The Irish standard., 1909-11-06
CATHOLICS AND SOCIALISM,

Socialist the Irish Standard is in re-
ceipt of marked copy of the Appeal
to Reason. dated Oct. %. Under the
heading of 1.-THE Catholic Fathers" are
purported extracts from the writings
of ST. Basil, St: Jerome, st. Ambrose
and st. Clement against the rich. St
Basil is credited with saying that "the
rich man is a thief" but no reference
to his works is given. st. Jerome is
quoted as saying that "opulence is al
ways the product of e.eft." st. Am
brose is alleged to have said that "prl-
vate property is the offspring of usurp-
ation,' and st. Clement has his name
appended to the following words: IN
strict justice everything should belong
to all; iniquity alone has created pri-
vate property"
One of the editors of the Appeal,
Charles Lincoln Phifer, then remarks:
These are the views of the founders
of the Roman Catholic Church. The
present officers of the Roman Catholic
Church do not endorse these views. 1t
would be interesting to read the opin-
ion of Catholic bishops and Catholic
editors on why the Church no longer
endorses these self-evident truths"
The Appeal always prints Catholic
Church in small letters, contrary 10
the rules of grammar and punctuation,
but that is not surprising in a paper
opposed to constituted authority in
Church and State When the Appeal
gives chapter and page from the writ
ings of the four saints, whom it calls
"the founders of the Catholic Church."
it will be then in order for Catholic
editors to explain why they do not en-
dorse the principles of Socialism. We
are safe in asserting that none of the
four editorial writer's for the Appeal
Wayland, Warren, Debs and Phifer-
have ever seen the original works Of
the Fathers referred to, and that they
are unable to make a correct transla-
ton into English. For. the present, the
Irish Standard draws their attention
to the article on the frona page of this
issue from the pen Of Rev. M. P. Dowl-
ing, S. j., which will show why it is
that the Catholic Church and its prel-
the doctrines of the Socialists. Who
ever" says Father Bowling, holds
the central doctrine of collective own
ership and denies the right of private
property is a Socialist and cannot call
himself a Catholic; whoever disowas
these two doctrines may be Catholic,
for he is not Socialist" These words
deserve the serious consideration OF
Catholics who have Joined the ranks
Of the Socialists led by Debs and his
followers-Debs, who travelled in his
"red special during the presidential
campaign Of last year and whose
teachings are anti Catholic and athe-
istic. Why not paint his car in some
other color than that of the anarch-
lists?
Father Bowling is right when he
says that nearly all the leaders Of
Socialism are pronounced enemies of
any form of supernatural religion and
that their ultimate aim is to sweep
away religious institutions, morality,
he 80 20 al
accepted social relations. Listen to
Socialistic lecturers on the streets Of
our large cities, and hear them rabid-
ly denounce the preachers Of every
denomination and hold them up to the
ridicule and laughter of the ignorant
groundlings. There is but one step
between Socialism and anarchy, and
there Is bond Of sympathy between
Socialists and anarchists. That fact
was made evident recently by the So
cialists of Minneapolis, Chicago and
other cities of America who passed
resolutions of sympathy with the fero-
cious anarchists of Spain and glorifed
the teachings of F'errer. who was shot
for participating in the bloody riots
at Barcelona. The Appeal to Reason
pronounces panegyric upon Ferrer
under the caption of THE Death of a
Patriot" and falsely asserts he was
killed by order of the King Of Spain,
who had no hand or part in his trial
or execution. 1t goes further and says
that "the papal power is responsible
for the Montjuich tragedy" and then
winds up with the following rigma-
role:
"Ferrer, you have not died in vain!
The toiling millions Of the world will
call your name blessed and enshrine
your memory in their hearts along
with those other great souls that have
in the name Of Progress and Revolu-