FATHER CRONIN AT SOUTH DUNEDIN

Evening Star, Issue 16988, 10 March 1919, Page 3

FATHER CRONIN AT SOUTH DUNEDIN

TWO EVENING ADDRESSES.

THE COMING LICENSING POLL.

[Extended Report by Arrangement.]

The Rev. Father Grunin gave two addresses on the subject of Prohibition, with reference to the forthcoming poll, at South Dunedin last night. Father Cronin was advertised to speak in the South Dunedin Town Hall, but long before 8 o’clock, when the meeting was scheduled to commence, the hall was crowded to the doors, and large numbers of people were outside and in the corridor, unable to get in. At 8 o’clock Father Cronin mounted the platform, and, after being introduced by slr P. Johnson (chairman), commenced his address. On the platform were representatives of the Efficiency League and the New Zealand Alliance. The people who were standing at the back of the hall, however by constant shuffling and talking, rendered it'impossible to hear the speaker s remarks, and repeated requests to them to keep quiet from the chairman and Father proved unavailing. Finally, therefore, it was; decided to hold an overflow meeting in the Salvation Army Hail across the street, and when it was announced that Father Cronin would speak there first the hall was rapidlv filled. Air J. B. Jones, of the Efficiency League, presided, and introduced the speaker, who was greeted with loud applause, and given a patient and courteous hearing. Father Cronin expressed pleasure at the largeness of the audience, which, he said, showed how the people were thinking. The enthusiasm at prohibition meetings showed what was going to happen on April 10. He had before him that night the largest collection of Gaels he had ever seen, and the Scotch were noted for their character of determination. The issue before them required all their qualities of determination. On April 10 a most momentous choice had to be made—whether the people would keep on the wretched drink traffic or ,get.„rid. of it. The hotel system had come Into existence for the accommodation of moderate men, and hotels were never intended lor drunkards any more than for teetotallers. But had that condition been observed? If it had been there would be no need for prohibition. When the moderate man came to make a choice he should say to himself: “Look at the evil that has resulted from the abuse of drink.” If any man thought he (the sneaker) was the only priest who held the views he was expressing, such a man was to;ally mistaken. “ The Church to which I am proud to belong,” said Father Cronin. “ stands for temperance. I have only to quote Popo Leo xm. Pope Pius X, Cardinals Merrier and Manning, and Father Mathew—the last a prohibitionist in 1854, and the greatest apostle of temperance that ever lived. He would say: ‘On the 10th April strike out the top line.’ ” —(Applause. I The State hail tried to control the drink by laws and regulations, but it had failed miserably. Every remedy that had Leon tried had been inadequate, because the only - remedy was prohibition. There was one thing New /lealand could not learn from the Old Country, and that was how to control the drink. The. history of liquor legislation in the Old Country was a history of failure, and the lesson was: “Beware do not imitate them 1” If one were fold that this was a sober country, and not drink-sodden like the. Old Country, one should say “ Thank God 1” for the amount of truth in the statement. If New Zealand waited till things became as bad as in the Old Land it would have waited too long. In speaking of the Old Land he spoke from experience. for he had worked for six years after ordination in the slums of the biggest towns in England, and he believed that anyone who had been through tbs same experience would have the same, opinion as'ho had. All other remedies failed, so thev must trv a new and adequate remedy—Prohibition. If they desired to learn bv analogy, let them study America and Canada, which had tried put the drink, and had finally adopted Prohibition. Prohibition had arisen out- oi Lie, total abstinence, campaign in America. It had not come in a day. But, looking at tho matter from the point of view ot business and efficiency, the Americans had coino to the conclusion that the ot tho drink would be a good thing, tnat tho country could get on quite well without it. and that all that would bo lost bv ua abolition would be more than made up m other ways. So no provision had been made in America for loss of revenue. Continuing, the speaker said that there were two leagues in the business—the Eihciencv League and the Moderate League. Everyone knew what the Efficiency League were" out for; but the Moderate LeagueHeaven knew what they were out lor. What were thev in league with. (daughter.) “Moderate" might mean whatever one chose, and was a mesa misleading expression. The Moderate League advocated State control, forgetting that the State had tried to control the dnnk for centuries and had failed. The proposal was ridiculous if it were sincere, but tho Moderate Leaguers did not mean a bit of it. they were smart men who were representing the Moderate League in tho campaign, but tho people of New Zealand were quite competent to know that drink was a terrible evil. The Moderate Leaguers were represented as standing midway between the moderate drinkers and the trade. _ inc> were supposed to have no interests Hq tne trade; Sat they never said anything aoout the evils of the trade. All their denunciatkm was of the Prohibitionists, and they had no condemnation for the evils ot excessive indulgence in drink. It was easy to gauge whom they were in league with. (Laughter.) , . . Dealing with the question _ ot. religion and Prohibition, Father Cronin said that hi a paper edited by a New York priest, called ‘ Catholics and Prohibition,’ it had boom ‘raid that, wherever Protestants and Catholics worked together for Prohibition, victory was assured. Victory had come in America, and he thought that this was the reason. (Applause.) Ail smlered from the terrible drink evil, no_ matter what their denomination, thereioro let them rmris to cisstroy tlaat ovtl on. April 10. A number of bisnope and priests had taken part in the Prohibition campaign in

