COLONEL STEWART SPEAKS HIS MIND.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18465, 17 May 1928, Page 7

COLONEL STEWART SPEAKS HIS MIND.

“ I’M UP AGAINST the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.” “I belong to the Presbyterian Church, but' I'm up against the leaders of the Presbyterian Church to-day because of its attitude towards conscientious objectors.” said Colonel A. E. Stewart at the Rifle Brigade re-union last evening. Colonel Stewart, said that during the war, he had one experience of dealing with a conscientious objector and he was of the opinion that these men .should not. have been sent overseas at all. The man he was referring to was not. a man at all. He even refused to go for his rations, and when he was discussing the matter with the speaker, the objector said that, he would not even lift a hand to save his mother or sister. In the opinion of the speaker, it was the duty of every ablebodied man to do some duty towards the defence of his country. ”JTn going to fight against my own PresbVterian Church,” said Colonel Stewart. “I am not going to say that we should not all work as much as we. can towards bringing peace among the nations. We fought from I(<*l4 to 1018. What have we got to-da\- ? Unrest among the nations. I want to see the men who make the next war ” A voice: Fight it out among themselves. Colonel Stewart: Yes and we will sit round and egg them on ! He added that the men of the Rifle Brigade had. however, to support the territorial units, because their motto was “De fence, not Defiance.”