REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT REPLIES TO ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 264, 27 July 1918, Page 8

REV. HOWARD ELLIOTT REPLIES TO ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD

(To (lie Editor.)

Sjr,—.Archbishop Redwood's contributed article appearing in your columns to-ilav and entitled "Justice to tho Masses'" is altogether admirable in 60 far as it is a plea for belter social, economic, ami industrial conditions jor (ho worker (hough his statement of the caso is evidently made with his eyes upon conditions somewhat different to (hose which prevail in this highly favoured lJonuniou. .Nevertheless, every public-spirited man will rejoice in every effort to bring in a fairer day, a nobler life," for each toiling man, and if Archbishop Redwood or Archbishop.O'Sbea can assist to that end there are those of "other faith and other fold" who will unite their strength with theni to bring it about. But when the Archbishop attempts (o pose in solitary state as the representative of the only Church whose caro is for tlio v?iT CS ~ nn( ' w ' lcn ' 10 f l ll °t e 'i Pope Loo aIII as an adequate authority, and as a safe guide for the Labour movement— then issue must be taken with him. Two reasons justify us in this. They are: (1) That in every country in the world where tho Church of Rome is in (he ascendancy there is not only no social reform movement, but Ihe sociai, economic, and industrial conditions are tho worst conceivable. Spain may bo taken as a typical example. It is an axiom of social reform that those who are to benefit by reform must be educated. Without education men neither aspire to nor desire reform. The birth of tho modern social movement with all its present day ramifications followed immediately upon the spread of education. In Spain, Borne has been tho dominant power in State and religion for centuries; only the barest toleration is even now extended to any other form of religion, yet in that nation more than SO tier cent, of the people are absolutely illiterate, and tho social conditions of the people are wholly deplorable. Rome has never inculcated or fostered social reform in the country where she had the power and ample opportunity. Moreover, was not Ferrer, who desired to educate the Spanish youth as the first step to the social emancipation of that country assassinated at (he wish and by the wi'll of the hierarchy? To cite again the Latin' States of America, where the Church of Rome is predominant, it is estimated that seveneighths of the 20.000,000 of population are unable to read or write, and social and industrial reform are unknown. On the other hand, in Italy, as in Prance, the Socialist movement—and by that I mean the trades union and industrial amelioration and betterment movement— only sprang into being when the hand of the Papacy had been wrenched from the wheel of State.

Further the Archbishop, with all his and his Church's professed , sympathy with Labour and tho working roasts, ennnot name a single dominaiitly Roman coun. I 111 i lvor Jd—flntl there are several— i re J • soc ' !l ' reform movement lives and thrives, Belgium alone excepted, ■ and there arc special reasons for the exception; whereas on the contrary tho great modern organisation of Labour into unions ind societies has waited upon education and has had its genesis and found its fullest expression in those countries which were Protestant in faith and civic ideal. Protestant Germany outdistanced Roman Germany, emancipated France is 300 years "ahead of Spain, Protestant England and tho U.S.A. stand in the vanguard, whilst in Australasia the Labour movement achieved greater influence, strength, and power than in any other country in tho world; and these are Protestant lands. Contrast the conditions of industrialism —housing, hours, wages, conditions of work—in New Zealand with the conditions of Soman Belgium or Ireland—c.v I cept in the nort|i-and you will find that I in Protestant New Zealand Labour "has a paradise in comparison with Labour in e:ther of the countries named. In I raying this I do not by any means coni tend that conditions are perfect here. But the point is that while to-dav . Archbishops Redwood and O'Shea and'jlnnnix as the superlative friends of .unbmir in Australasia, every Romanist' country in the world finds the Church ot Home the implacable enemy of reform. The second ground upon which I tako issue with the Archbishop is his magnification of Pope Leo. XIII as an authority and a guide in matters which affcct tho democracy. There was no more narrow oligarchist—even autocrat—than that same Pope. In his Encyclical letter dated June 20, ISSB, Leo wrote: " . . With reference to public affairs: Authority is severed from the true and natural principle (government by the Pope) whence it derives all its efficacy for the common pood, and tho law determining what is right to do and avoid doing is at the mercy of the majority. Now this is simply a road leading straight to tyranny." Concerning the liberty of speech and of the Press he wrote: "It is hardly necessary to say there can be no such right." Pope Leo denied the fundamental principle of all democratic government—government by the majority —and without that principle working men. ara slaves, the priced possessions of Pope, autocrat, or tyrant of some sort. Leo claimed-that all social conditions were' to be ameliorated by him and at. his discretion. He denied tho right of majorities to do it; but even where ha had the power, as well as the right, ho utterly failed to exercise either for the benefit of the working man or woman. His denunciation of Socialism is unforgettable. Why, then, does tho, Archbishop seek to foist him .upon the Labour men of this country as a counsellor, guide, or,friend? If the Archbishop is ruled by the, principles laid down by Leo XIII he is no friend of the working man—neither is the Church he sents.

I do not prolong this letter further .11 su y that if the Roman archbishops in New Zealand seek to capture tho Labour Part}' it shall be dona only alter Labour has the faote before it. Monnix has laid his spirit on tha Labour Party in Australia, as Sir Kobert Bestpointed out on tho 12th inst. in .Melbourne. Labour lias only to read the broad facts of the history of its, own movement to understand that it lifts been only in Protestant lands, uiidor tho geuerous liberty of Protestants' prinoiples and ideals, that tho workiiig man lias found his place and his power, and wrought out his cconomio salvation at least in part ; and'it will only bo ns he helps to maintain thoso principles and ideals that lie will find opportunity to ndvance to thoso higher and juster conditions of life which all Protestant leaders believe to be possible and imperious. —I am, etc.,

HOWARD ELLIOTT. Political Protestant Association, Wellington, July 25.