The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1914. THAT BOGUS OATH

New Zealand Tablet, 26 March 1914, Page 33

The New Zealand Tablet THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 1914. THAT BOGUS OATH

*ASL ■ * ' T * s rather an odd coincidence that just after our comments, which appear elsewhere in yiL| I^s . * ssue > 011 the subject of the, libel suit instituted by the Knights of Columbus in connection with the dissemination of a bogus oath in America were in type, in- • formation should reach us that a similar ' inane production was being industriously hawked around, the goldfields districts of the North Island by an individual who very unworthily represents ' . a large and important insurance company doing business in this country. In this instance the ‘ oath ’ is fathered on the Ancient Order of Hibernians. We have not as yet in our possession the actual copy used by the blunderer who has so senselessly compromised the good name ' of his employers; but we are quite familiar with the ‘ document and- have no difficulty in presenting it, in the form in which it has been used elsewhere, to our " readers. Here is the production which, according to our information, this individual was stupid enough and base enough to carry about for the delectation of his clients; The following is a copy of a document which % accidentally dropped from the pocket of a member, of ' the Ancient Order of Hibernians just after he left the building in which the Hibernians hold their meetings, ; and it is believed to be the most authentic copy of the oath taken by every member of the Ancient Order of Hibernians:—“l solemnly swear to own no allegiance to any Protestant or heretic Sovereign. I will; nob regard any oath delivered to me by them or their L subjects be they Judge or Magistrate, as binding. And ; in revenge for the sufferings of our forefathers and ' protection of our rights, I solemnly swear to aid, as , best I can, in exterminating and extirpating all Protestants, to hunt, shoot, pursue, and destroy all Pro- - ' testants or Heretics, Landlords, Proprietors or Em- * ployers.” ’ . * It is hardly necessary to say that there is not an atom , of truth in the statement that any such oath is taken by the members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. The ‘ oath,’ which was freely, though in _ an t underhand manner, made use of by Unionists during ' the last general elections, was exposed, denounced, and scathingly ridiculed by Mr. J. Devlin on the floor of the House of Commons. It was disclaimed and repudiated by the A.0.H.; and those responsible for printing- and it were challenged to say publicly and- ■' definitely that it was the, oath taken by members, of that organisation, with the- assurance that an, action V : for slander or libel would promptly follow. Needlessto say, the challenge was not accepted. So far as the :, North Island canvasser is . concerned, we understand ;.-, that his. action has been brought under the, notice ofe'p

the secretary of his company, and that the offender has expressed regret, and has undertaken not to repeat his foolishness. It .is for Catholics to see that that undertaking is religiously kept; or that if it is broken, both the individual and the company are promptly made to feel the consequences. This is one of the cases in which the victims of the insult are in a position to hit and to hit hard. Catholics have always entertained towards the company in question feelings of the utmost respect and good-will ; and we are in a position to know that the company enjoys a very large share of Catholic patronage. The ramifications of the Catholic Federation now extend from North Cape to the Bluff, and even beyond the confines of New Zealand; and the volume of insurance business which it is in a position to influence is extremely large. In view of the undertaking which has been given, we refrain for the present from making public the name of the company in question; but should occasion arise we are prepared to make our exposure of the facts complete. We ask members of the Federation, especially in the northern province, to be keenly on the alert, and to report to us at once if they hear any more of this nefarious business. There are some forms of misrepresentation and abuse which, perhaps, Catholics cannot avoid; but we are certainly not* prepared to put up with calumny and insult from a business concern which is handling thousands of pounds of Catholic money.