Current Topics

New Zealand Tablet, 18 August 1921, Page 14

Current Topics

How Lord Limavaddy Looks After His Own Last week we received from the Collector of Customs a notification that a parcel of publications about Ireland and some extracts from a London daily newspaper were detained by the Customs Department in accordance with the rules and regulations made by the Government of an Orangeman. The Orangeman takes care that comments on the crimes of the thugs and murderers who aid his Ulster friends shall not be made known to the New Zealand public, but it goes without saying that he, and his fellow slaves to the P.P.A., have no objection to allowing into the country such literature "as only a low blackguard would introduce into a family." That is quite what we should expect.

Lee's Legislative Ability The occasion finds the man. The greatest crisis in history found Anderson, Nosworthy, Massey, and Lee. How good the latter is may be gathered from a meditation on the circumstances arising out of the scandalous episode of the escape of the Timaru murderer from Seacliff. The man cannot be punished for escaping from an asylum, even though he is not insane. If he had managed to remain at large for two weeks, he could not be brought back (we are informed) without a fresh comittal. The whole situation is another com- , ment on the Minister of Justice whose legislation juries have openly flouted, choosing to follow common sense rather than the whims of the servants of a noisy gang of bigots. We propose that Mr. Lee be sent to represent New Zealand at the Washington Conference. He would be useless there, of course, but we should be well rid of him even for a season. We wonder if it will ever leak out exactly on what principles the Orangeman selected that talented Cabinet of his.

The Northern Elections Again More light is thrown on the quality of British fair play displayed at and before the Carsonia elections by Old Ireland (June 11): "Even- had there been no intimidation the Partition Act itself ensured that a vote truly representative of the views of the population could not be registered. Some months before the elections were held the boundaries of the Constituencies were completely altered. Areas which normally would have returned antiPartitionist candidates were amalgamated with districts known to be overwhelmingly Partitionist. The county of Tyrone, predominantly Republican, was deprived of any separate representation, although it is the third largest county in ' Northern Ireland,' by being merged into one constituency with the County of Fermanagh, in which the electorate is, in the majority, Unionist. In the same way the strong Nationalist vote in West Belfast, by means of a redistribution of the electoral divisions, was distributed over several constituencies, the result being to deprive the anti-Partitionists of three certain seats. On the day of polling (May 24) the forcible ejection of Sinn Fein agents from several of the booths left the way clear for the wholesale impersonation of anti-Partition voters. "The ' Northern \ elections were, however, a farce An armed Special Constabulary, recruited from the worst elements of the Orange Party, and bitterly hostile to the Nationalists and Republicans, was placed at the disposal of the Unionist candidates. This Constabulary carried on a campaign of gross intimidation against the opponents of Partition, and created a reign of terror under which a free expression of popular opinion was impossible. English press correspondents who witnessed this election bore testimony to the violence of this intimidation. The regular British troops and constabulary were openly used for the same 'purpose of terrorising -V the anti-Partitionist electorate

Moreover, the Orange mob, which, in defiance of many British proclamations, is permitted and even encouraged to carry arms and use them upon Republicans and Nationalists, were allowed to attack their disarmed opponents without let' or hindrance.”

Degradation

Referring to the ruling of the Court of Appeal as to probation, Sir John Salmond said at the Auckland Supreme Court, on August 1:

“The decision seems to me to amount to this: That probation is a matter of course, and a matter of right in the case of offences of dishonesty unless they are repeated. In other words every man is entitled to 1 commit one theft or one forgery with safety and remain at liberty. I cannot help thinking that this doctrine is an unsound and dangerous one, the inevitable result of which is the degradation of the standard of honesty in this community.” The sad part of it is that the degradation seems to be so widespread that nobody cares what happens. There is no resuect for : the legislature of this Dominion among the masses of the people, and that loss of respect is due to the faults of the legislators themselves. Various incidents have weakened the confidence of the people in the justice, prudence, and honor of their rulers or administrators, and the public goes on its way smiling at the simplicity of persons who think the course of justice in New Zealand is straight. For instance, what respect can any Catholic, or any decentminded man, have for a Minister who publicly prostituted his office at the nod of a gang of bigots ? Is it not the fact that people used to laugh derisively at our Chief Justices pronouncements ? Have not juries in several cases shown their utter contempt for the laws made by our present legislators? And is not the opinion of the majority of people with the juries that have done so ? A place-hunting, unprincipled set of legislators have brought Government and Legislature into contempt, and there exactly is the foundation of the degradation which is certainly widespread to-day.

