AN OUTSPOKEN CLERGYMAN.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1919, Page 3

AN OUTSPOKEN CLERGYMAN.

*¥dH!EAIJSM DIGGING ITS GBAVE." ; *! firmly Mere that if the public only knew the enormous profits some Arms pre making by fleecing the people .there ivould be * revolution in tlie country," remarked, the Rev. J, G. Chapman in . «roeaking at the Taranaki Street Methodist Church in Wellington last week. , "The man who practises dishonesty and fraud during the week," he said, ."and puts; an extra half-crown on the collection plate to salve his conscience •ad get on the right side of Cod is a fool-for his pains. Decei,t is the sign of inferiority, because it runs toward the animal conditions of life. Animal* live by craft and guile. The fox, for example, is cunningness incarnate. There is a good deal of foxiness in business to-day. *But a man must live,' is a cant phrase. I am not aware of any necessity that you should live. Some people would-be better in heaven. Whet JS really meant by that phrase 'A man JMist live' is that one isJustified in getting by foul means wha,|he cannot get '•'fty.fair."". . Continuing, he referred to the "iniquitous profiteering" that was going on, and "the' scandalous way in which the public is being fleeced." Ho marvelled that they* tolerated it. In Italy the people bad taken the matter into their own hands, and had forced the Government to stop ,the robbery of the public. '"What a splendid opportunity offers the leaders of the. Labor Party," he said, "to ball the members of their party to form * procession .and march to Parliament House and demand that stringent measures be/.adopted to put down this 'ltcandalous profiteering. I believe that a large proportion of the population of ■Wellington would be willing to join such a procession. I should be happy to carry pne of the banners myself. "Capitalism is digging its own grave, And I should be most happy to officiate at its funeral. Sir James Allen, in 'replying to a deputation a f»\v days ago, said: 7ou forget that Capitalism is eometimes generous.' Wc don't want generosity; we ask for justice and fairness. A tradesman'said to mo: *We can get any. price we like to charge for our etuff.' The people want it, and are prepared to pay for. it.' "But what of those who need it and cannot afford to pay the prices charged,' I asked. WH-h a shrug of the (shoulders, he said: "Wiey must. go without.' A fine example of 'Capitalism's generosity.' "I do "not believe that the late war teas a capitalist's war," he concluded, 'tut I know' that capitalists are making the war an excuse for charging excessively high prices. I would be willing to join a league,; the members of which would pledge themselves not to purchase a single article of clothing until prices fell to a fair and Better go arrayed in safkeloth and sit in ashes than support a business firm that U fattening on the unsophisticated and long-suffering public."