The Irish standard., 1910-10-22
RICH TO Be 2|T|ED
MORE Than POOR
The Tyranny of Their Whole Position
is Torture, Says the Rev.
Father Vaughan.
Slaves of Fashion and Creatures of
Routine, Declares the
Great Jesuit.
Character, Dominated by Lofty and
Holy Principles, is What
is Wanted Today.

| Rev. Father Vaughan, the mayfair
Jesuit" as they call him in London,
because he is of the aristocratic class,
but inveighs against the smart, re-
Gently stated his grievance, while in
New York, against the merely rich.
| 1t is that they seek to nullify the
! decalogue and have become a menace
by pretending that there is no such
thing as sin.
II think" said he, that really the
rich are more to be pitied than the
poor. Their life OF perpetual climb
ing must be agonizing. The tyranny
Of their whole position is torture.
| 1.-The vulgar rich talk about people
being dull Why, if there were a
; worldwide competition for dullness
and arrant stupidity, the prize would
be carried off by this class.
"Smart society is the same the
world over. 1t has no intellectual
conversation, no artistic talent, no
appreciation of character. ~
"Their lives are so artificial, they
are such slaves to fashion, SO COM
pleteJy the creatures Of routine, that
they become at length like dumb,
driven cattle, forced round and round
to the same places, like travelling
show.
What we want today is character,
dominated by lofty and holy princi-
pies. 1t is difficult to grow characters
such as I refer to, in the hercdity or
in the environments or with the edu-
cation belonging to this inner circle
of gilded luxury and license.
"The worst aboht the luxurious
class is that it rather makes a boast
that there is no such thing as sin.
Formerly wrong doing was secret,
something to make excuses for and
be ashamed Of Now they are not
afraid to do wrong things In the open,
as if proud of them.
"This class, with such point Of
view, is menace. Their wrong-do-
ing is done before servants who sup
ply wholesale to the shops at which
they deal the ghastly story of gilded
vice. The statesmen in the shops re-
tail the story to the man in the street
till at length | find that not merely
in valladom but in slumdom itself all
is known of the shameless lusts Of
the pampered set.
"I think one of the crying shames
Of the day is setting this hideous ex-
ample. It is enough Of itself to Gre
ate Socialism in it's most virulent
FORM
What can be done about it?" was
inquired.
Absolutely nothing" replied Faith
er Vaughan, with people who once
believed in Christ and Christianity
except they return to their former
selves with repentance at the feet OF
the Crucified Savior.
"It is either Catholicism or natural
ism. It's either hand over hand and
foot before foot on and up; or else
it is tobogganing down till they reach
the bottomless pit of hell itself"
"You make it plain," It was sug-
gested, "why Chesterton said you
were making the comfortable classes
feel uncomfortable"
1.-TWO months ago." replied the
priest, "a woman came to me and
said: Father, I shall never go to
hear you again. l go to church to
be made comfortable, but when |
come out OF your church feel
wretched'
"My answer was: Madam, I made
you feel so because, having felt your
pulse, taken your temperature and
looked into your eyes, knew chat
before I could start your circulation
would have to add jolt, and I
am glad my battery has had that ef-
feet. If you come to church often
enough you will finally feel really
comfortable"