PROHIBITED LITERATURE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 302, 10 September 1918, Page 5

PROHIBITED LITERATURE

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—The Hon. A. M. Myers, smarting under tho sting of the resolution of want of confidence passed by the great audience in tbo Auckland Touii* Hall on August 27, has addressed a justification of his own and the' Government's action to the public on the question of tho prohibition of a certain class of literature;" . Mr. Myers a statement consists mainly of a repetition of a joint letter signed by Sir Francis Bell and himself, and addressed to the Protestant Political Association on June 4 last. With tho contents ot that letter we were not disposed, to take issue. If the vicious principle of press censorship and the censorship of literature were to bo established, tho letter referred to appeared to define broad linos for the exerciGG of that censorship. But what has it proved to bo? A most narrow, inconsistent and partisan censorship. It operates solely in tho interests of Rorao to protccb her against the facts that' history and the war have mado' manifest to tho world, and which convict tho Church of Rome of loyalty to the Central Powers'and absolute disloyalty to the Allies, of partisanship wherever German interests were to bo served and enmity when British interests were in view. The Hon. Mr. Myers would have it appear that tlio literature prohibited is all of the class attributing habitual immorality to classes of persons who have , taken the vow of celibacy. That is not so Few of the volumes deal with that side of Rome's history. There are books placed by Mr. Myers on the prohibited list which deal solely and exclusively with Rome's part in tho, intrigues and diplomacy which brought about this world war, e.g., "Rome and: Germany," by ''Watchman"—a colonel of the British Army. Whilst there aro others such as the "Trail of Treason, ''Revolution and Wai'." "Jesuitism lit Practice," "Rome's Secret Societies Oaths," "The Story of the Menace Trial." which do not touch upon chat moral aspect at all, but are oonnned to showing that tho Papacy is undermining British and American democratic government and institutions, and assails Protestantism, its liberty and ideals, in every conceivable fashion., Whilst there is one'volume on tho "Index Expurgatorious" of New Zealand's Pope which.had?a wide and profound influcnco-oh" opinion nv America, preparing it for the entrance of the great American host to the aia of the 'Allies. In these days of'splendid and almost bloodless conquest, when our armies are reaching' forward to victory in the magnificent fashion of the past few weeks, and when wo remember how much is due to the unparalleled enthusiasm of tho United States and her Army, it seems to' be the action of imbecility that would ban from i\ow Zealand the book that helped to bring it all about; and yet that is what Mr. Myers, acting upon the advice or tne censor, has done. Further, The Message from the President of the United States to the Senate"— officially known as "Document 190," being a report of the commission setup to inquire into tlie moral and social conditions of tiio Philippine Islands—has been baniuvJ. This is a State document, and although its revelations are terrible, is that a sufficient reason to forbid the people ot this country the knowledge of the iacis when the knowledge would help to a clearer understanding of the duty cast upon everv intelligent Protestant citn zen in this country? It were an easy task to deal at length with the crass;ness of this censorship. Let it bo sullicient to say that nothing can cover its vacavios or justify its decisions ox~ cent a partiality to Rome's interests. Mr. Myers's sneer at tho Protestant Political Association's resolutions was to be expected. There is a higher duty than upholding an Administration that truckles to Rome and uses its great powers to the hurt of tho largest and most loyal section of tho community. The lion, the Minister of Customs must learn, along with his confreres, that Protestants aro uo longer concerned about a National 'Government when their rights and liberties are threaten- ' Ctl '"~ 1 alUl Ct ° HOWARD ELLIOTT

Wellington, September 5.