THE CHURCH AND THE WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 281, 16 August 1918, Page 6

THE CHURCH AND THE WORKERS

Sir—ln your short xeport of my lcc- ■ ture on "Archbishop Redwood, Howard Elliott, and Socialism," which appeared, in Monday's issue, I am credited with, saying that the Statute of Labourers wasparsed after the Reformation. Kindly allow be to correct that error in the report. My argument was that as th 9 Statute of Labourers, the first of & loiifj - series of repressive measures directed against the workers, was passed ill 1349, prior to tho Eeformation,' 'the Archbislion's contention that all was well with the" workers in that period did not hold good. The fact that similar legislation, was passed and enforced after tho Reformation invalidated .the Kov. Howard Elliott's contention that Protestantism had meant liberty to the working class. I pointed to the series of parallel measures passed in Protestant England and Catholic France, with the express and common purpose of keeping the womffj in subjection, as proof of the fact that the economic system, operating through the owning class of all religions, was responsible for the workers' condition at any given time, and not any particular religion. The advanco' in too economic position of the workers and such increase of liberty as they enjoy anywhero is duo to the evolution of economic forces and tho efforts of the working class itself, and'not to any particulaf creed, sect, or religion.-I . ' Wellington, August 13, 1918.