Labour Club Speaks

"At no time since 1914 has the world been closer to war than it is to-day." This phrase has become a commonplace of everyday talk, without any serious thought as to what it really means. Yet the European War of 1914-18, in which ten to twenty million young men were slaughtered under the most appalling circumstances in a "war to end war," is sufficiently close to make us dread its recurrence. But it is no mere question of a similar war. Aerial warfare and chemical warfare have developed to a tremendous extent since 1918, and a new horror, bacteriological warfare, is to-day being developed in the laboratories of the chemists. Fearful as was the massacre of 1914-18, this new world war which is being prepared, will come close to the destruction of civilisation itself if it is not prevented.

It can be prevented—but only by a broad, united front movement against war—no movement of in dividual protest which can be smashed at the will of those who are preparing for war—but a really mass movement of all those who are opposed to war. This movement must include the working-class, for these are the bulk of the population, and it is they who, by their control of the economic lfe of the country, can decisively put a stop to war. It must include the students and intellectual elements, for these have nothing to gain from a new world war, and everything to lose by the crushing of human culture which a militarist dictatorship brings with it. It must be directed against the small clique of militarists, financiers, armaments magnates and capitalists who are the only class which stands to gain anything from war, and are quite cynically and coldbloodedly preparing it.

New Zealand is not isolated from these worldwide war preparations. The British Empire is plunging towards war at headlong speed, and New Zealand. together with Australia, is drawn in as part of the common war machine. The importation of new torpedo-bombers and anti-aircraft guns, the construction of emergency airplane landing grounds in various places, the reorganisation of the territorials, the close co-operation with the Australian military authorities, the participation in the Secret Naval Conference at Singapore—all these show what is happening. At the same time that all expenditure on social services has been cut to the bone and teachers are asked to teach at £60 a year!

This matter is one which directly concerns the student body. The extra war expenditure is made at our expense in common with the working-class; the proof of this is to be found in the reduced allowances to the Universities and the closed training colleges. The accompanying suppression of the freedom of speech throughout the country affects us, as is shown by the suppression of last year's "Spike" because of an article on the students' fight against war. In the last resort the profit-makers will call on us to fight for "King and Country," or to suppress the movement of those who refuse to take up arms against their fellow-workers in another country.

For this reason it is very necessary to build up among the students a broad movement of resistance to War, and to Fascism, which is a necssary political preparation for War. The Victoria College Labour Club, which has as one of its aims "to organise student opposition to Fascism and War," is taking the initiative in this necessary work. It intends calling a number of meetings against war during the remainder of the term, at which representatives of the various College Clubs and of the staff will be asked to speak. It has as its object the creation of a Student Anti-War Committee totally representative of the students, and able to carry on this work adequately.

We ask all students opposed to war to give us their support, in this work, and to attend the meetings in force, recognising the importance and urgency of the movement against war.

"Architectural Diarrhoea."

You will remember that in your last issue there appeared an article headed "Architectural Diarrhoea," in which our newly-acquired buildings were made the subject of playful ridicule.

The Management Committee has. since the opening of Weir House, treated us with marked generosity. and we feel that in the circumstances this article may cause the belief that this generosity is not meeting with its deserved appreciation. A meeting of this Association has therefore passed the following resolution, a copy of which I am directed to forward to you.

"That this meeting wishes to disasociate itself from the article in the last issue of page 11 "Smad," entitled 'Architectural Diarrhoea,' and referring to our new Recreation Room, in so far as such article may be taken to imply disapproval of the room and its appointments."

You will appreciate that this motion is in no way a protest against the above-mentioned article, but merely voices our desire that there should be no misunderstanding as to our gratitude to the Management Committee for the new buildings, which are such a distinct acquisition to the House.

What is the Foottall Club Doing?

There is a menace in our midst, a snake in our bosom! I shall expose it. On a recent .Saturday ofternoon, when the 'Varsity Fourth Grade football team was travelling to Lower Hutt, we had to share the bus with "another team." As you know, we are all young and impressionable, but did the "other team" set us a good example? Most decidedly not.

On the way out they polluted our lungs with that nauseous bacchanalian excrescence called smoke; but on the way in—well, I blush to think of their orgies. Two of them had been drinking, and they started singing songs. As you know, there are songs and songs, but these were songs!! Try as I could to understand them, I was unable to make out more than a few obvious biological inaccuracies; yet they sang with a youthful vigour in marked contrast with the more pensive rendering of "Gaudeamus" and other songs in the Town Hall at Capping time. Perhaps as they sang "Gaudeamus" their mind ran thus: "May be it is the same moon shining on us to-night that shone on Caesar and Cleopatra 2000 years ago. as they walked on the African shore and warbled this soulful ditty." And they forgot to sing.

But they did not forget to sing when they were in the bus, though they did forget what they were singing and who they were singing to. Surely it is the duty of the Football Club Committee to take this matter up and preserve our morals.