Citizens Say

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 960, 1 May 1930, Page 8

Citizens Say

(To the Editor.)

MR. VEITCH IN 1911 Sir, — I read with much interest Mr. Walter Gray’s letter in a. recent issue of The Sun. I was an elector in Wanganui, and keenly interested in the campaign of 1911. I noted the attitude of the three candidates referred to, and unhesitatingly confirm Mr. Gray’s statements. As further showing the inconsistency of the Hon. Mr. Veitch, I should mention that on the eve of the second ballot at that election I went to Mr. Veitch*s final meeting, and asked him the following question: “Will the candidate pledge himself to vote against Sir Joseph Ward on the first no-confidence motion, or resign?” His reply, in view of his present attitude, is most illuminating. It was as follows: “Certainly I will: I have no time for Ward, and am going in to put him out.” N. P. LEWIS. SIR lAN HAMILTON Which is the true Sir lan Hamilton? Last Anzaf Hay, 1929, he was responsible for “All Quiet on the Western Front” being homed above all other war books. He informed the world that Remarque had killed war by his pen, and that the author deserved the Nobel Peace Prize 10 years in succession. This Anzac Hay Sir lan has emerged as one who is terribly afraid that if women know the truth about war, they will prevent their men folk from slaughtering and maiming one another. As women are the mothers of men, that is precisely what they should do. Then, again, two years ago Sir lan Hamilton, mourning the Lost Legions of Gallipoli, at the opening of a sports pavilion in Glasgow, said:—“There must be something wrong with the scheme of existence, when a State, whenever it was disturbed, devoured' its own children.” Now, during the war, in 1916. at a reception accorded Sir Joseph Ward and the late Mr. Massey at Sir lan’s

residence in London, I happened to be in a party of wounded soldiers invited to be present. The Hamilton I saw upon that occasion was a broken, aged man, suffering from tbe terrible strain of his Gallipoli experiences. As compared with the same man only three years before (1913), when he visited New Zealand. he was only just a wreck; and never have I felt so completely sorry for any high commander than I did on that day in London. That is the reason why I am so puzzled at Sir lan’s “new” discovery that women, if they know the truth about war, will prevent it! Well, then, for humanity’s sake, let the mothers of men know the truth! K. M. THOMSON (4/553). RELIGION IN RUSSIA Sir, I notice that in a leading article, a week or so ago, you joined in the hue and cry raised by political wire-pullers and other interested parties regarding the persecution of Christians in Russia. You were, however, on that particular issue, in quite respectable com.pany, for had not his Holiness the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rev. L. M. Watt, of Glasgow Cathedral: Lady Houston, Lord Sands, the millionaire chairman of Bass and Co., and Bishop Liston, of Auckland, all fulminated against the ‘'atrocities” of the Soviet? It reminds one of other “atrocities”—the corpse factory, the baby of Courbeck Loos, and the screen of Belgian women compelled to march in front of the advancing German infantry. All propaganda, sir, and utterly untruthful propaganda at that. Enclosed please find a couple of clippings which I trust you will be kind enough to publish with this letter. J. DESMOND. Our correspondent supplies two cuttings from newspapers. One is n letter from the Anglican Bishop for Xorth and Central Europe, stating that, by permission of the Soviet Government, an Anglican chaplain had conducted services at Moscow and Leningrad and would continue to do so. The other is an excerpt from an article by Mr. Arnold Bennett,

who visited Russia last year. aescribW how impressed he was by the religious services held in Moscow, by the demeanour of the congregation and by number of churches that were to be #<*#■* in Moscow.—Ed. The Sun.