FREE SPEECH AND POLITICS

Evening Star, Issue 16676, 7 March 1918, Page 6

FREE SPEECH AND POLITICS

THE METHODIST RESOLUTION. NO DEBATE. Tlie Methodist Conference returned this morning to the subject temporarily shelved yesterday—the attack recently made upon two clergymen in the North. The liov. W. Ready moved the version of his motion prepared alter consultation between a lawyer member and the pressman member of tiie conferenoe—" That this conference note with satisfaction the expressed determination_ of the Minister of Justice to prevent any improper intoneience with the principles of free isp&eoli, politics, and religion, and to bring to justice any persons guih-y of any attempt to interfere witti those fiberties." Mr Ready said conference had d-obu very anxious yesterday to be sale, and had voted him out of court. In. moving this modified motion, he wished to say that religiously he had not a bit of bigotry in his, composition, and. he hoped the time would not come in ihia beautiful lXoxxniiion when they would have to light military Komunism with military Protestantism. He hoped, rather, that they would be able to glorify God as various regiments of the great army of the Omnipotent. But there iseemed a tendency abroad to interfere with free speech, and the free gatherings of people tor thought and meditation, and that those who did' so gather wero subject to attack when they came out troiu tiieir meetings. In view of this, it was time that the Protestant, community should show to the world that it would not tolerate any interference with liberty of thought, speech, or religion. He was not an Orjiigemuu or a member of the Protestant Political Association, but if there was anything that would make him a member it was tho kind of thing iie had read about and was now referring to. He had lived an a friendly way with bishops of tho Catholic churches, evun visiting their homes, so that ha couM uoii be said to have anything ugaiust the Church of Home. He was not necessarily driving at thai., Church now, for it could not be said yet whether the assailants were Catholics or Protestants. But, whether the one or tho other, he was sure that it must not be tolerated.

The Rev. J. Cocker (Christchurch) jumped to his foot and expressed the hope that the resolution would be put without debate. The meeting concurred with a unanimous "Vote, vote,'' and the motion was carried; without dissent.