Talked with Trotsky

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 336, 23 April 1928, Page 11

Talked with Trotsky

Commissioner Mapp has Interesting Career IMPORTANT S.A. WORK. In his visit to various parts of the world Commissioner Henry William Mapp, of the Salvation Army, has had many interesting experiences. He was the first Salvation Army Commissioner to go to Russia. That was in 1917, when the revolution broke out. As soon as diplomatic relations were broken off with England Commissioner Mapp was given three weeks in which to leave, the country. He did so and in crossing the border he was stripped of nearly everything he possessed. Commissioner Mapp is tile International Secretary for Salvation Army work in the United States of America, Canada, Australia. ;New Zealand, South-west and East Africa and the West Indies.

He makes one tour a year to one or another of the countries and is constantly on the move. The Commissioner arrived this morning by the Niagara on his way to Australia, where he will hold congresses. In June he will return to New Zealand, where an important conference of Salvation Army people will be held in Wellington.

“Our' work is going ahead so splendidly that we cannot respond to the many demands made on us to open up in fresh parts of the world,” said the Commissioner to-day. “At present we are engaged on plans for a scheme of immigration to Canada. Those greatest in demand are boys for farms and domestic servants.”

Commissioner Mapp agrees with Sir Robert Horne who recently visited Auckland, that the system of sending boys to New Zealand and Australia is the best form of immigration. In America Commander Evangeline Booth has recently made plans for

new national headquarters and home for business women, and lias toiet with a wonderful response. When completed the scheme will have cost £500,000. One donation from a friend of the Salvation Armv was a donation of £IOO,OOO. “We have splendid reports of New Zealand,” said the Commissioner, whose headquarters are in London, “and boys are very keen to come out here. We make our selection from ail parts of the British Isles and we have representatives in every part of the country.” Commissioner Mapp is . now in his 41st year as an officer of the Salvation Army. He started as an ordinary member of the organisation. While he was in Russia he had an interview lasting an hour and a-half with Trotsky. “He was very bitter and showed great animosity toward the Church,” said the Commissioner, “and he was particularly bitter against the British.” Commissioner Mapp is accompanied by Major Frank Taylor, his secretary, who was born in Christchurch. Major Taylor left for England at tile age of two, and this is his first return visit. His father was at one time in charge of the Salvation Army in New Zealand.

(By special arrangement Reuter's World Service, in addition to other special sources of information, is used in the compilation of the overseas intelligence published in this issue, and all rights therein in Australia and New Zealand are reserved.)