LETTERS TO THE EDITOB

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2699, 19 February 1916, Page 6

LETTERS TO THE EDITOB

REPRISALS. Sir,—Referring to your leading ur* ticlo on the subjcct of reprisals in youi issue of February 8, some points p re < sent themselves which should, I think, ba kept in mind. We have been given to imderstaud that the military damage dono by Zeppelin raids lias hitherto been insignificant, the casualties being mostly among civilians, including nuin- ■ bers of women and children. The first) consideration is, AVill reprisals in kind have a deterrent effect 011 the Germans in the matter of air raids? This can* not be proved, and may only lead to' further atrocities on prisoners and civilians interned in Germany. Again: If air reprisals are justifiable, why not sea reprisals, that .is the sinking of German passenger and merchant ships without warning? It is pardon, able for those who are perhaps actual witnesses of t-lio horrors of a Zeppelin raid to see red, and demand reprisals 1 but our side has hitherto fought a cleaij liant (the Baralong incident not excluded, both sides engaged being combat« !ints)j and no one who sees that thitf war is the fight of civilisation against barbarism can wish to Bee our men in any branch of the services earning the unenviable name of "baby-killers." lie* sides, when the war is finished, wo lootf tor the trial and just punishment oi those of our enemies w ]j o a ,. 0 respon< bible for such barbarous methods of wartare. How, then,, should we stand if. WO ourselves commit the same criiner against innocent non-combatauts ?—£ am, etc., „ R, D. PELL, rukau Bay, Peloras Sound. PRAYER AND VICTORY. . Sir,—There are certain points in ths letter from "The Brother" that call for grave criticism, but it seems to me most undesirable that at such a time an<3 on such a subject we should degenerata into controversy. I will merely express my regret that the writer of that lettei should apparently fall into the old and fatal snare of opposing work and prayer, He says, "No conceivable amount 01 prayer can make.a people more deserv* ing of victory at the hands of God If wo desire victory, let us work for it."' May i say in reply that no conceivable amount of work on our part can possibly bring victory unless the work bo done in the spirit of prayer, i.e., dependence upon and faith in God. Work and prayer are not contradictory, 'they are complementary. True prayer must prove its sincerity by working. Work must bo sanctified and made effectual by praying. More< over, prayer is itself work of the highest'1 type. If it is true to sav that "t« work is to pray," it is equally true W say that "to pray is to work." "The Brother" is inconsistent, too, lor, if no amount of prayer can bring victory to our cause because we "can< not identify it with the cause of righteousness," then surely no amount ol' work either can bring victory. Yet he says, "if -we desire victory, let us work for it." /

But those Trio disagree and those who agree -with "The Brother" can yet support tlie "fellowship of prayer," because in the formal resolution of tha committee not a -word was said of victory, whatever may_ have been raroarked In the course of discussion. . The resolution ran thus: "Y>'e resolve to attempt to band together Christian people throughout the Dominion to pray day by day that a great wave of national repentance may sweep across our country, and that God will bring our Empire safely through this crisis in its history."—l am, etc.,

ERNEST J. SOLA. Vicarage; Eastbourne. AUSTRALIAN CASUALTIES By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyrigh.il (Rec. February 19, 0.55 a.m.) Sydney, February 18. Casualty list No. 143 gives the names of the, following New Zealanders: —lll, Sergt. It. Woodhouse; in hospital in London, Ptes. W. H. Gore, R~ L. R. Henderson; in Cairo, returned to duty. Driver H. Cruickshatik, Ptes. 0, ii Mollard, and J. R. Liddlo.

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