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Otago Daily Times, Issue 18293, 9 July 1921, Page 13

RELIGION AND THE IRISH REVOLT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir. —l am afraid tho writer of tho letter in yesterday ’s issue on Ihe above subject lias made a very paltry attempt to convince; the Dtmedin people that the Rev, Howard Elliott had a poor opinion of their intelligence. Having lived in Ireland, both in Belfast and Dublin, I nrn perfectly satisfied that Mr Elliott is correct in his statements. It may interest your readers to know what the British grievances are. as wo have heard ta much about the eo-cti led Irish ir ripvii rw”nts.

It evidently does not. occur to Irish Roman Catholics that, somebody lias a grievance against them. indeed, the aggrieved person represents a considerable constituency. Let us consider the grievances. with old and new:—

(1) Many Irish plots to embarrass England and .Scotland and to wrest Ireland from the British Crown, notably in tho years 1578, 1579, 1601, 1607. 1641. 1646. 1681, 1639, 1690. 1789. 1916, 1918, 1919, and 1920.

(2) Ireland incurred a national debt, of £147.000.000 prior to 1817. which debt was taken over by Great Britain. Ireland has not paid one penny towards its liquidation nor anything for interest. (3) Between 1801 and 1820 Great P.ritarn raised £370.000,000 by special war i axes, and exempted Ireland from all liability for her share.

(4i Irish people do not pay land tax or house duty, nor do they pay death duties on tenant right. (5) Ireland does not pay for her education system, nor for tho cost of her police, nor for her old ago pensions. (6) Irish priests pay no income tax. They are the. only privileged class in this matter in the United Kingdom.

(7) In the great world war Ireland was exempted from the operation of conscription, and by her seditious behaviour made it necessary for 50,000 troops to he scut there when they were badly wanted in France to fight, (be Germans. Consequently Englishmen, Scotchmen, and Welshmen, up to ago 51, were compelled to serve in the Army. (3) Between 1914 and 1920 Ireland was free from nearly all the restrictions under the Defence of the Realm Act, and had an abundance of food when Great Britain was very short.

(9) Ireland’s parliamentary representation is one member for 43.CC0 people, while Britain has only one member for 70,000 people. (10) There are 1.000,000 Irish Roman Catholics in Great Britain who enjoy the same liberties as do English people, and yet, 1,000.000 Protestants in Ireland are always being threatened with tho loss of their civil rights. If space permitted T could give many facts and figures explaining (he relative difference between tho north and south of Ireland spiritually, morady. and commercially, and why tho Roman Catholic Hierarchy wall never allow either Ireland ot any other country whore she is prodominant to remain content and in harmonious relationship with all classes of society.

Then what is the cause of Irish dis lovalty ?

(1) Priestcraft. It is common knowledge that Ireland contains a higher percentage r-f priests and members of the monastic and religious orders than any other country in the world on the basis of population. It is due to the i erse'c's activities of these forces, sometimes wnrVrir secretlv and then ooenly. that Ireland is in her present condition of criminal anarchy. There has never been a rebellion, a pogrom, or a massacre there that could not, be traced to them. All the orgamsed bodies of b-igands and murderers owed their spiritual allegiance to Pome. Further, we can trace boycotting, incendiarism, and cattle-driving to the same source. ’When Roman Catholic autocracy perishes, Ireland will again beor,nin the land of saints. 12) Distorted Dhtorv. I do not be’Vve lb:>l. them is a sin'dp reliable bi=torv book in use in Irish Roman Cnlhrbc schools. There e’e a largo i"inb"' of these works in rivculatiori which distort facts and contain ex parte statements only. Where they give the truth in some eases they state only one side : therefore the reader is given an entirely false view of history. 1 am in a position to give many examples from such so-ca'led histories.

(3) Clerical Education. Education in Ireland is controlled by the priests and the clergy. As there is no education rate, tho money is voted by parliament for the purpose. Public money should be disbursed hy the representatives of the ricople. and not by uncontrolled dennminationalisti-. The priests receive British money and expend it on their church schools and teaeh the children to hate England and everything English. The teachers are selected by them and paid by them. The svstem is one that puglit nut to he tolerated hy the Government as the schools are used to leach children to flout, all authority and all laws not approved by their Church. Tho men who armed themselves and then fought against the Irish Government had been trained by the priests in schools maintained out of British money over which there was no public control. Therefore as the tentacles from the Roman Octopus extend to all parts of the world (the object being world domination and self-cgrandisemenl) all liberty loving citizens of mtr great, Empire in general, and Now Zealand in particular, should welcome with pride the national organiser of the P.P.A.. and appreciate the fact. that, he alone dared to he a Daniel, having opened the ryes rf Inmd-rds of tlions irids of people calling themselves Protestants who were asleep while the enemy worked. -I am etc., P aiit Plat.

Messrs Baldwin and Hayward (district managers, Mi rains Bros., 21 Crawford street, Dunedin), head office, Wellington, report that recently they acted as agents in filing the following applications for letters patent: E. Huston (Auckland), scrub cutter; A. Elliot (Auckland), washing tongs; R. Insh.aw (Pollokshields), valve connection ;_ K, Civil (Auckland!, date indicator; G. Might (Auckland), door stop; C. Collette (New York), paper din; C. Whelan (Waimatc), dreAs level; F. Campbdl (Ohau), fire gird ; J. Hobbs (London), cylinder grinding; Harrow and Neilson (London), fuel production. Send for “Inventors’ Guide,” post free. — Advt.