CATHOLICS AND PROHIBITION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 69, 15 December 1919, Page 5

CATHOLICS AND PROHIBITION

. « ' THE VIEWS OF BISHOP CLEAIiY by Arrangement.) In • the Novembor issuo of "The Month." the Auckland Roman Catholic magazine, tlio Eight licv. Henry W. Weary, D.D., gives his views with regard to tho coming licensing poll, Bishop deary's article rends «s follows;— Tho Coming Battle. The old war-horse scents the battle from afar and lilts eager eyes and nostrils towards the fray. Bo the moneyed interests and the volunteer bands are gettins; them ready for the great coming tussle between tile Beer-barrel and tho Water-wagon. This time it is to be a contest after tho manner dear to the "heart of Captain Jlarryat: a triangular "duel." in which Continuance, National Prohibition (without compensation), find Stato Purchase and Control (to cost some iC10.000.000) will fight for the mastery _ at the general elections in the coming Christmas mouth. In the columns of "Tlin Month" wo have already several times set forth our views on theso_ hotlydebated issues. Hereon we stand for the freedom of conscience of Catholic _ electors to vote on these issues of the liquor nroblera as their couscienco may dictate; ■wo condemn as falso in moral teaching and in fact tho notion (so long sedulously liropagated by "the trade") that the Catholic Ch.yrch—either in our out of this Dominion—is, in eomo way, chained or snancelled to a Brewer's Vat; and (speaking for ourselves personally) a long experience has convinced our inmost soul that tho evils of tho drink traffic, within our diocc-se. havo gone far beyond the ' limits of toleration; and that the -worthy, God-fearing, and law-abiding pcoplo in the business havo about as much powor to reform it as a dozen bottles of rosewater havo of sweetening tho air of a Foan-factorv. Wo have long ago abandoned hope of such a reform of "tho trade" from within; and with our dying breath we would declare it our conscientious belief that thero is a real, solid liope in National Prohibition for tho deep physical and moral and economic mischiefs of the licensed and unlicensed traffic in alcoholic liquors. That is "the renn'oith of our thought," _ in tabloid form. Wo never had faith, nor havo wn now. in electoral .no-license "islands" bounded by beer. Such "islands" may be liigli; they are not "dry"; seepnse and percolation are both extensive and peculiar there: and in no place, perhaps, does the traffic touch deeper depths of shame. Thero is high hope in the liigli fica-3 as tho frontier of a sober nation. Some Nutshells. Thero i 3 no need for us to deal in nnv detail with tho grounds of the views which wo have expressed above in comurcsscd and summary form. It is, perhaps, no easy matter for the average elector to nick or squeeze his way through tho barbed-wiro entanglements of the arguments of the three rival parties to the liquor issues. Financial and trade interests, seal for reform, sentiment, and other considerations will all play an important, part in determining tho question on polling day. But there are certain evils unquestionably Arising out of tho traffic, such as, for instance, tho followiiig:— 1. It is the occasion of a serious amount of vice and crime. 2. It gives riso to a considerable amount of disease; and this, in turn, to a specific death-Tate, the full extent of which is not at present ascertainable. 3. It occasions a grave amount of domestic strife and miceiy. 4. It. occasions a serious total economic loss in such directions as the following: la) In the homes of the intemperate;_(b) in the extra provision required in police, in courts, in prisons and reformatories, and in State and Church orphanages'for tho direct and indirect victims of drink; and OA in lowered industrial efficiency and extra industrial and other accidents arising out of over-indulgence in alcohol. Whetlrr (as we ver-dinliv believe) the tflt.il elimination of alcoholic liquor as a beverage offeis a real remedy for these evils: whether (as we also believe) the extent, of these evils is so great as to justify a maioritv of the people being deprived of tha ordinary u.-e of alcohol as a drink: these are which must be decided bv cacti individual Oatiiolie • elector as his knowledge may suggest and his conscience may dictate. 'N e havo nrevinuslv dealt with the Church's attitude hereon. Jt -may be fitting to recc.it some of our oljservations here. 1. The Catholic Church rejects as a heresv the Manichaean alcohol is. in its nature, an evil thing. 