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Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1924, Page 2

l’niuc economy is a matter I'nr vital consideration in view of the immediate national liahilitie.s to he met. There is also the matter of the narrow margin between exports and imports, with the fear that even that narrow margin might disappear. The increased price for wool seems to have started off a hooni in imports, lint wool prices may not recur, and it is plain the prices for dairy products are going to have a falling tendency. Mr Massey might well preach caution in private expenditure, and he might with equal reason app'v the same to the public expenditure. .All the money raised by loan is not going to ho applied to undertakings which will give the country a direct interest return for the expenditure. Much of it will he expended on nonproductive works, and to that extent will he “dead" money, and the interest payments and sinking fund provision must come out of general receipts. Private economy in any ease is likely to lie forced by dearer money, and it will not he surprising if borrowing rates do not harden soon. The Government cannot go on the money market again very soon, and must live within its local means. It would lie well therefore to liogin at once with public economies which will help the financial situation, and so assist the Dominion to meet its national obligations without stress or stringency. There arc of course very intimate financial relations lietween New Zealand and the Commonwealth. Tn Australia a huge debt has to he I provided for. and money prices there have their effect on this market. The tendency in that regard will lie also to harden prices, and unless the staple commodities exported return fair prices the situation is likely to grow more 1 difficult. Viewed from every point 1 there is the pressing need for extra caution, and the Government which no- j gleets the obvious duty liefore it at this juncture is not true to its trust. Mr Massey’s sincerity in regard to financial administration will therefore he put to a serious test over the next few months.

Ih many ways Bolshevism has proved itself reactionary, and the sworn foo of democracy; in none more than in its attitude to religion. The spirit of tho pge ia pno of toleration; let fl

mail profess what faith lie will. But ever since the Reds obtained power they have waged a systematic war upon religion. Christianity itself has been the object of their attack. “We have finished with the earthly TziVrs; now we shall deal with the heavenly Tzars,” declared an official Bolshevik newspaper. The Churches hnvo been plundered, worship proscribed, and priests put to death upon any pretext or none. Twenty-eight Bishops, and over twelve hundred priests of the Russian Orthodox Church have been judicially murdered. Many ministers of the Roman Catholic Church have been judicially murdered. Many ministers of other Christian faiths have suAfore in a corresponding degree. The persecution of Christians in Dolslicvik Russia will rank in history with the* for which the Roman Emperor Diocletian was responsible. It is significant, however, that the .Jews have not been molested. The vendetta- reached its climax with tho persecution of the Patriach Tikhon, and the trial, on fabpricated charges of the Archbishop Cioplak and other members of the Chinch. The British Government protested, but subsequently in tbe House of Commons several Liberal and Labour members (including the present Prime Minister), said that they were not satisfied that the allegation of persecution had any foundation. They should he convinced writes a review of a late publication, by •‘The Bolshevik Persecution of Christianity,” by Captain Francis McCullagli which supplies irrefragable proofs. Captain MeCullngh is nil American, and the Russian correspondent of the “New York Herald.” He the measures taken in the “disciplining” of the Patriarch Tikhon. Tie gives an exhaustive account of tho Cieplak trial, at which ho was present, from the day it opened, till tho day it closed with four sentences of death. It is quite clear that these proceedings were merely a form. The accused had no chance of establishing their innocence, they were given no opportunity of defending themselves, and now charges were brought against them whenever tho prosecutor saw fit. Captain McOullogh’s hook is closely documented. In appendices, are given cm titled translations of reports from Bolshevik journals, decrees of the Soviet Government, and orders of tho Red Court, liven without his commentary, these speak for themselves.