The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1929. THE SALVATION ARMY.

Hokitika Guardian, 23 January 1929, Page 4

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1929. THE SALVATION ARMY.

Tub important question of tin; leadership and government of the Salvation Army threatens to reach an impasse which can not be overcome except by recourse to litigation. Any appeal to tlio law courts, either on the part of General Bramwcll Booth himself or on that of the section of disaffected officers who are desirous of exchanging the past autocracy for a more democratic rule, cannot blit he fraught with the most serious consequences to the welfare of the institution itself. General Brain-well Booth has declined to accede to the request of the High Council that he should retire, talcing the ground that under the constitution of the \rmy he could not consistently retire at a time when the foundation principles of the Army are being called in question. The leaders in the revolt against autocratic rule seem to he not sure concerning the exact powers of the High Council. The Trust deed of 190 G v-hich created that Council provides for the filling of the position of General in the event of its occupant becoming unlit for office. At the time when that deed was drafted a competent authority offered a criticism which is of interest at this juncture: “If the High Council is, in the opinion of the framer of this deed, capable of removing a General and appointing a successor under such trying circumstances, how comes it that the General when he was preparing it did not include the lesser and easier duty, namely, place the power in the High Council of always appointing the General instead of reiving upon the dangerous expedient of a General naming his successor and lodging that name in the pigeon hole of a solicitor’s office?” The agitation which has come to a head within the last few weeks may he regarded as the inevitable outcome of the existence of an autocracy which almost amounted to an assumption of infallibility, and may have been exerciser! in such a way as to cause manifest injustices. This infallibility was only possible as long as loyalty to the Ar’inv was synononious with loyalty to the British dynasty. But. that loyalty was severely assailed hv. the defection of several members of the Booth family itself. A situation has now arisen jn which loyalty to the insliti'ion has taken the form of a revolt hv many of the most trusted officers of the Salvation Army against the General. Necessarily it opens up the whole question of the Constitution of (lie. Army. It is difficult to imagine Luc memhers of the Army accepting t.he autocratic rule of a Genera! who did not possess the nia.ua that lias been attached in the nasi to the name of Booth. The Constitution provides, however, for no other kind of leader. Therein consists one of the difficulties of a .situation which threatens very materially the "prestige that lias been enjoyed by the Salvation Army.