i think the day will come when we will be able to make the distinction between us and the capitalists. we must get certain leading ideas before the people. we should announce that we are not going in for what was the old-fashioned idea of redistribution, but the redistribution of income. let it always be a question of income.
i have been very happy here to night. i entirely understand the distinction made by our chairman to night when he said you hold me in social esteem and a certain amount of personal affection. i am not a sentimental man, but l am not 1nsensible to all that. i know the value of all tl1at, and it gives me, now that 1 have come to the age of seventy (it will not occur again and i am saying it for the first time), a great fee1ing of pleasure that l can say what a good many people can't say.
在七十寿辰宴会上的讲话
近几年来,公众舆论想方设法对我发难,在一无所获之后,又转而把我捧为伟人。不管谁碰上这种事都是可怕的灾难。现在,显然又有人想故伎重演。因此,对于庆祝我70寿辰的活动,我完全拒绝发表任何意见。不过,当我的工党老朋友们请我到这里来时,我知道不会有麻烦。
不管怎样,我们现在已经建立了一个立宪党,我们已经把它建立在社会主义的基础之上。我和我的朋友西德尼?韦布先生及麦克唐纳先生一开始就明确说过,我们必须做的就是把社会党变成一个拥护宪法的党,使任何可敬的、虔诚的人都能在个人尊严丝毫不受侵犯的情况下加入这个党。我们革除了陈规陋习,这就是为什么比起任何持激进观点的人来,政府目前更怕我们。