A CRYING DISGRACE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 196, 8 May 1918, Page 6

A CRYING DISGRACE

Sir,—Your correspondent "Silas Stark" has 'seen fit to atieiupt a rcpiy- to my letter, oi May i. I still thins lie siiould be ashamed of his letters on 'HorseIlacing and Other Tilings." He should be duiiOiV ashamed alter the nv.srepre-ai-ntations lie lias given expression to. Sir 1 nave gone carelully wrougli titc dictionary, but 1 h-ui no such name as ■•Suas Stark" there. 1 mil give him tho benefit of b r ne doubt, but it he is usui" a nuiiKle-plume under Ins lctieia they are aivauiy discounted in the public'view. If a genuine patriot, lot him prove it to us. 1 have, h.tt many other.,, absolutely no faitti in llioso who champion hoiWaeing as at present carried on Moreover, w.th otiicra, I think \eij litlle indeed of their typo of patriotism. What drivel "Siins S." talks when he sneaks of a certa'.n lacing club donating J-JO IWO or .£50,000 to "win-the-war purno«'s! Would it not be much nearer the'truth to say this sum was given as "bribe to noochviml the public and appear patriotic, and secure a long« luwe of hie tor the- racing club? ,A great deal of so-called, patriotism is merely "spurious imitation. The class of pioplo who "do evil that good may conic" are a class of -teutons; they are. undermining the foundations oj..society. Such peopie are to he pitied tor thnr short-sigiitediiess. History proves conclusively that a nation has more to rear from inward rottenness than from outward invasion, says a. certain historian of went repute. Quite so, and the "seething mass of eorrupt.on. ound in connection with some "sports should be tolerated no longer. During the war, if Borne of the people have no ideals of decency then tiifi powers that be should excrciso influence. The impertinence of Silas Mark .in comparing a racing club's funds with those of the P.P.A. and the Prohibition Party is characteristic of some of the "sports" in our midst. For an examplo of hypocrisy and unmitigated cant tins is the record. The funds of the P.P.A. and the Prohibition Parly are raised for a distinctly patriotic purpose-the throwing down of manifest injustices. Tho members of these societies, like all tho rest of the people, have given their eons ami their money in the interests of the British Empire. The thoughltul people of New Zealand who see a little farther than "sport" are more likely to foster genuine- patriotism than thoso who are in league with racing clubs, etc. "Silas Stark" has grossly misrepresented my allusion to thq, work of the Rev. H. Elliott. Your correspondent tlhanks mo for an "admission." I hasten to repudiate tho idea of admitting anything to him. I distinctly stated that the remarks of your correspondent "Silas Stark" were, in view of recent telegrams about conscription, in very bad taste. I admire the work of the Rev. Mr. Elliott. "Mr. Stark" has misrepresented my position. Mr. Elliott aims at freedom and fair play,, and as for "sectarian strife' it is only tho outcome of a desire _ to make his work appear so. Talking about commandeering the funds of the P P.A. is the same as talking about the funds of the Roman Catholic Federation. The same applies to the Prohibition Parly. As for this latter party named I could easily fill your paper with quotations condemnatory of the "Trade." Let anyone read such books as "Defeat or Victory" and they will soon bo convinced that the "Trade" in England lias robbed women and children of their "daily bread." Truly, "the half lias not been told me." Tho earao ia

going on in New Zealand. The "Tr.if!a*" in EugliinJ during the war lira destroyed the lood supply by over 3,500,000 tuns and put its tiilons on sugar- ciiouglh to last the nation 101) days. Those arestatistical {acts. In the name ot GodJet us take the scaltvs from our eyes and wxvo tlio nation. —I am, etc.,

R. E. DOWLE, Presbyterian Church, Eketahuna.

["Silas Stark" is merely the p«i wune of the correspondent referred to.]