Socialism and communism

Nothing can be understood about world affairs unless terms are clear, and particularly the two terms which are so much used today: Socialism and Communism. The former is widely used in seeming opposition to the latter, which has taken on in Western ears an evil sound, while the former is respectable and benign. This should not be. Both are identical in every respect. The term "Communism" only came into general use about 1923 (it was known long before that) when the socialists in Russia determined to use the already existing peasant communes on which to build a Socialist State. Thus it was that Russia, and not some other nation, was chosen as the site of the start of the World Revolution. The party was known for years as the Socialist Party. Marx was its prophet and Lenin its chief priest. The latter in- variably referred to the party and its adherents as "Socialist," and in only one of his writings can I find any reference to Communists. This was when he said: "It does not matter one whit whether three-quarters of the people of the world perish. What matters is that the quarter which remain are Communists.""

The disease from which the world suffers is socialism; its poison is administered by the. United Nations; and its goal is World Government. To wrongly diagnose this illness is fatal.

I. W. McTAVISH