The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-21
AMERICAN PRELATES ON socialism,

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Nearly every prelate of the American
Church has expressed himself. at one
time or another, on the prevalent evil
of Socialism. They all recognize it as
a force to be grappled with, and have
not hesitated to denounce its tenets
where encountered.
Rt. Rev. John Lancaster Spalding,
Bishop of Peoria, known all over the
United States as true friend to la
Dor, in a recent article expresses him
self thus:
Socialism and Labor Unions.
Socialism in our day and country is
simply impossible. 1t is dream.
Abundance and idleness ave not the
chief good. They can be the ideals
only of the unthinking and the indo-
lent. The energetic the alert. t.1e self
active, they who control and guide.
cannot be fascinated by the promises
Of lubber land; and no Utop;an Wis.,
ion will ever induce them to sacrifice
freedom. and opportunity and domestic
happiness. and religion-the things the
race has most heroica!ly and persist
emily battled for, for thousands Of
years, that they may become one of a
great herd with copious food and
whatever else may minister to rhysi
cal comfort.
Socialism is as impossible az an
erchism, and the Introduction of So
thwart the purposes f,- which they
have been founded, for it will avert the
! thoughts and efforts of workingmen
from reforms, which may he brou ght
about to visionary projects which can
not be realized. 1t will SOW the seed
of discomfort and dissension in the
unions and finally disrupt them. it
will foster distrust and hatred of em-
ployers; 1t will breed a spirit of reck-
lessness which will prompt ]ahorers to
strike for slight and frivolous causes;
to strike without any reasonable hope
Of gaining the points for which they
contend, thus leading them to engage
in struggles whose only issue can he
misery and wretchedness for Them
selves and their families.
Socialists are the foes OF organized
labor because they rightly consi Ger
the trades unions as obstacles to tt.eir
revolutionary schemes When they be-
come members of a union they do 50
not to strengthen 1t, bus 20 make use
of it to further their wild projects.
they exaggerate the evils from which,
laboring men suffer, and turn from the
very real progress which has been
made in their condition. They create
a bitter temper and arouse angry and
anti-social passions where nothing but
sane views and habits and sobriety IN
thought and deed can be Of help.
Archbishop o'connelI Of Boston.
Speaking to the knights CT Colum-
bus during a recent celebration Most
Rev. William H. O'Connell Of Boston
said that as a result Of .he passionate
greed for wealth, countless evils exist
which threaten society-namely, dissi-
patton, love of ease and comfort, I'M
morality, the dissertation Of the mar
riage life by divorce and the disregard
for the rights Of others. These evils
have become so pronounced that So
cialism and anarchy seek to succor SO.
ciety. The discomfort on the part OF
the laborers, the distinction Of classes
by the rich growing richer and the
poor becoming poorer, the overreach-
!, ing and the taking advantage Of the
necessities Of the people, on,v aggra-
vate the situation.
The interest of religion and the wel'
!, fare of society demand that you should
make some effort to Offset these evils
However, no real reform, no aneliora-
tions of these conditions can be affect
ed. unless you show in your own lives
and principles which you would iE"ul.
cate in Others. Be men, then, Of pure
lives. upright, high minded AMI noble
by living up to the teachings of you,
faith. This is the first duty Of loyalty
to Christ and His Church. whayeve,
affects or concerns the welfare of the
Church, show a deep and active inter.
est by rallying to her defense and list.
ening to the exhortations Of our Bish-
ops.
i Seek Legitimate Means.
Socialism tending toward anarchy
is the greatest evil Of the day affect
ing the State" declares the Most Rev
Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia. ITO
the disconnected communist ana la.
borer rushing towards anarchy the
Church says: All power is from God
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