CLERGYMEN & WAR.

Wairarapa Age, 2 October 1935, Page 5

CLERGYMEN & WAR.

VIEWS OF MR D. McDOUGALL DENUNCIATION OF ARMAMENT FIRMS. SOLDIERS & THEIR PENSIONS. (By Telegraph—“ The Age” Special.) WELLINGTON, October 1. In a very characteristic fashion, Mr. D. McDougall (member for Mataura) in the House of Representatives today, came to the defence of the Presbyterian clergymen whose letter to the Prime Minister on the subject of war had been criticised by the Hon. A. D. McLeod, member for Wairarapa. 'My. MeDougill gave credit to Mr. McLeod for being a good Presbyterian, but he went on to declare that he could not agree with him. “The Presbyterian ministers are not there for the purpose of preaching the destruction’ of people,” he said, “but peaee and goodwill to all—not to sepd, Prison gas and. ironmongery at people they-never - saw before or knew anything There was, he added, a' great deal pf difference between a man who wioqld not defend his wife and family and man who was asked to go 14,000 miles to-upset another man’s household and destroy his .goods, when that man had never done him any harm. He remembered the Egyptian War, the Boer War and also the last war, when we were going to hang the Kaiser and do wonderful things, but the Kaiser was living in luxury and a happier man than when he was on the throne. We were going to spend the last man and the last shilling. “I said it myself on the piatforss,” continued Mr.“a stuidd thing, And then, when the men came back,' with the bands playing and- everything nice; thdy thought they were all right, thbugfi the Government gave them very: little consideration.” Mr, McDougall asserted that a soldier who got a favourable pension recommendation from a" eommittee of. the House was turned dowfi by the Pensions Board, though three reputable medical men declared that - his condition whs due to war service. He 1 was an absolute wreck, and was turned oixt of hie little home and had to live in a,|liut. “The last man and the last shilling makes a fellow niad when he begins to think about it,” said the member, ;who then roundly condemned war generally as being- due to the fact that munition co'ntractore wanted! trouble. “There’s no getting away from-it,” he paid, that the Boer Wat did the last! war .-were capitalists’ wars. ■ . j " ' Labour members: “Oh! ohl” ' /'.j