The Irish standard., 1909-11-06

onism between Socialism and the
Church, because they ignore the dis
tinctive marks of that economic sys-
TEN. Now common usage makes So
cialism signify a comprehensive remedy
for social evils, which proposes to
transform not only the industrial sys-
tenn, but the entire moral order on
which Christian society has hitherto
rested Balfour expresses the idea very
tersely when he says: Socialism
means, and can mean, nothing else,
than that the community or the state
is to take all the means of production
into it's own hands, that private enter
prise and private property are to come
to an end, and all that private enter
prise and private property carry with
them. That is Socialism, and nothing
else is Socialism," This was the one
meaning Of the word recognized by
Pope Leo XIII. when ne examined and
condemned the teachings of Socialism.
Whoever holds the central doctrine of
collective ownership and denies the
! right of private property is a Socialist
and cannot call himself a Catholic; ;
whoever disowns these two doctrines
cialist.
This philosophy on which Socialism
rests is materialistic; it's theory of
human life is un-Christian. The lead
ers of this cult continually insist that
mans universe is confined to this
world, that he should think only of
this life. They say in theory and in
practice that this is the only world
worth living for, that the next world
believe that mans happiness and sue
cess are measured by the amount of
good things he possesses here below.
In other words, the view Of mans
origin, end and destiny is perverted or
obliterated. The rank and file of So
cialists are fast becoming inoculated
with these opinions. 1t is plain that
men imbued with such notions are
demoralizing associates, that such an
atmosphere of thought and innuendo
is unWholesome and dangerous for
Catholics, utterly ut variance with
what they are bouna to believe and
practice. AS a consequence those who
become radical Socialists do not neet
to be read out of the Church. Expert.
, ence teaches that sooner or later. o,
their own free will and by the logic
of events and of consistency, they cease
to be Catholics.
1t is unfortunately too true tha,
nearly all the leaders of Socialism are
pronounced enemies Of any form o
supernatural religion. with all the con.
sequences which such a position i'm.
plies. In this respect Shaw, Hyndman
Quelch, Bax, Pearson, Blatchford ant
Bebel, agree with Marx and La Sale
in regarding Christianity as an alb.
surd superstition or worse. Almos
without exception the leaders are dis
tlnctly anti-re]igious. If not anti.
Christian and antitheistic, they are
very definitely non Christian and non.
theistic. They have grated these err.
rors irreparably on Socialism and made
them an essential part of the system
Iheir ultimate aim is to sweep away
with the system which gave then
birth, religious Institutions, morality
the constitution of the family, individ.
ualism and all our accepted social re-.
lations.
II we'll meaning men among the So.
cialists hope to conciliate the Church
the true friend of labor, they mus
relegate the anarchist, the free -thinke,
and the unbeliever to the rear.
The liberal, broad minded, tolerant
reasonable and sensible leaders wh,
respect religion and do no violence +,
the convictions and conscience Of th,
christian workman, must be put o,
guard.
/ Social reform needs all the allie. I
can muster. 1t should not be throttle,
IN the house Of its professed friend
before 1t can assemble it's forces.