Guinea Missions

Pro-Germanism and N.

Guinea Missions Outspoken Reply to Father Madigan

From a Special Correspondent WAU, October 1.

THERE is intense indignation in the Territory, as a result of the im proper, scurrilous attack upon administrative officers by Father Madi gan, in a recent issue of the “Catholic Press” (see “P.1.M.”, September, 1940).

Perhaps you will allow me to present, with equal frankness, the other side of the picture. Father Madigan’s attack was made in defence of the German- Roman Catholic missions in New Guinea, whom he and others (including the “P.1.M.”) claim are staffed by non- Nazis. There are those who think other wise, however.

Let us take the position at Sek. where there is a very large Catholic mission, with a large German personnel. It is alleged that here some 600 native women work in the preparation of desiccated coconut, etc., under the supervision of nuns. These women are collected from native villages where, owing to their absence, the population decreases and such villages become closed to recruiting on this account. The women are herded together in wired enclosures; live in huts of which every door and window is locked and barred at nights; they are

escorted to work and back again; they are marched to Mass and back again; they are not permitted any communica tion with the males of their species. By the time the Mission has finished with them, many of these females are of unmarriageable age. They are then sent back on their villages.

All this is free labour; these women are not paid—they live on work, pray ers and very plain food. They are kept at the Mission presumably for their moral good, and thus the Mission com petes unfairly with commercial enter prise. Many boys who come from these villages, and have been repatriated, are precluded from renewing their contracts with firms and individuals under the N.A.R.. because their villages are becom ing de-populated. How can they assist in propagation, if their women are locked behind barbed wire at the Mission? And a great number of these boys desire to get back to better conditions.

Father Madigan declared that it was an outrage that priests of his order — enemy aliens —should be interned. The Administration has erred on the side of leniency, in sifting every grain of evi dence before interning any enemy aliens, and all those interned undoubt edly merited it. There still remain others who merit it. Why should a priest hide behind his cloth, escape internment, and be allowed to continue enemy propaganda? If public feeling here were consulted, Father Madigan might find himself interned.

Father Madigan harps on the medical attention (among other benefits) be stowed on the natives of his Mission.

It is a well-known fact, on the main land at any rate, that every sick case that possibly can be sent is sent to the P.H.D. for treatment. Compare this with the Lutheran Mission, which has up-to-date hospitals and is doing won derful medical work among natives.

It is a remarkable fact that boys indentured to this particular Mission rarely make a second contract. There must be something in this, when natives who work on plantations and the gold fields make contract after contract.

It is a matter of speculation among mainland residents as to why a German Mission is to-day allowed to own and fly a plane from its Sek aerodrome! It will be argued that it is not a mission plane: but there are people who know better. It is also asked why they should own a launch, or launches, and put to sea, going who knows where, and on what business bent!

Father Madigan’s reference to “sexual beasts, without religion, morality or respect for themselves” would appear to be definitely libellous, particularly as he states that the Administration hushes up the majority of cases of misconduct between officials and natives. This is definitely untrue. It is just as easy for people who know of conditions in the Sepik district to make somewhat similar charges against missionaries. And per haps just as baseless!

Father Madigan’s appeal to co-reli gionists outside the Territory to co-oper ate in a movement against the War Securities legislation could be classed as “Fifth Column” activity (as a sympa thiser with enemy aliens, if for no other reason). The German Missions in New Guinea have been given enough rope to hang themselves with in times oi peace, and that rope should now be used, when the British Empire is fighting a life-or-death struggle against the hor rors and iniquities that Germany stands for to-day.