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PROTESTANT CONVENTION.
' OR. A1ANNIX.
WILL HE BE ALLOWED TO
RE-ENTER AUSTRALIA?
The annual convention of the "V ictorian
Protestant Federation was continued yes
terday at the Independent Hall, when dele-
gatea'sat in' tfrivaU', discussing the future
policy of the orgaiiisaition and mattera re
fating to its constitution. Itev. G. Judkins
was elected as chief president for the fortli-
WIII.uk vni. J.USU CVCII"«l3 O, V . - _ o"
gathering attended a dinner given in -honor
of -the visitmg -.delegates, amongi those pre
sent being members of itlie Federal and
State Parliaments, and representatives of
kindred societies, and of the Council of
ChurcheH.
The Assistant Minister of Defence, Gene
ral Rvrie, in responding to tlie toast of the
< Federal Porliamtuit, moved by Rev! A.
-Stewart, said lie 'had accepted the invita
tion to be present because thc inotto of the
' organisation was "ForeGod, King and Em;
piro," and. lie knew lie, would be amongst
, .ffien loyal to the Empire; -It was high time
.that those in Australia who were loyal
should come together and show a bold
front. (Ileal, hear.) Why did men go
from -Australia' to tight, and why did 60,000
of the flower of our manhood lay down
their lives ? It' \vn's because they realised
tfhat'thc time liad come vrihen the Empire
had to stand solidly. (Hear, hear.), And
if ' the Emigre did- not stand firmly, where
would they be in toe future ? Their oh ly
safety lay in the unity of the Empire... In
his own brigade there had fought riic'n of
; every religious denomination and political
belief,' and he bad seen Roman Catholic
soldiers give' "their lives as freely and loyally
us any others. (Hear, hear.) 'Hhe men
worked together' wi tli one pin-pose, and it
. seemed a pity that they, could not have the
. same , unity in their .social and industrial
fife. (Hear, hear.) But apparently : there
were those in Australia who to-day vilified
tho Empire, and toe Hag. Was it not time
for. tliem to say to these men thab'if they
1 could not live under tihe flag, and could not
be loyal, they should get out of the coun-
try, j (Hear, hear.) It. .was "up to tlicm,"
too, to say -that' any .such man who ,vas
nqw o'ut'side tho country, should never come
. buck again. (Loud cheer.-i.) , '
Sir . Robert Best, 5I.P,, referred to. .'ton
work of- toe federation .in past elections;
Its mombers had realised -that a.dha'llciige
had been, thro wu down by u notorious pro
late, arid rebel, and that- it was their duty
to; take up the ehallenge, During recent
. months, had it not been that a Govorn-
ment.seized with tlie necessity of upholding
tlio loyalty of the Empire liad been in
power, there would iiave been no deioi:ta-
tion :of disloyalist ' enemies, men engaged
til sedition and the spreading of German
propaganda. General Ryrie had mentioned
the determination, doubtless expressed on
. behalf of the - Government, Uhat no
notorious rebel or rebels should be per
mitted to return to our shores again. Could
that be done linless toe right Government
was in power '
; 51r. Burehell and Mr. Marr, 5Eb.P., also
'responded to the toast.
, 1 Mr. E.' W. Greenwood, Mi. A., in reply
ing to the toast of the State Parliament,
proposed by Mr. D. White, said tliey hiid
' 3iad a reference to'.' a ocrtaiu li'iari now out-
tide Australia. But- they hud inside All's-
tralia, in- their midst, one who was, to ids
mind, worse, than Dr. Maririix, who was
. fighting the latiter's battles m 'his absence.
Ho was a. man. with wh6m_A'usiralia would
d«»l one day, in the way lie should bq dealt
with. . The time, was- cqniing when thev
were pot gomg to acknowledge' toe power
of "Jack" Wren in Australia.
The toast of the federation in' officr
States was proposed by 'Iiev. vJudkins, the
new presid«it-elect, who referred to. the
big future before ? the .organisation, and
stated that it was not political,' but. was-
fighting a, political organisation.. Dr. John
ston (S.A.), Mr. Prowse.-M.P.,' and Alder
man Ness (N.S.W.), spoke in response: and'
in replying to. thri tout', of. the Victorian'
federation, Rev. R. Mtterich st'atod -thatJ
the federation did-not , stand -for any on"
poWjcri.1 jrarty.l -They did- noli care' .whe-
-ther 4 man -was- NatioitaHst, .Labor or-Far -
Ijty. "but .-'piiljr. rooked-' «- he was a
loyal,, Bntrah : subject, and' willing to sub-
,sonbe ..to. (ihcjri._platfonii. The . toast of
. Kindred Societies, was also honored during'
toe:evening; ' - ,
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