Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-07-23
BISHOP CARROLL WARNS LABOR
OF THE PERIL OF SOCIALISM

Chicago, July PA warning &c
workingmen and labor unions against
permitting socialism to get a foothold
among them has been issued by Right
Rev. John p Carroll. d. D., bishop Of
the diocese Of Helena, Mont He gave
this admonition before leaving for the
west.
Pleased at the enthusiastic manner
In which the Irish-Americans represent
ing the large fraternal organization
took up his plea against socialism made
al the opening of the Ancient order
Of Hibernians convention. the bishop
declared that the action of the organi-
zation in beginning war upon social
ism should be followed by all Catholic
organizations in the interest OF religion,
the home and the future Of the United
States
Speaking as one in close touch with
the labor situation among the miners
Of Montana and as a bishop he con-
demned socialism as an enemy of the
laboring man. charged that it is econ
omically unsound, and its pretenses
are false
Labor is the natural portion Of
man" he said, for the scripture tells
US God placed him in the paradise that
he might work and guard il. In his state
Of innocence. labor was to man a
source OF pleasure, but when man fell
a curse came upon labor. Cursed is
the earth in thy work, said God TO
Adam. In the sweat OF thy face shalt
thou eat bread until thou return TO
the earth out of which thou vast
taken
Then labor became a burden and
was gradually relegated 70 those whom
despotism made its bondsmen. so that
in Greece and Rome the 'laboring
man and the slave were synonymous
terms
Under paganism there was no labor
question. One-half the population was
compelled 20 do the work for the other
half. The slave was not regarded as
a human being. The birth OF Christ
was destined 10 lift the curse from
labor.
THE church, animated by the spirit
of her Founder, always has espoused
the cause OF the poor and the down
trodden. Her teachings and her legis
lation have caused slavery 10 disap
pear from the world. She has rebuked
kings and deprived them OF their
crowns that justice might be done tC
their oppressed subjects.
The workingmen's guilds Of the
middle ages. which secured the rights
Of the Iaboring man. were her crea
ton. and they are the models OF IN,
labor unions OF our own age. From
the very beginning Of our modern in
dustrial development the church ha!
cspoused the cause Of the laboring man
THE great Won Kettler, who lee
the social reform movement in Ger
many, was called the laboring mani
bishop The London dock workers vii
never forget the friendly interest O
Cardinal Manning and We are all IA
miliar with the efforts Of Cardina
Gibbons on behalf OF the Knights o.
Labor
But II was reserved for the grea
pOutin Leo Kill 10 define the attitud,
Of the church itself towards the grea
economic problems Of our modern life
His encyClical on the condition Of labo
has become the textbook Of statesmen
and churChmen. OF leaders of capita
and labor-in word, Of all who sin
Ccrely strive 20 solve the problems o
modern industrialsm
After the splendid record OF i
centuries socialism dares to whispe
in the ear Of the laboring man tina
the church Is his enemy: that she /
allied with capitalism for the puTpos
Of keeping from labor its just rewards
1T tells him the war OF class agains
class is inevitable; that the presen
capitalist system IS the source Of a
the evils Of modern society; that labO
is the source Of all wealth and should
therefore. receive as its reward all tn
wealth that It produces. II regards th