P.P.A. AND REV. W. B. SCOTT.

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14257, 7 January 1920, Page 2

P.P.A. AND REV. W. B. SCOTT.

(To the Editor.) j Sir, —You published the opinion ex- | pressed by Rev. \V. B. Soott, claiming' that the P.P.A. was prostituting religion In political turmoil, and that it would have a boomerang tendency on the P.P.A. The cartoon complained of, and which he pins himself down to, he claims, was reproduced in' Truth, stating that no press above the gutter press should print such a cartoon. I have waited till 1 got a copy of Truth before replying. The following is a description of the cartoon complained of: “The Triple Alliance” — A clerical gentleman in the centre, while on his right hand is shown a reasonable likeness of Sir Joseph Ward, and on the other a well-dressed man. The centred figure has his arms linked in theirs, underneath are the names, Wardlsm, Romanism, Bolshevism. There can be nothing offensive in the picture unless it was trying to convey an impression that was not correct. I will not "give my belief, but confine myself to statements made by high dignatories of the Church of Rome. That they SOllght such an Alliance I note from review's of standing. They not only desired that position, but in some countries have attained it, and if I prove my case, then they are the ones that have brought religion into politics, and that not only at this election, but the Church of Rome has sought for Imperial power through the centuries that are- past. Up to the present we have only met them on political grounds, as wo are not a religious but a political body. The Catholic Press (Sydney, December, 1914) advises Romanists to get control of leagues and unions. As a sequel, “Life,” Melbourne, states that Archbishop Mannix undertakes to a Roman Catholic a political force, and to put the Labour Party in political harness. Did the Roman Catholics run Ryan in , Australia or not? Did Archbishop j Redwood dissociate himself from the j church when he said: “All good Aus- , Italians ought to be Sinn Feiners.” Is j the Sinn Fein organisation a political body loyal to the British Empire, and j is the Church of Rome forcing them on or trying to keep them loyal to the < British Throne? Certainly forcing them on. The Round Table Review j claims that the Roman Catholic Church | is one of the strongest political bodies • in Ireland. Is it history, or is history untrue when it claims that attempt after attempt had been made by Rome to get world-wide temporal power? No. Rome is, as she always has been, a political power as well as religious, and our cartoon is true of the political position at the late elections. Wardites have been used in the past and they were to be used again to advance her interests. Rev. Scott will have to put his spectacles on next time he tries to claim prostitution of religion, but, of course, there are no Labour Unions in New Zealand for the Roman Catholics to get control of, or Sinn Feiners. or 1.W.W., or Bolsheviks, or pone d'sloyal. After far as I know the laws that govern a boomerang after it strikes the object aimed at by the thrower makes its return spurt to fall at his feet. Rome threw as a religious political body and missed. She is how but reaping the consequence.—l am, CL ” EWEN McGREGOR, Dominion President, P.P.A. .