America because they were patriotic, good men. (Applause.) In the past, Father Cronin continued, he had been a little afraid of the matter, and many people of his Church wore the same way. They were afraid Prohibition would affect their religion very seriously. The mass was an essential part of the Roman Catholic religion. and some people thought that Prohibition would stop the supply of sacramental wine. But he would tell them that provision was made for the supply of such wine In section 21. sub-section 2, of the Act. it being merely required that security should be given that the wine should not be used for other than sacramental purposes. It had been said, Father Cronin continued, that if an epidemic came there would bo no alcohol for medicinal purposes under Prohibition. But provision was made under the Act for alcohol for medicinal. scientific, and industrial purposes. So alcohol, if it were of any use as a medicine, would bo available. Alcohol was not a food, but a stimulant. It was a stimulant with a dreadful reaction. It was a poison that took away life. Then why should it be left open, and not dealt with like other poisons? It should be tinder safe keeping like other poisons, because it had done more* harm than all the other poisons put together. It would be tinder safe keeping alter April 10, when, ho believed. Ilia Issue would bo carried—not by a bare majority, but by an overwhelming majority.^ Prohibition, continued the speaker, aid not mean a financial loss. It was a fair thing to give the liquor people some compensation, which would cost the country nothing, and even if it did it would be the best money ever spent in the country. England had spent £8,050,000,000 on the war, and had never hesitated. When it was a question of saving the lives of generations to come, why hesitate to pay a trifle? It was only a trifle, but it might bo the means of saving thousands of lives. But if they waited till the General Election they would have waited too long. At the General Election there were three issues, but on April 10 there were only two, and one single vote might _ carry e : ther. At the G-enaral Election it was possible that if the" question Had to be. put to the vote, and 5 per cent, of the voters voted for continuance, that 5 nor cent, would carry continuance. If the trade could get 5 per cent, of the people to vote for Continuance and 45 per cent for State Control, Prohibition would be defeated, even though the other 50 per cent, voted Prohibition. In conclusion, Father Cronin urged all voters to look ahead at the misery that continuance of the treffio would undoubtedly cause, and remember that if thev voted against Prohibition they would share the gin It attaching to that misery. He hoped to sco Prohibition earned, because he believed it would bo for the honor of God and the good of humanity. ■Loud and prolong?;! applause.) The Rev. Mr Fortune, from Canada, who spoke briefly, said that there had not been an extra farthing of taxation in Canada to make np for loss of revenue through Prohibition. The trade was circulating fearsome rumors of impending taxation if the drink were got rid of, but he advised his hearers to pay small heed to these predictions. (Applause.) Hr Lascelles. of South Dunedin, spoke briefly. Mr Peter Johnson presided over the meeting in the South Dunedin Town Hall. The auditorium was picked to the doors and beyond them, but the crowd was most orderly, and listened attentively to Messrs A. S. .Adams and J. Todd, who occupied the platform while Father Cronin addressed the meeting in the Salvation Army Barracks. Gn the conclusion of his remarks at the Salvation Array Hall, Father Cronin returned to the Town Hall, where he was greeted by the applause of an expectant audience, who listened to him with the closest attention during the hour that ho spoke. Father Cronin spoke on similar lines to his first address, laying especial emphasis, in the course of an earnest speech which was nevertheless lightened occasionally with flashes of real Irish humor, on the progress of Prohibition in Canada and the United States; the grip of the liquor interests in England; the medicinal use of alcohol as a drug; the provision made for its use by the churches j for sacramental purposes; and the question iof compensation. “I want every Cathojlic, ho continued, “to know that he is I as free other person to vote as ho j likes.” If provision had not been made j for the sacramental use of alcohol he could not have voted for Prohibition in conscience ; bat all religious bodies were abI solutoly assured by law—not merely by the promise of some member of Parliament or of a Cabinet Minister—of an adequate supply of alcoholic liquor for religious purposes. The lecturer strongly urged his audience not to be deceived with the side of State control and the elections. He washed it to be understood that he had nothing against brewers, hotelkeepers, and others who earned a living through the liquor traffic. Ho had always experienced kindness from them, and ho believed they were as goo*l a set of people as anv that could be got. But he was satisfied that the time had come for a change, root and branch, in the whole system. (Applause.) Alcohol was a poison, and as such it should be placed in the keeping of scientists who knew how to use it. “I hope.” concluded Father Cronin, <r that yon will all rote in April according to your consciences. Any man who votes against his conscience does not deserve a vote at all. HI^ eere . e ’ R . fin ' r person here,” said he, “ who is going to vote for Continuance, I would to God that ho could see into the future and realise what Continuance, with its inevitable evils, will mean for this land in time.” Each person had a terrible responsibility, since a single vote might determine the issue, and he hoped that in April everybody would vote Prohibition—for the glory of God and the welfare of humanity. A vote of thanks to the speaker was proposed by Mr Waters, and carried by acclamation.