school of Socialism towards the fiscal controversy. He makes it
clear that in his opinion free and unregulated trade is in essence un-Socialistic and that therefore Socialists need have absolutely no objection, in principle, to Tariff Reform. He says also that they do not believe that the mere imposition of import duties on certain commodities would have any very appreciable effect, under capitalism, on the lot of the worker or, indeed, on the general prosperity of the country. He considers that it might be actually necessary to use protective tariffs or even embargoes on the importation of foreign goods produced under sweated conditions during the establishment of a Socialist State by evolutionary methods. " If Socialism is to be established piecemeal, the structure must be protected from capitalism as it is erected." It is quite likely that the Labour Party will more and more adopt Mr. Wheatley's position, and that their present Free Trade attitude is only due to a lingering aroma of Radicalism.
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