“ARGUMENTS ILLOGICAL”

Evening Star, Issue 21511, 8 September 1933, Page 10

“ARGUMENTS ILLOGICAL”

RELIGIOUS BODIES' ATTACKS ON CARNIVAL METHODS HO ALTERNATIVE SCHEME SUGGESTED Opinions are being freely expressed as to the methods adopted by the Queen Carnival Committee to raise funds for the relief of distress in the city. Various religious bodies, intent on preserving the moral character of the community, have strongly condemned, by means of resolutions, the gambling spirit which, they contend, is encouraged by the running of raffles and similar money-raising devices. Consideration was given to the published protests from these bodies at a meeting of the central executive of the queen carnival yesterday, and it was the general opinion that, although a good deal of destructive criticism had been indulged in, no helpful suggestions had been put forward by tho protesting bodies, which, while confessing their inability to formulate an alternative scheme" that would bo practical, were quite willing that the funds raised by the carnival should bo used for tho relief which they themselves were unable to afford to the distressed citizens. Members of the Carnival Committee felt that, having asked the assistance of the citizens in relieving distress, these religious bodies should either have voiced their complaint at tho outset of the activities or else have recognised that the urgency of the matter excused a slight contravention of the ideal charity. It was pointed out further that certain churches, and oven certain individuals connected with the protesting bodies, had themselves used much tho same means of raising money for worthy objects; tho proof for this assertion, it was stated, was to bo found in tho newspaper advertising columns. “ The arguments of the protesting bodies are extremely illogical,” declared an official of tho Queen Carnival Committee this morning to a ‘ Star ’ reporter. Ho pointed out that_ during the course of a discussion with one deputation one member of it had been challenged with tho raising of funds by means of a raffle, and ho replied that it was legalised, as if the moral effect of a gamble were improved because it was legalised.