MINISTERS WILL MEET IN WARPROTEST

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 13

MINISTERS WILL MEET IN WARPROTEST

(N Z. Press Association —Copyright)

SYDNEY, March 23.

Twenty Protestant Ministers have called a public meeting in Sydney, for Sunday, to protest against sending conscripts to Vietnam.

Denominations represented are Church of England, Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational and Baptist.

The superintendent of the Central Methodist Mission, the Rev. Alan Walker, who will preside, today described the conflict in Vietnam as an unjust war.

“Sending conscripts to Vietnam is an act of tyranny, not democracy,” he said. “The church always has condemned unjust wars and

Vietnam is an unjust and immoral war. “The Government has absolutely no mandate to force young Australians to fight and die in a war most of the civilised world rejects.” “UNJUST” WAR

Mr Walker said it was an unjust war because it was being waged thousands of miles from Australian shores, and no country had the right to turn another country into a battlefield to protect its own interests.

He added the purpose of the meeting was to assure con-

scientious objectors among those called up that there were churchmen who would stand by them and support them.

Some Roman Catholic clergy and laymen in Sydney today opposed a Melbourne Roman Catholic newspaper’s criticism of conscription. “NOT OFFICIAL”

The criticism was made in the current issue of the “Advocate.” Cardinal Gilroy’s secretary, Monsignor H. Kennedy, said: “The ‘Advocate does not represent the mind of the Australian Roman Catholic hierarchy. It is not an official organ of the Catholic church.”

A Sydney priest, a recognised authority on church

policy, said today it was not likely Roman Catholic papers in other States would support the “Advocate.” A prominent Roman Catholic layman said today it was a pity the Melbourne Roman Catholic archdiocese had become involved in the conscription issue.

“It is a national issue on which it would be preferable for Roman Catholics to speak with one voice,” he said. “I am against conscription but I support the Vietnam war. “It is very important to make a clear distinction between conscription and the actual commitment of regular Army forces in Vietnam. These are two separate issues.”