In Our Opinion.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 21, 28 July 1911, Page 11

In Our Opinion.

npHE Christchurch Ministers' AssociaJL tion is on the Avarpath against Sunday organ recitals, even though same be carried out by the City Council. It is to be hoped that the ministers Avill get no thanks for their pains. The day is past when the clergy can monopolise Sunday, and the less the influence they can exert in the matter the better the Sabbath. Their ideal "day of rest" i 3 one of stupid solemnity and misery. They are the last sort of mentors who ought to have noAVer OA-er the enjoyment and lives of the people. Sabbatarianism has never benefited any nation.

EDWIN HANNAM, Avho Avas recently before the S.M. Court at Christchurch on the charge of having failed to register under the Conscription Act, gave

In Jail for Not Registering for Militarism. No. 1, "Worker" Roll of Honour.

as his reason for refusing to do so the A-ery logical one that he Avas opposed to military IaAV. The Magistrate asked the lad Avhat religion he belonged to and on being told he did not subscribe to the dogmas of any sect, the Magistrate very impertinently remarked : " Then, of course, you are probably under no sort of discipline, and your mind has not been properly trained/* Was that the remark of a Arise administrator of justice. Does it not at once denote religious intolerance ! Magistrate Bishop must knoAV that a remark such as that was not only untimely, but in exceedingly bad taste. Might we ask of this dispenser of " justice"' whether he puts the same question to the boy of a A-icious turn of mind? And if such boy happens to belong to some Christian sect lioav does his Worship reconcile his 'improper training" Avith his Christian upbringing? The act of the lad Hannam in refusing to become enrolled required great moral courage; for Aye must remember he is but a lad. Why can't Magistrates confine their remarks to til 3 evidence under revieAV and not mike statements and inferences contrary to common fairness and fact? Why— because their legally-twisted* and grooveAvarped minds make them the last men on God's earth fit to handle the young.

MAGISTRATE BISHOP infers that because a lad Avho professes no religion refuses to fulfil the obligations as laid clown in the Conscription Act, it is eA-idence of improper training. Magistrate Evans, of kelson, on the other hand, comes across a case in which refusal to register is the outcome of Christian religious coiiA-ictioiis. What does Bishop say to that, wo Avonder? Is this Christian objection the. result of "improper upbringing too? In this case the parent of the boy Thompson maintained, and rightly so, that to become a murdering machine Avas contrary to the Avill of Christ. This goes to show even to a bigoted Magistrate that there are conscientious objectors to Conscription inside the Church as aacll a.s outside it. Magistrate Evans hinted that Thompson, senr., did not obey all the commands of Jesus Christ. Probably so; but as a confessed Christian, Mr. E\-aivs knows perfectly Avell that Thompson's shortcoming is no justification for Mr. Evans helping to break other of Christ's laws.

THE "RE is a story hanging to the little essay on the Union Jack printed in

this issue. The "patriotic" headmaster of the Waihi school, in a villianous attempt to blacken and submerge Miners* Union president Parry under an outburst of Boer War frenzy—shall those who went through that period eA-er forget its savage intolerance"? —this "patriotic" headmaster advertised for essays on the Union Jack as a protest against Mr. Parry':? ' insult/ Zena Norton, one of the scholars, sent in the essay avo hoav print, and though Aye doubt if Dr. Craig (judge) got a better composition. Miss Norton's creditable effort didn't get the prize. That doesn't matter. The schoolmaster got an essay he didn't expect, ano it's to be hoped he'll now have grace enough to kick himself for the pathetic silliness and bigotry of his display. The Socialist Party of Waihi repliec to the teacher by offering a gold medpl for the best essay on "The People's Flag—the Red Plag."

WE 1 have read with interest the Hon. J. T. Paul's series of neAvspaper articles on compulsory arbitration and industrial unionism- Well-written, alike s;r.,gestivc. and challenging, they tail to get to grips with the essential aspects of arbitration and industrial unionism. The testimony of this or that individual in favor of arbitration, because this or that individual fancies he has improved his lot by arbitration is as Avorthless n,s the testimony of his opposite. Testimonies are of little Aveight: economic evidence is the need; and in this- connection Aye wonder if Mr. Paul has read Hossignol and Stewart's "State Socialism in NeAv Zealand" with that book's demonstration of the superior purchasing pcAvtr of Avages in Nevada, U.S.A., to N 'iv Zealand V Then as regards industrial unionism Mr. Paul's case against is deplorably inferential but seldom actual. He fights the non-existent, beating the air magnificently. The industrial unionism advocated in this paper is conA-eniently passed over altogether. To rake up this and the other about parties AAdiich advocate industrial unionism is not one AA'hit stronger than to rake up this and that about parties Avhich political action. And what a raking we might mass re the last-named —but it wouldn't affect the correctness or otherwise of political action. The growing sentiment in support of industrial unionism is so strong in NeAv Zealand that Mr. Paul's attempt to do the King Canute act can only have a similar ending.

rWIHE French Railway Strike took place -■- some time back, but from the day of its start until uoav its influence has been felt. Premier JBriand settled it — and then it settled him. Government tried to hang a man over it, but the people wouldn't have it, and the striker is to-day a free man- The Government and the RailAvay Magnates tried to blacklist and victimise the strikers, hut slowly, surely, are being forced to swallow all they threatened and did. The railAvay strike. AAhich appeared, to end so disastrously for the Avorker's, is like enough to result in immense gains to the workers. Working-class progress has been marked by the strike. The land marks are big strikes. The shearers' strike of Australia did more for the working-class of Australia than anything before or since.

"171 R. COOKE, National Secretary JO >• ISTew Zealand Socialist Party, ie again jailed. Fined on two counts for maintaining the right of free speech, Cooke is noAV undergoing his l second, sentence in Lyttelton jail. The Christchurch City Council, by repealing the under which Cooke was fined, admitted in effect that the faxst of any citizen expressing Ms opinion in. a public place Avas no offence —indeedj was in keeping Avitli his rights as a citizen. Why, then, does this City Council permit a citizen of Christchurch to suffer imprisonment for that which it maintains is no offence ? If the Council cared to say the Avord, there is not a shadow of doubt but that the sentences imposed upon Cooke would have gone by the board. But the Avoid Avas not said and "our democratic Mayor," T. E. Taylor quietly acquiesces in the f elonieiiig of one of Christchurch's most fearless citizens. After a law is declared unjust and is accordingly repealed, to insist upon individuals being punished for that which is no longer an offence is ridiculous in the extreme. It begins to look like malicious persecution.