WAR DANGER.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2576, 25 September 1915, Page 13

WAR DANGER.

Sir, —I wish in as few words as possible, with your permission, to point out certain dangers confronting us at the present. time. .Wo all know that one of the dangers that wo are being threatened with at this present moment by a section of the community who have other aims to servo than to preserve oiir ' ancient liberty—is conscription. The reason of this attempt, I take it, is that we ha-ve not prized our national liberty—in othor words, our ideal has not been high enough, or not clearly enough expressed to bo clearly stamped on the mind of die nation. Our men have, gathered' from all "parts of the world-to fight' as free men, with the ideal of - liberty before thorn, against a, power with" the very ' lowest ideal — tho_ gospel of force. To adopt coniscription is simply to abandon csilr freedom as jnen and descend to the same conditions that our enemy would force upon -us if they could win; In that case, what would there be left' to. fight for at all? It is a proverb —an old one—that ';One volunteer is worth, two pressed men." To destroy voluntary effort is to destroy enthusiasm—the great asset in military operations.

_ Another danger facing us just now is that the corruption of gambling may bo allowed to .blight our people under the., guise ,of patriotic motives. The letter bf;_Saturday's issue signed "WaT Funds',' is,an illustration of how this blighting curse would, spread like the California,)! thistle _ if action is not taken. to prevent it. I do not speak from: a Church point of view, as I happen, to,be ; an,a2Qostio\in religion,: but as 'a-lover of my countrymen. I don?t wish , to see them soil their, patriotism in • the • mire , of. gambling..All. credit to Dr. and the others who point out-- the "breakers : ahead!' of our na-, tional ship—they. are. true"; patriots, although Lam-notm agreement, with them on Religion,; /When they aro willingl to. .preach—and 'act —on .the, lines laid dowii ; by their ;o'wn apostles, i may eyon,'agree witli. the' "practical" .'portion of their Christianity.' May I quote Acts. 2iidi Ch. :44th and. 45th verses: "ibid all they that belioved wero together, and had all things common," etc., and . also: Acts' 4tlr Ch. . 34th .'and 35tlh verses, ■'-'Neither- was there any among them' that lacked," oto. Hoping that - their action; ,wiir be "appreci-ated-by the public,—l'am; etc;, AGNOSTIC.