2. The Church recognises a right use, and thunders against the wiong use, of drinks containing alcohol In her eyes for instance, intemperance is a sin, and the supplying of d.'inlc to intoxicated persons is a crime of deep turpitude. :l. She believes in prohibition for individuals or communities who cannot or will no: use alcoholic liquor in moderation. ■t Tha Church steadily counsels her children h> practise total abstinence. Pius X and. other Popes have enriched with special blessings, indulgences, and other privileges the va-ions total abstinence movements in many lands. But tho Church declines to violate charity by looking urou total abstinence a.s a necescarv mark of ri ccod Christian or (as MohammH taught) a condition of eternal salvation. (We. may hero remark that intemperance i 3 very little known among the purely wine-drinking populations of Cut holic countries in Continental E'.ircne.) 5. In any and every legislative scheme of temcrance reform, the Church would nece'sarilv stand firmly for rights of worship, such, as an assured supply of wine for the celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. (1. We mav add that there is no Catholic doctrine or principle which, directly or indirectlr. aserls an inalienable right to tho beverage use of alcohol. Tha Popes, Cardinal Merry Del Val (says an American contemporary) shortly after tho pilgrimage to Home in April, 131-1. of tha International Catholic League Against Alcoholism, wrote to its president, Baron C. li-iivs do Beevenbrouck, Premier of . Holland: "The Popes in these latter times havo not failed to call attention to tho deadly evil you are comba ing, and havo proclaimed the necessity of prompt and efficacious remedies. Our Holy Father Pius X has liearh'ly bless'd the 2<lo pilgrims of the International Catholic League .Against Alcoholism. His Holiness earnestly expresses tho dnsirn that tho clergy everywhere encourage this work of social re-education and preservation. nnd that they put themselves, bv their example, in tho very van of the f.trugglD against an evil which, especiallv in sorno countries, is sowing so much' ehamo among tho faithful." "Personal Liberty." Wo mav here clear tho ground cf two argumentative entanglements which will, no doubt, bo much in evidence curing Lie last, weeks of' tho triangular campaignOne of these is the question of jwrsonal liberty, the other that of wine for sacramental DurposM. In our issue of March, 1010. we remarked, in the former connection: "Over a wide area of social relations. personal liberty must yield lo what the Pope terms 'the general prosperity and the ecinmon' good.' Kvery 'aw. both hum-in au-'l divine, i? .1 rc-s l riction _ on the libertv of the individual, with a view to securing the grentcr liberty and wellbeing of all. And such restrict-ons, by State.lav,-, are justifiable wj'.ni erf for the cwi.mon good and within I'.i" lim.'fs of the itiri--rM;o:i of the civil authority." The right of personal lilc-fr is exercised bv the .-la"? m innumerable v.-avs lniec--1-o'is r re notifiable ";;d I M i- iHat-rt. *'[ rir-'- ' n ■' ri'C'! 1 . , ' 1 1 .< io- i'*" >y n .' n (•male iv-r"tr>l fo'-ms rf ''i-l"r'-rv »h"« ef I,n*,ne« of or life "-m->"->!lv "!'»o)"d by I-. the ft wr. fr ,- 1 lil-r.rr--. |-Vt- "f <■"'■ n"--'if t'~ (V't '■> - : 'V .f-----l-.-V.'-ep'r, d-ir-l!"". 1 mm-'v #M'i imtaii) restrictive regulations that are

framed ; n tho interests of the general uw.i. Tho tjtate entorce.s laws ior tho destruction of pests, such as rabbits, eod-liu-inoth. nucious veeds, etc. It insi.s'.s that certain noxious trades and other industries shall only bo carried on under ziveu conditions. Examples coulo be (incited endlessly. All moral lirosresi implies submission to further internal or exlernal, "l''reeilo;n" is a most illusive term. "Before we ari; educated, we aro 'freo' to think il!ogii';illy> to write or speak lingi'amnialically, to disregard eond.tious of health and boilily safety awl social welfare. Jly education wo learn to submit to ';iio laws ol (i.ouglit, the laws of ihe laws of morality, the laws of nature and social life."' The laws of the State, where they do not conflict with Ihe law ol God and tho natural law, are entitled to our obedience. Generally speaking, they are readily accepted :n that they art; a condition or penalty of living in tho security of an ordered community. Given due safesuardinß of rights nt worship (which are Crown i'-iphts or Ciod), and a proper regard for in justice. such further restrictions as State ownership and control, or hibition, are eriually a secular and 'civil political business,"" which (on rathol c principles) tho State and the public conscience may freely determine, rs the cemmon .ccod of the people 'nav ocelli to' them to reonire. AVitli the-ie snn'o provisos, it follows 'hat tiie tatholic elector may vote- hereon as he individual judgment may favour and his conscience may d'-date. In regard to rights in justice: Dnriu? tli? lirinor-pml campaign last March and April, ihe trade" officially besought the electors ot Now Zealand to vote against .National Pvoh'bit'on with Coinpen?