that of the Independent Labour party, but simply that besides flirting with the Radicals Lord Rosebery had indicated his sympathy with measures like the Eight-hours Bill, which we took to be the most immediate and prominent article of the Independent Labour party's programme. We ought rather to have said, "with the chief idea," than "with all the chief ideas," of "the Independent Labour party."—En. Spectator.]
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