HORSE RACING AND OTHER THINGS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 187, 27 April 1918, Page 8

HORSE RACING AND OTHER THINGS

Sir—l see by your paper this morning that the Manawatu Hacing Club has determined to invest all its profits from the autumn meeting in the War Loan, and the stock itself is to be handed over to patriotic institutions. As this sum amounts to probably JM3,IXX) or ,£50,000, the action of the Manawatu Eacing Club is highly commendable, and offers an example worthy of emulation by those engaged (or avowedly engaged) in win-the-war movements. The racing men are sports; they have their sport, they pay for it, and they give the accumulated funds to win-the-war purposes or to alleviate the distress which the war occasions. In striking contrast to the racing men is the Protestant Political Association. Its sport is tilting at Catholics, Catholic organisations, and Catholic objects. For the purposes of its sport it is putting up 4100,000-not for the purpose of winning the war—but for the purpose of kindling bonfires of sectional hatred, arid reviving the religious prejudices and antipathies at a time when wo should be as one. body, united to win the war. , In strong contrast, too. is the action of the PrOliibition Party. This party is putting up to win the war - not to be spent for Pei! Cross purposes or Y.M.C.A. objects, but to shed thoir neighbours' blood, and like the P.P.A. to create more internal trouble in this country. Many of us are always ready to see the other man do it, but as a body this particular party has by its propaganda caused ono section of the community to give up seven-sixteenths of its trade and more than half of its profits, to help win the war. But is there one person belonging to this party that has made such a sacrifice as he has imposed upon others? I have not noticed how much tho Catholic Federation, is putting up to pursue its propaganda, but my solid conviction is that all these institutions-whtch are more or less conceived in prejudice, brought forth in jealousy, and maintained in hatred—onsht to be disbanded by the War Eegulations, and all their moneys confiscated for the 'purpose of winning the war, or benefiting the Ked Cross, the returned soldiers, or the Y.M.C.A. The Kev. Howard Elliott, who abandoned his pulpit to engage in this strifemaking, has told us that there arc already 150,000 half-crowns put up, which is roughly .£20,000, and if this institution were as eager to win the waT as tha Manawatu Racing Club, if would not fritter it away on a bad-breed propaganda, but would Im"d the whole of its funds over to the War Loan, and the stock disposed of■ for charitable institutions. The true patriot, the man truly imbued by a win-the-war policy, and tho man thoroughly anti-German, will have nothing to do with any institution whoso chief object, is fhe promotion of sectional hatred, and the resurrection of ftvo-hun-dred-yearold prejudices at a time like the present—l am, etc.. STLAS STAKE.