<a_tion, til tho plea that thov could havo National 1 i' hibition for noih.inj in a few months time, if they desired it. Sacrnmcntal Va'ine. Many Catholics were, during tha last campaign, sincorclv concerned icsfc Afitiumvl i'rohibition might result in rendering it impossible to securj ihe ierluenled wine re(|uired for the bacrmce of the Mass, the great, central act of our worsh'p. AVith Catholics, such an apprehension—whether well or 111-ground-e(i—was a natural expraision <-i then faith and devotion. Tho peculiar tcalure of this fear was the extent to which it was exploited by financial interests to which Catholics' supreme act ot worship has hitherto been apparently no more sacred than a game of poker. »as it the Walms or the Carpenter that wept like anything to «e snch quantities ol SRiid" upon the wind-swept shore, wo matter. It seems to us that ncitner anxious Catholics, nor their troubled nonCatholic friend;- in "the trade,' need "weep l : ke anything" over tho matter of sacramental wine, in tho event ol National Prohibition taking New Malawi as it follows the westward tracrt along which the Star of himpira takes its way. Tho New Zealand Licensing Amendment Act of 1913, section 19, subsection 2, says: . "Nothing in this section f?lia.l extend or apply to tho importation, manufacture or sale, in accordance with regulations made by the Cioverncr-Gonerat in Council in that be.ha.lf, ot intoxicating liquor for medicinal, scientific, f-acra-mental. or industrial purposes exclusively." A letter from the then lion. AttorneyGeneral (Sir "Francis Billon Bell) conveys tho substance of the proposed regulation in the following words:— _ "I am authorised by tha Cabinet to state that, in the event of Prohibition bain" carried, regulations under sub-sec-tion 2' of section 19 of the Licensing Amendment Act (1018) wll provide for the importation by the severol Churches oi wine for sacra-mentnl purpofas, m such quantities as any Church may require for lengthened period?, tho Churches being required to give Kuiiicient Fecuritv that tho wine so imported shall not bo used for. other than sa era.ni en tal purposes The Attorney-General gave an assurance that'those regulations would be entirely reasonable and proper. The aim of the law and of the Cabinet is not to hamper religious but to curb intemperanco and its train of moral, social, and economic evils. It :s feared bv some Catholics that anti-Catholics niav subsequently obtain supplemental legislation to cut off sacramental .vino and thus make the Mass imixisuWc. Wo do not think the use of saci-jmontai v.'iiio is in the least danger. It Jins been Tccoguised to be a matter of \'ital J'J'mciple, not alono 'by leading Prohibitionists. but bv the Prohibition Party as a plank 'of its ollicial platform. As we have pointed out same time ago, it received special consideration and exemption as such in the Licensing Amendment Act; public opinion would not be likely to tolerate the breaking of specific pled-cs and legal provisions; the practice of tho chief "Reformed denominations is a lightning-conductor for us; even tho "aggrefs'vo atheists" in the saddle in Franco never dared to supuress the Mass; and, finally, if anti-Christian fanatics ever rose to such overwhelming power in New Zealand as to be bnlh able nnd willing to perpetrate such on outrage upon religion and conscience, they would not dream of seeking for a pretext in t ho provisions of our liquor laws. In "Dry" America. In tho United States, as in the. Dominion, the Prohibition Party stands for proper freedom in regard to the use of sacramental wine. And the highest Catholic authorises there_ have accepted as satisfactory the conditions laid down for ensuring adequate supjili?.:j i; j From an American Catholic ' • : i,N->yporary ("Catholics and Probity. "we' take the following quotation "Cardinal Gibbons of ;.. in aletter dated May 5; 19" -<*■ -ammittee of Bishops, say-,V- W. ' -■ at Washington that are b»,.