ATTITUDE TO WAR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22226, 28 September 1935, Page 15

ATTITUDE TO WAR

LETTEE FROM CLERGY | I INDIGNANT PRESBYTERIAN HON. A. D. McLEOD'S CRITICISM [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Friday. "If ever 1 felt sorry that I was a Presbyterian it was when I read the letter sent by a section of the clergy of New Zealand to the Prime Minister in connection with the possibilities of war," said the Hon. A. D. McLeod (Government —Wairarapa) during the financial debate in the House of Representatives to-day. "I am quite sure those who wrote the letter do not represent 1 per cent of the Presbyterians of this country," Mr. McLeod continued. "I know where the Presbyterians sprang from and what they had to do to defend their rights. But J never imagined that a Presbyterian would get down to the position that he was riot prepared to fight in defence of his women and their young. That is what a careful analysis of the letter reveals. When I read that letter it made my blood boil. "My life has largely been an outdoor one and I have had the opportunity and delight of studying life in animals as well as in humans. It is a most interesting study and I have found that the lowest order of animal life, when put to it, will defend its young. When I found Presbyterian ministers, or socalled ministers, sending such a letter to the Prime Minister as was sent 1 felt almost ashamed to be a Presbyterian. "I can only repeat that we Presbyterians, with the adherents of all the religions of civilised countries, hate war, but if war is forced on us then I and the great bulk of the people of this country will fight." Later in the debate Mr. A. J. Stallworthy (Independent—Eden) expressed surprise at Mr. McLeod's attack on a group of men who were not present to defend themselves. "The Government Party seenis to have declared an anticlerical crusade," ho said. "It was led by a Minister of the Crown and now a leading light of the Government Party has joined in. All that I can say is that from my own knowledge ministers of the Presbyterian Church are men of high principles who do not deserve the condemnation to which we have listened."