Our Sportsmen Can one expect much from a generation of youths trained by teachers whose conception of what is right is to boycott boys whom their pupils are unable to beat in a fair field? One ought not to wonder at hearing how the crowds used to show their teeth when the Marists in Christchurch were thrashing team after team, when one considers that the crowd has been taught nothing of the high ideals of true sportsmen. What will the Springboks think of us? From several people who were present at the games in Dunedin last week we have heard severe comments on the lack of friendliness shown to the visitors and the evident incapacity of the public for appreciating football for the sake of the game. And what would they say .they knew of the pitiful scheming and the nasty tricks played by public school-teachers whose boys are not able to meet the boys of our one Dunedin Catholic school in fair fight? It is rumored that feeling against the visitors ran higher here than it ought. Possibly the tactless mayor who referred to the expedition of New Zealand's soldiers who went to help England to kill a small nation twenty-two years ago recalled bitter memories of burned homes and stolen family-Bibles. Certainly the comments of anonymous writers and of the forger in the Otar/o Daily were in as bad taste as is possible even for that journal. On the day of the test match many were disgusted by the partisan spirit manifested by the crowd, and we have heard New Zealanders regret that the visitors did not win; as they might have done with a little luck and a little to encourage them instead of much to dishearten them.

Catholic Scholarships

We hope* all our readers read carefully a letter from Father. Coffey in last week’s issue ,of the Tablet , calling attention to the fact; that l in Dunedin diocese

Catholic scholarships, tenable in Catholic secondary schools and covering boarding expenses where necessary, are now offered to the pupils of all schools, whether private or public. The Government of the Orangeman is ready, apparently, to go to any lengths of injustice where we are concerned, and once again it is evident that the only use for Catholics in this country is to provide “missile troops"’ when a war is on. and the members of the conventicles of bigotry are shirking their duty. Just as public school-teachers boycott Catholic boys who beat them at athletics and football, - so a P.P.A. Government boycotts Catholic boys who win scholarships in fair competition against all comers. Notwithstanding the favor shown to the State system our schools are more than able to hold their own against them in education as well as in sport, and our people recognise that fact and prove their recognition of it by their generous self-sacrifice. Another example rf that generous spirit is now evident in the determination that boys who win scholarships shall not go without them even if the Government is ready to boycott them. What Dunedin has now done we are sure all the provinces will do shortly, and once more we will prove to the bigots that the only result of their attacks is to fortify our people and make them more determined to maintain intact and efficient a truly Christian system of education fit for the children of parents who really believe in God and in a future life. Some timid people say at times that the Government will end by suppress-., ing our schools. The British Government tried that often in Ireland and yet Ireland is triumphant to-day. The Government that tries it in New Zealand will break itself against the determination of our people as certainly as waves break against rocks.

Professor Pringle on Bigots

During the course of an address on the League of Nations, in the Burns Hall, on August 4, Professor Pringle said:

“I have heard no one in Dunedin say anything against the League of Nations except a gentleman who preached a sermon on it one Sunday evening a few weeks ago. Although other utterances of this gentleman were fully reported in the papers, for some strange and obscure reason no report of his denunciation of the League of Nations was permitted to appear in the press. Had it been I should have felt it my duty to draw public attention to the numerous erros and misstatements of historical facts which his address contained. I should not refer to his so-called arguments, but I am informed that they carry weight with a certain section of public opinion. All that I have i to say in answer to the partisan account he gave of the League of Nations is this. After a war in which by the practically unanimous assent of the British Empire we have been engaged with the help of two great Catholic States of the Continent of Europe in curbing the power for mischief of the great Protestant State of the Continent, it is both puerile and fatuous to denounce the League of Nations because in it we sit cheek by jowl with the representatives of Catholic States. Ladies and gentlemen, it is nauseous to me, it is nauseous to all rightthinking people when religious differences are dragged into the political arena, especially at this exceedingly critical juncture, when it is vitally necessary for all men of good will to present a common, if not united front against the forces which, if unchecked will destroy our civilisation and our liberties. I say shame on the man or woman who to achieve a party triumph does anything to divide the forces of Christianity in ship r ” SUPP rt ° f international solidarity and friendThe Professor’s words are a well-merited castigation for the blatant sectarian strife-mon-gers who are permitted to tour the country and . calumniate Catholics, living and dead. We understand that a local parson replied to the Professor and tried to defend his friend. That he is' a friend of the organiser of strife and that he was named with

