Opening session, addressed by F. L. Combs, J. P. Lewin and K. S. C. Stanton, attempted a universally agreeable definition of Socialism, and description of how to get there. All speakers agreed that acquisitive individualism was the core of capitalism, and was the more or less direct cause of all the woes inflicting the world today. Comparison of China and Russia, and discussion of the role of the British Labour Government in nationalisation, foreign and colonial policy, were the main trends in the open slather following. Mr. Stanton launched his talk by quoting from John Strachey about 15 years ago; a comparison with the same gentleman's activities today occupied the gathering for some time. Mr Lewin described six points which he considered the sine qua non of Socialism: they included social ownership and control, equality of opportunity and less disparity of wealth, and a measure of self-effacement and idealism. Mr Combs stressed the need for education in the struggle for a society of socially-conscious individuals.

How is the Empire?

James Bertram and Rona Bailey spoke on Saturday evening about "Socialism and Colonial Countries",—Mr Bertram dealing with the Far East he knows at first hand, and Mrs Bailey with youth movements in India, Africa and elsewhere, whose representatives she met at the WFDY Festival in 1947. The national revolutions of Malaya, Korea, China and the Philippines, protruded themselves as the main topics of the session. There was a general agreement that national self-government was a necessary prerequisite for peace and socialism and that Korea and the Philippines fell into a general Asian pattern of colonial revolt to these ends.

The late evening was filled with music—records of Robeson singing "Joe Hill" and "The Four Generals" being popular. There was also a lecord of Robeson delivering a magnificent address in London last February on the world situation—"The only thing that will work is Peace!" Every now and then, to press a point home, his voice would fade out, we would hear the voices of Wallace. Roosevelt, or Foster Dulles; and as a general background and theme, welling up to a mighty chorus at the end of the fourth and final side, was Robeson with an American Choir, singing the Anthem of the United Nations. The words brought cack those wonderful, terrible years when the Nations were United in the fight against the Hitlerites:

"The sun and the stars are all ringing
With song rising strong from the earth.
The voice of humanity singing
The hymn of a new world in birth,"

to the old European folk-melody made famous by Shostakovich's arrangement.

The Club resolved to have a copy made of these recordings, and a collection was taken up for this purpose.

Saturday night was spent by those faithful who stayed on the premises in a certain degree of comfort, despite a tendency in the small hours to mistake the sleeping-quarters for a circus tent.

Horny Hands and Dog Collars

Next morning, Ted Matthews, Secretary of the Wellington Engineers' Union, spoke exhaustively on the role of Trade Unions in the struggle for socialism. He described the F of L—TUC split, syndicalist tendencies in the latter body, and the bad influence of compulsory unionism and the Arbitration Court in New Zealand's industrial history. Despite relatively poor attendance, questions were many and well-answered.

There followed a song-session—"The Red Flag" and the Spanish Republican anthem "Himno de Riego" being favourites. Then came dinner, which, under the supervision of Harry Graves, was much appreciated—roast beef done to a turn.

Hiatus, semi-siesta. Towards 2.30 the clans began to re-gather to hear Rev. Gardiner Scott and Peter Johansen discuss "Socialism and Religion." The Christian and the Socialist, Mr. Scott averred, had many common aims, the establishment of a juster social order, the eradication of war, greed and cruelty. Some Socialists, however, had raised idealism into a tight dogma which rejected the spirit. Most socialists tended to be too optimistic about the chances of a millenium inside time and saw the human heart as fundamentally good, whereas the christian agreed with Jeremiah that this was not the case.

Peter Johansen traced the two tendencies in organised religion since the dawn of time—of service to the status quo, and of practical social application of religious ideals. He claimed that there need be no fundamental differences between the Socialist and the Christian in practice. For the rest of the afternoon and over tea, common ground was sought diligently, and often found, on a variety of issues. With some members of the S.C.M. present, it was felt that the foundations for future co-operation were further secured.

Whither?

The closing session on "The Student and the Socialist Movement," was led, in the enforced absence of Dave Cohen and Jim Winchester, by Conrad Bollinger and Ron Smith. A leavening of Council members of the N.Z. Progressive Youth League, in Wellington for their annual meeting, further swelled the audience and enriched discussion.

Conrad spoke of the orthodoxy of teaching in the university, its service to the status quo, and the historic role of heresy; he traced the two tendencies within our society—towards fascism and towards socialism, and of the tasks of students in struggling for the latter. Most entertaining section of the talk dealt with the history of the progressive student movement in VUC—culminating with "Freedom's" verbal vomit over the Student Labour Federation in 1948—"Teen-agers and Bobby-soxers Kowtow to Ikons of Czar Stalin I." Ron added a few of his observations and experiences of students through the metal draping that splits Europe, and of progressive student movements elsewhere.

Floor discussion centred round policy and concrete activity for the socialist students and young workers in the Immediate future—some decisions about peace and the Stockholm Appeal and such student needs as bursaries, textbooks, and hostels, being made.

Home was the caper well after 10 p.m. A full weekend, but certainly not a lost one. Special thanks go to Mr. and Mrs. L. B. Piper for the extension of their hospitality, and to Mr. Neil Grange who, did a fine job at the head of the Commissariat.