Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-01

Special Cablegram to The Star.
ROME, November 30.-Recognizing that
there is nothing more brutally offensive to
all classes of people, except the most de-
based. than the spread Of immortality by
means of books and pictures. the Catholic
fathers of Rome have formed an organi-
cation to check such tendencies. Several
things contributed to this step. The de-
cadence of large part of the French ma
ton. within the last half century has been
ascribed to this. Now and for several
years past the government of Italy has
tolerated an overwhelming growth of i'm
moral. brutal and disgusting pictures and
books. The language of the people Is in
terlarded with blasphemies of the most
frightful nature. and with obscenities that
are shocking to a degree. The streets are,
IN places, linea with posters in flaming
colors advertising stories that are from
beginning to end filthy and repulsive. And
there are caricature journals that know
no other way of being humorous but the
foulest OF ways. Thus the growing gen.
Grafton becomes familiar with evil pic
lures. foul words and brutal stories in the
streets Several of the more popular
newspapers. in recording crimes against
morality. clothe their accounts of them
IN the most picturesque and dramatic
language.
1t is the consciousness of the deadly eff
fects almost certain to follow this general
disruption of morality and decency that
has induced the Catholic fathers of fam
ilies in Rome to form an association with
the hope of trying to put some check upon
the mischievous propagandism of dirt in
literature and art.
On a recent Tuesday the members of the
Nor fnr0a
League of Fathers of Families were adj
mitted TO special audience by the pope.
The commentators pacelIl. president gen
eral of the league read an address 10 his
Holiness, In which he recalled the words
used by the pontiff' describing the object
he had in view in undertaking the heavy
burden of the papacy: To restore all
things In Christ-instaurare omnia In
Christie" And after referring to the evils
which prevail today and the opposition
TO God and the church which is rife, he
described the objects of the league-that
Catholic children should in Christianity
aid the civil life together. and to this
end the committee sought the blessing OIL
the holy father.
In his reply the pope intimated that
such lamentations regarding the immoral
fly and disso. uteness of every class or
persons, not only of adult youths, but even
OF children, were frequent. This univer-
sal disorder. said his holiness, this preco-
cious malice in the young, to whom
should we attribute it? 1t has been said
by the Holy Spirit that the sons resemble
their fathers. With some rare exception
of evil-born branches. which do not cor
respond to the nature of the tree to which
they are conjoined. the wickedness OF the
| children should be imputed to the negli-
gence, the carelessness, and even to the
malice of the parents. And In fervent
and e.oquent terms the pontiff dwelt upon
the great duty that devolyed upon fathers
in the training of their children, and of
the Importance of their rule over them
Finally, he praised and approved in a
special manner this association of fathers
~ families, constituted in Rome and
Spread into many other centers and many
other cities, and he expressed the hope
that the Lord may grant them light to Sc
lecr the means most opportune in order to
exercise this holy apostolate-that is. to
be helpers of the priests, of the bishops
and Of the pope, to restore the Kingdom
ct Christ upon earth. and in order that