him in the series of Auckland challenges concerning the P.P.A. filth is enough .about him. The editor of the enlightened paper that finds two columns for the falsehoods of the calumny monger ought also take his whipping at the hands of the Professor." No doubt the same wise editor, who has no space for lectures on Ireland but finds, columns for calumnies against Irishmen and Catholics, might be able to explain by what economy the attack on the League of Nations was kept out of the press. The itinerant parson, with his repertoire of Maria-Monk and Chiniquy fables, is not a whit worse that his journalistic friends, the day-lie men, who, with a few noble exceptions, accord to him the publicity and notice which they refuse to decent and respectable citizens. It is an old saying and a true one that birds of a feather flock together. The public opinion of decent-minded persons repudiates the falsehoods and the suppressions of the day-lies just as sternly as it denounces the ravings of a horsewhipped parson.

In the Abyss

Facilis descensus Averni sang the Roman poet, and never a truer word was written by the “lord of language,” Mantuan Virgil. We have gone down the hill for five years and when we take stock of our present condition the only consolation left is the thought that we have fallen so low that we must be near the bottom. Lord Bryce tells us that our hired politicians are lower in mind and manners than their predecessors of thirty years ago: secular schools achieved that for us. Observation tells us that our press is a disgrace to manhood and that its chief function seems to be tellinv lies and suppressing the truth: the general corruption of morals made that possible. Sad experience tells us that the finances of the Dominion are in such a state that it is hopeless to expect persons so poorly equipped as Nosworthy, Anderson, and Massey to steer us safely among the rocks: politicians bound to bosses and bigots brought that upon us. Look around to-day and find if you can one ray of hope on the horizon. Our railways are worn out and the old cars compare unfavorably with fourth class in Germany. Efficient steamer services are a thing of the past. The regular boats between Wellington and Greymouth have gone ; there is hardly ever a steamer sailing between Dunedin and Auckland; sailings to Australia are fewer than ever and fares higher than ever. Mr., Massey has undone much that was done by Mr. Seddon and Sir Joseph Ward. But as long as he has the P.P.A. behind him the welfare of the Dominion is clearly only a secondary consideration, and he can make his gesture of contempt for the people with impunity. Is there any consolation in recalling that a people gets the sort of government it merits ? Is there any comfort in remembering that if we are badly off England is ten times worse? Her Cabinet Ministers have become synonyms for liars; trafficking in Marconi shares and other shady transactions are associated with their names; a maddened populace is barely held down by sheer weight of arms and a revolution is drawing nearer and nearer. Great Britain owes America the fabulous sum of 14,196,818,358, or about one and a quarter thousand million pounds. She is unable to pay even the interest on it, and she has been spending millions making war on women and children in Ireland. Her starving and unemployed inhabitants walk the roads in millions and grow more dangerous as time goes on. Her brutal treatment of Ireland,- her shameless violation of her pledges her sacrileges and arson and murders have aroused to fierce anger the people of America, of France, of Italy, of Russia of Norway, of Denmark. She stands alone like an outlaw and a leper and all point to her the finger of scorn. She is told that she has committed outrages and crimes ten times worse than those she invented about the Germans; she is compared to the Russia of the cruel Tsars; her statesmen are likened to Abdul the Damned. Her own papers—the Manchester Gfuardmn,' for instancesay that she deserves what she is getting and that tjie world has a perfect right to pelt her with dead cats and rotten eggs. This is the Britain that invited mothers to send their sons to die for the

freedom of small nations, that pledged to Ireland the liberty she said she was fighting to win for Poland and Belgium. Is is any source of joy to remember that through our Orangeman, Lord Limavaddy, we stand beside her in the market-place of the, world to-day ? Did he (or his fellows in Parliament) raise a voice against her crimes, a voice for humanity, for honor, for justice? Wei know that they did not, and New Zealand is fallen so low that she is unable to feel ashamed. We are, indeed, in the abyss. We went down merrily, while Mr. Massey and his merry men denounced those who uttered words of warning. Is there a single person in the Dominion to-day foolish enough to think that they can get us out of the mire now ?