MR. SEMPLE AND BOLSHEVISM.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16451, 19 February 1919, Page 6

MR. SEMPLE AND BOLSHEVISM.

HIS VIEWS CONDEMNED,

Speaking at Lyttolton on Mom?n» night. Mr It Somplo M.± referred to the statement he made at the Colosseum on Saturday ilis pathv lor Bolshevism. U ad ho been horn and bred in Hi, M i a> he tllo environment would hnv 0 forced him to Iv a Bolshevist. In l{u<sia women had to paiauo tlio streets Luring pniciirds stating ' >\o want bread." i n such conditions li 0 woiuu iui. oto g 0 either for or against the mothers who begged broad for their children, and h 0 would portamlv bo on tlio side of those who had so to beg.

If this isi wlmt -Mr Somplo intended to say on Saturday night he certainly did not convey that impression to tho audience. M o have no doubt that independent evidence will ho forthcoming to support tho amirarv of the news? paper reports of his Saturday's speech

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) ti Febniarv 18. The following telegram has bwn sent to tho Acting-Prime -Minister bv Ur It. Souiplo Al. P. regarding a statement Ar\l thristchurcli by Mr If (; Ai.P.:—

; q>r'? s ' iS f i,?i )C \ r | tcd rn- V th ° Ch , i res.s that Mr Ell .u.- has i ho has_ forwarded you n newspaper report of my alleged statements which • ho characterised as an insult to sol- ' dier s and their mothers. Pleaso note my objection to the report, which was deliberately constructed to misrepresent what I said at my. moot in- in ''"hrimchurch on Saturday night. M r 01 was not present at my meeting and • therefore bases his unwarranted charges on a distorted and false report, and on winch ho seeks to enlist til© svmpathv oi soldiers and their mothers. Such action on tho part of a public man ; s, ln .v opinion, tinjust and cowardly (Signed) Semple." Tho following telegram has boon sent to tho Acting-Trimo Minister by tho Canterbury Chamber of Commence:— lour attention i 8 drawn to Scrapie's speech last Saturday in Christchureh It is an incentive to disloyalty and rrime. and the Government should take immediate steps to stoD further disloyal utterances." TO TIIE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." 1. heartily endorse Mr Ell's attitude with regard to Mr Semplo'n statement;;. Why does not the whole ol Jsew Zealand rise up in arms and insist upon tho authorities locking up people With such dangerous and lawless doctrines? They or© a terrible and evil force m the country. We road with horror of th 0 Bolshevist excesses and yet these doctrines are allowed to be spread m this country. I for one raise my feeble pen in protest.—Yours etc A SUMNER WOMAN. TO TOE EDITOR OF "THE PRESS." Sir,—lt fills m© with nmaaement that a.ny decent, self-respecting men can sit and listen to this agitator, and that your columns are not filled with denunciations of him and of his ilk after his vapourings in tho Oolossoum recently. All honour to Mr Ell, tho solitary champion among . our public men to act promptly. What is the government going to do. about it? If the men in authority fail in their plain duty, with tho example of England, America, and Switzerland before thorn, what about the women ? Let tliem read ot the diabolical practices in Eastern Russia carried on by these fiends of Bolshevists, and lot them ask themselves whether they are content to sit still and tolerate any of that ilk :'n this beautiful country, or whother they will not rather, thrc .gh their women's societies, giv© the Government no rest till it is to a sense of its responsibility in this matter. One is almost struck dumb at the unheard-of horrors one reads nowadays, and tho utter helplessness which soems to fall on those who, are supposed to govern and protect passes one's understanding.—Yours, etc., FEMINA. TO TIIE EDITOR OF "WE MESS." Sir,—l am pleased to say that I did hot hear Mr Somple's speccli, but if it is true that ho really made tho remarks which I havo heard, it is surprising that a Christchurch jiudienco could remain to listen to him. It is said that we must not interfere with freedom of spooch, but that is not the only freedom we have, \ve also havo tho right of refusing to listen to such monstrous opinions. It is also reported that this man proclaimed himself in sympathy with the B.olshoviks, and expressed regret that there were not moro of tivefto men in New Zealand. I must confess that I had no idoa that froodoin of speech wag allowed to such an extent. There is, at any rato, no law which compels us to supply buildings and audiences for tho expression of such views. Havo we grown so tame and spiritless that we are to listen pationtly to opinions that might havo been utterer.' by the worst enemy of our country?— Yours, etc., E. J. HALL. February 17th, 1319.