CLERGY'S REPLY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 230, 28 September 1935, Page 9

CLERGY'S REPLY.

TO COMMUNISTS.

Sydney Reds Rebuked for War

Against Church

ABYSSINIA AND RELIGION,

United Press Association. —Copyright.

(Received 9.30 a.m.)

SYDNEY, this day,

The Communist party in the Sydney suburb of Granville, prior to holding a meeting to advocate a policy of "hands oft' Abyssinia," sent invitations to the clergy in the district to attend and give the party their co-operation.

A spokesman for the clergy replied expressing regret at being unable to attend, and adding: "We desire your Communist organisation to know that tlio Christian Church is against war, whether Imperialist or Bolshevist. We strongly condemn Italy's attack on Abyssinia, but feel that wo cannot associate ourselves with the Communist party, which has waged relentless war on religion throughout the world. "Wo say emphatically, not only 'hands ofi." Abyssinia,' but 'hands off religion.'" ESSENTIAL FUTILITY. Abyssinia as a Civilised Nation. ITALIAN INDIFFERENCE. LONDON, September 27. Tlio Geneva correspondent of "The Times" says the Italian delegates state that so far they have not received new instructions. They added that they would watch the League's procedure "with the greatest indifference," being convinced of the essential futility of attempting to treat Abyssinia as a civilised nation. The Rome correspondent of "The Times" says the newspapers in the Italian capital still lay stress on the significance of the Italian delegation's abstention from yesterday's sitting of tho League Council. They say it was the logical consequence of the attitude adopted by the Italian Government on September 4.

"From that clay," says "II Giornale d'ltalia," "Italy has shown that it is impossible to find within the League a solution to a conflict which exceeds the League's limits. Italy, therefore, preserves the fullest liberty of action, which slio will use according to her own interests."

MR. LYONS' GUARANTEE

ASSURANCE TO BRITAIN. CANBERRA, September 27. In the House of Representatives today the Prime Minister, Mr. J. A. Lyons, yielded to pressure from the Labour Opposition and a section of the Australian Press, to state how far the Commonwealth had been committed to Britain for the preservation of peace. In the course of his statement Mr. Lyons said: "When I was in London the British Government took representatives of the Dominions fully into its confidence in regard to the position in Europe. "I Came out of those conferences with the firm conviction that I could trust the British Government to do everything that even the members of the Labour party would do for the preservation of pcacc. Appreciating the bona fides of the British Government I gave an assurance that I would guarantee that the Government and people of Australia would stand by them right up to the hilt. (Ministerial cheers.) "That is the only thing to which Australia is committed."

"DODGE" WAR SERVICE,

MOVE BY AMERICAN-ITALIANS.

ROME, September 17.

American Consulates in Northern Italy have sent to Washington in the last" few months hundreds of applications from Italians born in America for American passports permitting them to return to the United States.

Consular officials reported that most of these applications were made by men of military age in the hope of avoiding being sent to Africa in the event of an Italo-Ethiopian war.

While in many cases the applications have been granted, the Italian Government has not honoured the passports, holding the bearers to be Italian subjects "and therefore liable for army service. Under American laws any one born in the United States is an American citizen but the Italian Government considers them subjects of this country.