HISTORY OF THE W.T.C.U. IN NEW ZEALAND.

White Ribbon, Volume 43, Issue 509, 18 March 1938, Page 7

HISTORY OF THE W.T.C.U. IN NEW ZEALAND.

(Continued.)

In the forefront of the Constitution of the World’s W.C.T.U. is set out the ideals for which it stands. 1 hese were: — |.--Personal purity of life. 2. —Total abstinence from all narcotic poisons. 3. —The outlawing of the liquor traffic. 4. —Enfranchisement of women of all nations. 5. The establishment of courts of national and international arbitration to banish war from the world. How farseeing were these pioneers, when over 34 years ago they looked forward to the abolition of war and as a means to that end, asked for international courts of justice. One is not surprised to learn that President W ilson s mother was a member of that early band. How the women of the East and West joined together in the light for world peace was vividly brought home to us when Anna Cordon introduced to the President of the U.S.A. Madame 'l ujimi of Japan, bearing a petition from the women of the U.S.A. that they would enter the League of Nations and help to secure world peace and security. And New Zealand, too. has done its part in the fight for peace. Mrs. Judson became our Superintendent for Peace and Arbitration, and she laboured unceasingly to educate White Ribboners of the need for and the means to secure world peace. Her cwn life was a living example cf peace, for truly the peace which passeth all understanding dwelt in her. In 19! / at the Auckland Convention she brought down a resolution asking that the Government substitute compulsory physical training for compulsory military training. U was warmly debated at a morning session, and adjourned for the luncheon adjournment. Mrs. Judson consulted her colleague who advised. “I think we had better withdraw it.

I am afraid it will not pass and we would hate our Convention to turn down such a resolution. So withdrawn it was. But Mrs. Judson continued her educative campaign and both by voice and pen worked for the cause so dear to her heart.

In 1927 Convention again met in Auckland and the resolution for substituting compulsory physical training for compulsory military training was carried with only one dissentient vote. Convention met in March, 1927, and before that year was out, most Church synods had passed resolutions against compulsory military training- But true to its character and its history, the W.C. 1 .U. did pioneer work. In the cause of Social Purity, the Union led »he campaign for the abolition of the iniquitous Contagious Diseases Acts.

These measures, first enacted by Napoleon to keep his soldiers free from venereal disease, were on the British Statute-book and so automatically became law here. We believe Christchurch was the only city where they were leally enforced. But upon our Statute-book was a law that women leading an immoral life must present themselves periodically for medical examination. Ihe W.C. I ,U. laboured unceasingly for their removal from our Statutebook for several reasons: (I ) 1 hey were lowering to the dignity of womanhood, accounting her but as a means to man’s pleasure. (2) I hey were useless to stop the disease because (a) only one person to a dual act was examined. <.nd (b) the examination was very prefun. iory and the woman might become infective immediately after examination and spread disease. For long iSe fight continued; ministers were interviewed, education carried on. At last, early this century, they were removed from the Statute-book by Sir Joseph Ward (To l>e continued.)