CATHOLICS AND PROHIBITION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18676, 4 October 1922, Page 5

CATHOLICS AND PROHIBITION

TO THE EDITOEL Sni, —No! for ji "real deal would I huvo* missed the delight offered to my “Celtic humour” by Mr Charles Todd’s advertisement of himself ns a great theologian. Let mo express the hope thcit ho will continue in the same strain. Note that this theologian (no doubt ns a result of his theological fondness of accuracy) roteis to his friendship with worthy priests in the plm perfect tense. ‘M have had the privilege, ho says. And note, too, that on the subject of prohibition, which is a theological question in its bearings on the question ol conscience for voters, whether or not they are justified in supporting people who won--certainly use prohibition as a weapon of attack on the Muss, Mr Todd smugly assines the public that ho is a safer guide than Archbishops Kedwood, Mamvis, Oattaneo, Kelly, Spence, etc., etc. It would indeed be a pity to spell that assurance by a single comment. The humour of it is superb. Mr Todd is fast aiming to be a “Yank,” for lie has demonstrated that what theology lie claims to possess is merely shin deep, in support of my contention I would point out that the word “Bishop is an Americanism. Here in our own sweet conn-, try it is the custom to give bishops the term of “Dr” Let Mr Todd inquire (lor lie knows not), and the truth of my statement will at once become apparent to him. Ail Catholic laymen know that. Along with the majority of all good and true Catholics 1 refuse to accept Mr Ham-’ mend’s disclaimer cn account of the evidence against it. i <uu not prepared, as Mr Todd is, to believe on the word of. Mr Hammond that Mr Scott concocted a falsehood. Being a Homan Catholic, I, again unlike ;Mr Todd, prefer the word of a gentleman decorated by the Pop© to that of a fanatical prohibitionist. And I am inclined to think that every Catholic who knows Mr Scott will agree with me. Again, Mr Todd says that Father Zurchor waa a personal friend of Archbishop Ireland. Umv again, loyal New Zealand Catholics will presumably prefer to take Archbishop Hodwood’s evidence, especially when it is supported by Archbishop Ireland himself. Mr Todd’s assurance that prohibition m America has resulted in a decrease in clime and drunkenness is based on statistics which arc contradicted by other statistics, .. Further reference is made by Mr Todd to altar wine. Mr “Pussyfoot” Johnson to—his audience on Sunday night that only a small minority o( the churches in America used fermented wine, whilst a large majority used unferraented wine. And “Pussyfoot made it plain that fermented wine did not come into the prohibition argument. AViiat has Mr Todd to say to this V" Of course, .t does net apparently matter much to him. Finally, if bigotry and persecution seem irrelevant to Air Todd, I can assure him that they are very relevant factors to the priests and Catholic people of New Zealand, who have no illusions about the views and tbo power of the bigots who forced the Government to make the Catholic doctrine concerning a sacrament a criminal thing only a year ago. So very relevant are they that in the light then thrown on the Government’s weakness and on the fury of tho P. P.A., it has become clear to Catholics, who will take no unnecessary risks, that they are hound in conscience to vote against prohibition, I have been assured by many worthy priests whose personal friendship I not only have had, but still have, the privilege of enjoying, that they have now come to the conclusion that it is a matter of conscientious obligation. And now will Mr Todd say what is meant by the membership of the .Catholic Church”—l am, etc., Roman Catholic. October 3. Slit, —Your judicial editorial on Mr “Pussyfoot” Johnson's address dealt admirably with his fallacies. On ono point, however, of interest to ns yon did not touch—i.e., Mr Johnson’s satisfaction that? only a small minority in iho United States now used alcoholic wine for sacramental purposes There is a hint there of fhe true policy ol non-Catholic prohibitionists. By the way, Mr Todd seems to have become Americanised by association with his lecturers. Every educated Catholic layman is aware that “Doctor” is iho usual and current manner in which dn British countries bishops are colloquially described. “Bishop” before a surname is an American usage. In any case, Mr Todd’s self-praise as a "Iheologian” is rather out of - tune here; for tho question of proper titles concerns not theology, but Canon Law. I sincerely trust that Mr Todd will write a few more letters telling us how superior as a guide on all tho bearings of prohibition—ethical and sacramental—he is to onr Archbishops. Foolish statements of that- kind cony their own refutation and open the eyes 6f the public.—l am, etc., Veritas. .

Sin,—Father Zurcher is running off the rails, so to speak. When T first quoted the shocking record of drunkenness in Chicago he said: ‘T don't, know where these liquor men get, their figures.” I then gav.e him Mr “Pussyfoot” Johnson as my authority for quoting Chicago's arrests for drunkenness during the first two years of prohibition—viz.., 81,075. In reply lie states that the New York World is unreliable. I ciPi only conclude that Father Zurcher is unwilling to /ace the facts. I cannot check tho correctness of tho figures which Father Zurcher says were written to a captain in Wellington, but, failing a reply about Chicago, will he traverse statistics to hand by lost mail. .Mr Stuyveatnnt Fish, who is oiie of the big railroad men of America, and formerly president of Illinois Central Railway, states;—“ln one year under prohibition. the second year under the United Stales Prohibition Act, crimes of all kinds increased 24 per cent.; drunkenness and drunkenness accompanied by disorderly conduct increased 40 per cent.; intoxication among drivers of automobiles increased 80 per cent.: violation of prohibition laws more than doubled; homicide increased over 12 per cent.; and drug addictions nearly 60 per cent. For the same period the cost of the various municipal police departments increased 11 per cent.'' These figures apply to 30 of the large cities of the United States, excluding Chicago. I hope that Father Zurcher will explain this list, as otherwise I shall be forced to conclude that he is not conversant with tho facts relating to the country of his adoption—the United States of America—and hence is not capable of advising temperate New Zealand.—l am, etc., Anxious. .