The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-11-11

lauded by Cardinal Gibbons, whose dis
cussions of public affairs are always
timely and interesting. and whose repu-
tation as a pulpit orator and Shakespear-
can lecturer is known the country over, is
seldom backward in expressing his opin-
ion. He believes that the work of the
teacher is not necessarily to be confined
to the pulpit, and that a duty rests upon
all men TO point out, If they can, the
right direction into which the present IN
mistakable spirit of discomfort and IN
rest may be led, so that it shall be a
source Of good, rather than harm The
subject is made doubly pertinent by the
result Of the recent elections held
throughout the country. and which have
called attention to the fact that the spirit
Of social unrest. whatever the immediate
cause, is rife in the land and was mani
tested by the ballots cast against the
regime under which the United States
has, at least, attained UHexampled prosper
ity. With things as they are, 1t is evident
that there is a large body of people dis
satisfied; the literature classed epigra-
matically, but with only a measure Of
truth, as that of "the muckrake" has hit
a certain popular fancy. and, following
the generous support Of this; the wide
apparent acceptance Of the gospel Of dis
content has come the voice OF me people
themselves. speaking through the ballot.
On such a subject as this it might have
been expected that so clear a thinker and
so ardent a worker for the public good
as the Rev Father Stafford would have
something to say. and he willingly con-
sented TO give his views through the
medium Of an interview with a represent
atiye Of The Washington Herald.
It is rather task to ind Father Stat
ford at S. Patrick's rectory when he is
not besieged by callers or overwhelmed by
parochial duties. but he is an early riser.
and before the days work Of his parish
began ne managed 20 steal away an hour
70 pro,nUlsate his views AT this. the
beginning Of the twentieth century" he
said. no one can be unaware Of the fact
that there is manifest in the land rest
less spirit crying for a change which may
e IN It's ultimate Development be regarded
as sym2tonlatc OF d coming social cat
aclysm, q great upheaval. a great read
Justment and rearrang ement Of social
conditions and forces. This spirit Of IN
rest is found in the literature Of the day.
ia popular magazines. IN the daily press.
IN books that treat technically OF the
subject, and in novels. Il has its orators
its preachers. its pglDits. its professions. :
lis banners, its books. its press. It is pre- (
eminently the thing which DISTINGUISHES.
dlnerenuates this age from all that have
gone before, for in this day il seems 10
be reaching its elimination.
What Is to be the result. the ultimate
outcome Of this movement Of unrest: is
1t TO ruin. TO disintegrate society as il
now exists? VIII il build up. re-create,
improve, or is it an impulse, not easily 10
be controlled, in the direction of ruin.
blackness. and despair?
THE result depends altogether upon
the trend given by the leaders Of the
world to the forces that have come into
existence; On the leaders Of thought, of
wealth, of politics, of religion. Of power.
Upon every one who has the slightest in
fiuence rests a tremendous responsibility
for the future.
This movement though it may possibly
seem to be a movement Of our times. is by
10 means new. It began with the disso-
luton or the feudal system; the setting
Tree OF the Individual from the collective
mass and stamping him-Man, The move
ment increased with the application OF
experimental science to the industrial
forces Of the world, an application which
may be said to have begun with the dis
cQYery Of America by. Christopher Column
Ous' Through the years that followed the
settllng OF this continent the movement
mas increased in force and violence, espe-
claIiy as in the great Industrial centers of
the world there has been great increase
or wealth on the part OF the few and the
Impoverishing of great multitude
These two forces-the multitude of rba
poor on one hand and the company Of the
very rich on the other-stand face m fare
to-day, and are preparing for what seems
to be an inevitable and possibly q bfttor
conflict, which. If it come, will shake a +
the very foundations Of the world
The spirit Of unrest inspired by a reaI-
zaton OF the -antagOnism between the
forces OF wealth and poverty has brought
about the social discomfort manifest 70
day. This is due TO many causes but
chief among them is the fact that the vast
majority Of mankind is, in our time. much
better or physically than 1t ever was in
the past. This betterment of conditions
has naturally awakened in man asnira-
tioRs for even greater progress. Always
mankind must move toward the light
There is also running in the mind OF the
great mass OF the people a memory of the
days Of hardship and misery endured bv
the peasant classes of Europe, when the
grand seigneur in the castle on the hilton
looked down on his tenants-the lower
classes. as he called them-who. under
the hardest possible conditions. eked ont
a scanty livelihood.
Another sort of social discomfort is the
daughter OF religion. II consists Of
general desire Never so universal in the
world. as said the late Pope Leo XIII, on
the part Of every man to do all and every
thing that can be done for the betterment
Of each member Of the human race"
How can this betterment be brought
about?"
There are a thousand and one theories
advocated, from the widest, most fan
tastic. and Utopian dreams. to the dIvinest
love, expressing itself IN the spirit exem-
plifed by His Holiness, the Pope, desi--
ing at all times to lift the dropping head,
bind up the broken heart. and to pour the
oil and balm OF religion and love into
the wounds OF suffering humanity.
Others. who would be Tefcrmers-the !