INTOLERANCE IN ULSTER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22896, 26 November 1937, Page 15

INTOLERANCE IN ULSTER

Sir, —Mr. Brennan should have thought twice before ho accused mo of bias. I simply stated facts. Under the Free State Constitution it was laid down that a man was not penalised for his religion. Nationalist newspapers are always proclaiming that no man suffers in the Free State because of his faith. Toleration may ho preached from Catholic pulpits and by the Nationalist press; but unfortunately it is not practised. A notable instance of this is the action of the Monaghan County Board of Health. Quito recently when this hoard was considering applications for 21 positions on the staff of tho new County Hospital, an appeal was made by tho non-Catholic members of the board that at least one or two of those appointments should be given to Protestants. Protestants, it was stated, contributed a great amount toward tho expenditure, and they thought it was only fair that they should have a little representation 011 the staff. But, in spite of this appeal, tho board filled all tho 21 vacancies with Catholics. So much for toleration in County Monaghan. Nationalists in Fermanagh and Tyrone (Ulster counties) complain aloud when they do not get things all their own way, and Protestants may yield to them. But if they do not givo way to them, tho Protestants are termed "bigots." Now what shall wo call tho Nationalists of MonoghanP Then there is intolerance of ; still another kind in the matter of tlu> compulsory teaching of Irish in Government schools. Non-Catholic children must learn Irish tho same as tho others. The pity of it is that education is not progressing as it should. Many young peoplo are in a very backward state; but they know Irish, and at present nothing else matters. CI. W. Blair.