*n<l inhibition legislation have shown a disposition to hinder .in no -way the manufacturo and distribution of «icr;m")ental wine/ 'Catholics and Prohib tion > of August nnd Septem'ber. 191S, enniainn letter? from tho Hon, W. «T. Bryan and other Prohibition leaders, declaring that American Prohibitionists never intended to interfere with the legitimate use of sacramental wine. Wayno B. heeler (one of the leaders of the Anti-Salo-on League) said: 'Wo arc going lo leave the whole matter of sac-rynentnl wine in charge of a Catholic —Senator 1. .1. Walsh, of Montana, who is also a strong supporter of prohibition. The outcome niHit to lie vh-v satisfactory lo Proh:bit:onists and io Catholics.' Dcputy(lommisfioner 11. M. Gavlord. who usunlly drafts the rule.? of the Infernal Pf'-enne Tleparlment . . . favoured the utmost accommodation consistent walh an eCieiont law enforcement. Commissioner Tinner expressed . the' same sentiments when he wrote t(i the bif'aons;. 'The colI'ctnr? cf internal revenue will co-oper-nte w : th the bishops and local priests s'i as tn reduce b the miir'nium the di!acuit'"s the. memliers of the clergy m;i.r encounter in securing saeivamental wiur-s-.' The sacramental-wine clause met with no opposition. Thero was not a single negative vote." Freodom of Opinion. The. highest teaching authority tho Catholic Church is the i'opc, speaking ex-cathedra, with or without a General Council. Thero is no Catholic doctrine or principle that (given irecdum of wroship) forbids or, condemns Prohibition. The Church herein leaves Calholies free, and none may lake that freedom away. And of that freedom abundant -iso h;i= bceii made, by large numbers of Bishops and Archbishop; ( ,n both ,i:dc.-;. There aro Cardinal.- i:n both>:*!•;:. Kach Bisiiop or group of Billions expi'i s-e.s honesL and conscientious opinion on the facts known to them within their respective Sees. Such opinions carry weight on account of the ixi-'itiou, zeal, and disiutprestcdncs- of Ihe writers and tlio value r.f Ihe fact.s and arguments upon which the r.-un ons are based. But I lie stream never l.'s'S above its source. They always remain expicssions of free opinion on a r.ueiitiou 'which Hi" Church of God has left u matter of free opinion. Thov are matters of advice or rccomineiul'ttam; they are rot matters of bind ns a.nan iT-rs"i'>!'ees; ami in (lie cj.ereise of their liberty, ate ireo to ex-;in-'n-* itiro t ! :e .s eigna-enis or. which sn-li o;h;!i'-;'s / -:<!:v <ninl or eo.l----leeric-; are f-'se-i, !o c»Ji:p:i:e them villi I he facts within the : r own knowieilge and rxii' rienee. and then tn follow, in Mil p.-', the ilictntw of Hu-ir inyn inilividcnl coosciciri's. In «inin<{ Ih's, (hey ~v,fi" frcr<!ora with wlii'-h God .inii llis Chinch hau> made theni tree. Ourselves. I'or oursel-.-rs, we see no reason to deoart froni"-.'-nd every reasm to . dliere |i'.—■'mi- uvev-ansly-e/.-pres-ed oniuioo— thai tho e.iiiwiiiioiit of na.t.'on-ivido Pro-

Mbition might at least greatly !C[l" C( > l)n> evils of tho legalised ; u;l , drink traliic as it is carried on both in 'license area* and in'small no-lieenso "islands" surrounded by license rreas in I hi,; Dominian. W'v hold, as betore, that there are in the liquor-traffic a ccrta n nnnibcr of conscienlious, lugh-niuKtcl, and God-loving people. Basing our view on our own extended experience in our own Diocese, we hold, on the other hand, that the sins and scandals of a large and undesirable part of the drink tralnc have long been maintained at a level of iniquity which the public conscience need not—and ought not-to tolerate; that the law has been (and is) powerless to reduce this iniquity to the bounds of reasonable moderation; and that it is idle lo look for voluntary jefonnation of their methods by a mischievous '-lass of licensees who, unfortunately, are so numerous in "tho trade.' We are convinced that, for the wider public welfare, the electors of this Dominion would be amply justified in trying the rxperijui'iit of omlinjT ft ir;\fUc which, .it'o b?vuiul their nower of vcfltjovifiblc niul proper restraint niul control. 'Hie pcr--snnal views Hv us on the Jiouo-r , ! Of-. rAif'" 1 thf I>COTile of tho Auckland Dioccso for their inioJJ, v.iih iuither iutiiinlxm llisit ifc binds ik> couscienco ami leavw ench Catholic elector free to vote according to hin conscience—but his vote for what it is, inist Our opinion i? exprefss«l because of the lonfi-drnwn effort ol tr.e to mnlve it appear that the Cluircli rf the Liviu? God is to a Hocr-Rirrel. This expression of our psrfonal opinion hereon :s a praclic/tl dor.unciation of a false, and fiiipersbtions doctrinc: it i;; an cwphatie declaration of Uio Catho l ie Freedom of Conse-cnce in the matter; it is, finally, a conscientious statement cf our firm individual belie-? that National Prohibition cujts tho hope of a renicJy for tho into-ler.ibiC evils of tho traffic in alcoholic drinks.