The Irish standard., 1911-07-22

dlerS and giving up their lives for the
good of the State? If the State can
take a mans life when it is for the
has also the right to take his property
for the same object
Again, ! wish to repeat am not a
Socialist. strongly object and pro-
test against Socialism being fought
upon wrong lines. and, to my mind, it
is fighting it on wrong lines to de-
nouncc it on the ground Of religion
and morality. 1t is not only unfair
fighting, but, like the rest of unfair
fighting, it is a very foolish procedure
because If all the forces Of religion are
turned against Socialism it will newt
ably follow in course of time that all
the forces of Socialism will necessar-
lily be turned against religion. whereas
if Socialism is met as it ought to be
met, and fought on the battle-ground
of economic principles. we will then
be meeting it and fighting it on a fair
quite aware OF the argument which
will be mentioned against me: that 1
should have referred TO the writings
and speeches of individual Socialists
who denounce religion and discourse
upon a grotcsuuc morality of their
own. Those are the views of ndivid-
nal SOciuliutc rHbnca yinws ,r, tn no
deplored and denounced, but they are
the views of individual Socialists. 1t
is a mere confusion of the very seri-
GUS and grave issues at stake to rely
upon them in a discussion like this. 1t
would be as logical to dcnouncc the
medical profession because many OF
them abuse their knowledge, or ar
lists and poets because so many stoop
to use their talents to pander to vice.
1t would be as reasonable to denounce
Liberalism, the Liberal Party. because
John Morley is an nvoWed agnostic, or
Toryism because MI Balfour to IL
large extent shares the same views.
The enemies of religion and the enc
mics of morality are to be found in
all ranks and in all parties. 1t is a cur
ious thing today that the most violent
anti-Church politician in France la
cialistic leaders: refer to NJ. Glenn
enceau.
Now. as | have said, let us meet So
cialisn and fight it with the proper
weapons Let us point out the evils
Of Socialism, the impra cticabiity of
Socialism; that it must necessarily de-
stroy all incentive to effort and in
vention. 1t is ridiculous to talk of
paying all men an equal rate Of wage.
and all men are not capable of giving
an equal amount of service. If the
of the country they, Of course. must
conduct them on "A business basis. and
If they were conducted on a business
basis, as they are at present how could
the unemployment at present existing,
how could the poverty now existing be
in the least degree diminished? If, on
the other hand. the business OF the
country was not conducted on a bus-
ness basis it must very soon follow
that the country would lose its bus-
ness. These and kindred arguments,
which 1t is not our business to go
into tonight, arc those which arc to
be employed to battle Socialism. but T
protest most strongly against the full
mination OF religious thunderbolts
even when they are delivered by our
genial friend Father Bernard Vaughan
from select platform in the Queens
Hall, a duke in the chair. and Roth
i schilds Band discoursing sweet mu-
| sic! ......
| Persuasion sometimes makes con-
| verts-dcnunciatinns never. Nothing
you can say or do will prevent the
mass of the nation listening to the
| teachings of Socialism. The people
which they are suffering, and they will
listen to all serious people who pro-
pose Il remedy. They will listen. too.
to You If you are prepared to show the
fascness OF the remedy; but mere
wholesale abuse and dcnunciation will
merely make them turn away i'm dis
gust and drive them in the very direc-
ton from which you wish to divert
| them.
| Archbshops Installation.