CONSCRIPTION ISSUE.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 885, 11 December 1916, Page 11

CONSCRIPTION ISSUE.

ROMAN CATHOLIC POSITION. AN ALLEGATION DENIED. BISHOP BRODIE'S PRONOUNCEMENT. A statement was made last evening by Mr P. S. Ramsay, president of the Conscription Repeal League, to the effect that the anti-conscription campaign bad the support of the Roman Catholic Church. Mr Ramsay said that he desired to congratulate the members of that Church on their attitude, and he further stated that it was Labour-Roman Catholic combination which defeated the conscription referendum in Australia. In conversation with a Sun representative on Saturday, Mr Ramsay said that the Catholic Federation in Wellington was supporting the conscription repeal movement, and he expected that similar support would be accorded in Christchurch. A PLAIN CONTRADICTION. Interviewed this morning by a Sun representative in reference to the statement that the Catholic Church was in sympathy with the conscription repeal movement, Bishop Brodie stated that there was no authority for such an assertion. It w;:s true that the working of the Military Service Act raised a great difficulty, and when several of the names of Catholic priests appeared in the first ballot the Hierarchy of New Zealand formed a deputation representing the four dioceses of the Dominion, and waited on the Acting-Premier (the Hon. James Allen) and the Minister of Munitions (the Hon. A. M. Myers). The reply to the deputation gave the assurance that the wording of the Act was sufficiently wide to deal with the case of the clergy. It was pointed out that as every priest had to minister to nearly 1000 people it could be readily understood that the calling up of the clergy would be contrary to the public interest, and as such would justify exemption. The Bishops of the respective dioceses were recognised as the ecclesiastical, authorities to apply for exemption for any priests whose names might be drawn in the ballot.

Questioned as to the attitude of the Catholic Church towards conscription the Bishop replied that the attitude of Catholics under the voluntary system could be taken as an indication. The Catholics had joined in their full proportion and many intsances could be cited of families having provided very aenerously by sending all sons of military age. The Marist Brothers Old Boys' Association of Christchurch, out of a membership of 280, had sent 220 into the ranks. These figures were typical, and spoke for themselves. NO OFFICIAL CATHOLIC ATTITUDE.

It would be incorrect to speak of an official Catholic attitude on the Conscription Act, continued Bishop Brodie. No oflicial pronouncement had been made, and as Archbishop Ccretti stated in Sydney, such a subject was not one for pulpit reference, but for the individual conscience of Catholics. Here in New Zealand it could be taken for granted that.as Catholics had done their share under the voluntary system fhey would be equally ready under (he compulsory system. Regarding the Catholic clergy, the Bishops were called upon to supply chaplains for Catholic soldiers, and priests were vicing with each other for this work. The number already provided was in accordance with military regulations. It could be taken for certain that Catholics recognised their duty to their country. In a common danger there was a common duty, and it would be a gross injustice for any section of the community to refuse to do its share of the work and yet hope to reap the reward of the sacrifice of others. Such an attitude would be painfully selfish and ungenerous, and the Catholic conscience would not approve of such an attitude. OTHEB STATEMENTS CONTROVERTED. That was his Lordship's straightout statement of the position. In reply to questions, he controverted the statement that the Catholic Federation was helping the movement. It would be. quite contrary to the Federation's rules for it to enter into a matter of that kind. As far as the statement that a combination of Roman Catholics and Labour had defeated conscription in Australia, his Lordship repealed that the Church had made no oflicial pronouncement on the subject, and so there was no Church vote in the Australian referendum. It might have been that some Catholics individually had been annoyed by some of Mr Hughes's utterances.

In discussing the local position, Bishop Brodie stated that a deputation from the Conscription Repeal League had waited upon him, hut he had declined to support the league. He had pointed out to the deputation while the Church had sympathy Tor Labour, there was nothing in common belweenit and the Conscription Repeal League—the Church's only difficulty in the matter was that which had been placed before the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Munitions. The Church did not oppose conscription in general, but only the conscription of priests, for the oath of consecration forbade a priest from bearing arms—that had been canon law for IGOO years.

an authoritative denial to this unfounded rumour. Conscription is a matter completely outside the functions or jurisdiction of the Federation. It is the law of this land, and members of the Catholic Federation, as law-abiding subjects, will loyally conform to the legislation passed by Parliament. The controlling council of the Federation would not tolerate, on the part of its branches or members, any action which might be construed as being disloyal to the Empire. To quote the words of the constitution, the aims of Ihe Federation are religious and patriotic. When it was proposed to take a referendum in the Australian Commonwealth as to whether conscription should become law, the Hierarchy of that country issued a pronouncement that the vote to be cast by Catholics was one of individual conscience, and no direction was issued as to united action. In New Zealand the position is altogether dissimilar, and the Church enjoins upon its members strict obedience to the evisting law of the land in which they live.