BANNED LITERATURE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 77, 27 September 1918, Page 8

BANNED LITERATURE

TO TUB CDITOR.

Sir, —Another Quixote has entered the lists in defence of the Government's prohibition of Protestant literature. The former defender, the Hon. Minister for Customs, has been unhorsed by public opinion throughout the Dominion, and lies biting the dust. Now, Sir James Allen, clad in the armour of Sir Francis Bell, lias set his lance for the unlovely cause. "There has been so much misrepresentation," he says, "of the Government's action .... that it seems desirable to state the position officially." Wo thought Mr. Myers had done that already, whenhhpep replied, per medium of the press, to the resolution carried at the Auckland Town Hall condemning his actions in this matter and expressing loss of confidence in him as a Parliamentary representative — a resolution which, strangely enough, was not considered worthy of notice by the Auckland representatives of the Press Association, and was not therefore telegraphed throughout the Dominion, as the resolutions of small groups of railway employees are to-day. Sir James Allen, however, merely recites the same words and ex- ' presses the same defence as did Mr. Myers. He adds nothing to what has been already eaid for the Government, except that "there has been so much misrepresentation with regard to the Government's action." May I ask: What are the misrepresentations complained of? The P.P.A. has represented exactly what has taken place. Literature has been held up by the Government which has free circulation in England, Canada, Australia, .and. the. United States. It is not considered in. those countries that, even in "the perilous times we are now enduring," to quote Sir James's phrase, such literature ought to be banned. Perhaps, of course, Sir James Allen regards Mr. Lloyd George and President Wilson, Sir, Robert Borden and Mr. Hughes are wanting in patriotism—and in consideration for the Roman Church—by their failure to follow his Government's lead.in curtailing the rights of Protestants. The : New Zealand Government holds the unhappy distinction of being the only Government in the Empire or amongst the Allies to treat with scorn the rights and liberties of Protestants in the name of patriotism and in the interests of the Roman Church. There are books banned by New Zealand -.. Ministers that are loyal and enthusiastically British and pro-Ally. They do not touch on sexual immorality whatever. They reveal Rome's, intrigue in every part of the world in connection, with the present war. There is no honest justification for their prohibition. It is an act worthy of the "Star Chamber", days of evil memory. The whole of the War Regulations relating to the press and literature appear to have been modelled on the infamous decree of that chamber— the "order for the better regulation, of the pross." The one would be difficult to distinguish from the other were they printed side by side in these columns. The spirit is the same and'the effect is ■ the same, and, we may venture to believe, the inspiring cause is the same, in both instances. It may be, however, that the Regulations owe to Germany their inspiration—from . the Edict of Spires, by which Charles V. and Pope Clement endeavoured to crush out Protestantism in Europe in the 16th century. Whatever the sonrce of the inspiration, or the model upon which these Regulations have been framed, they restore the standards of the pre-Reformation days, which our forbears gave their blood to destroy, as our soldiers are giving their bloed to destroy Kaiserism to-day. Protestants in New Zealand apparently have to fight again the old battle, and we assure Sir James Allen that wo have , the same spirit and the same love and the same courage as lived in the hearts of the men and women of those stern old days ; and, though we do not take to the sword, we have the ballot-box, by which tyranny is crushed and "Star Chamber" methods swept out of existence. The love of liberty will override, all party considerations, as it did in Germany when the Protestants abandoned the' King who presumed to be their tyrant, and it will sweep out of existence a Government which has resurrected his methods.—l am, etc., HOWARD ELLIOTT. 25th September. ' 10 THE EDITOR. Sir, —I notice from your paper tonight that Sir James Allen has taken a very wise and statesmanlike stop. He emphasises^ the fact that we are in perilous times,' and it is of the utmost importance that sectarian strife should not be encouraged. We should acoordingly all strive to end the war and secure a lasting peace. It has become the dnty of the Government to prevent the' circulation of matter offensive in language, allegation, or insinuation, that may give rise to justifiable resentment by any class qf the community. However, there a.ro conscientious objectors; there 'are ' pacifists; there are "Prohibitionists on the one hand and the liquor interests on the other; there is the Protestant Political Association and the Catho: lie Federation ; there is the Socialist, the Conservative, the Liberal, and the Moderate, and they are- all at sixes and sevens, fighting with each other. Their allegations, insinuations, and. languago —not to speak of actions—are calculated to raise embittered feelings in the commnnity. , ' '. There is a great deal of money being spent in the fomentation of sectional strife in the Dominion, and I think that in the interest of the country, and in the interests of all classes, the Government should take a stand in this matter, and by war regulations put an. end to all controversial strife and bitterness that is being engendered by the parties named. What we want'to do is what the Minister says wo ought to do: "Unitedly strive to end the war and secure a lasting peace." ' As the Prime Minister of' England has said: "For Heaven's sako do not let us quarrel among ourselves until we have beaten the common enemy." I cannot think that those organisations that are disturbing the peace of the Dominion are patriotic, and in my judgment they ought all to be squashed at the present time by a war regulation. Sir James Allen has had the courage to act in this particular and barm the literature that is insulting a section of the community, and he ought to take a decided stand in the other matters which I have indicated.—l am, etc., E.W. 24th September. •. \