The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1912-11-30
SOCIALISTIC DECEPTION.

There can be no doubt that the
Socialists are making desperate,
and, it must be confessed, fairly
successful efforts to propagate
their doctrines. They take ad-
vantage Of every opportunity to
place the tenets Of Socialism be-
fore the people in the most favor
able light even though, in order
to do this, they must have recourse
at times to rather questionable
methods. They are not above de-
ceiving the public for the purpose
of showing the great strides made
by the movement.
They realize that the Catholic
Church is the one great obstacle
in the way Of their propaganda,
the sole barrier capable Of stop,
ping the advancing tide Of Social
ism among the masses. Every i'm
partial observer knows that the
teachings Of the Catholic Church
are opposed to Socialism, and that
no practical Catholic can accept
the tenets Of Socialism and re-
main a practical and devout
member of the Church. The Cath
Ollie Church cannot change her
teaching and unless Socialism
capitulates, which it is not likely
to do, the battle will be long
drawn out.
The Socialists are aware Of the
influence which the Catholic
Church exercises over her sub
jects and are most eager to exploit
converts" from her fold, especi-
ally if there be any possibility Of
making it appear that these are
drawn from the members Of the
clergy.
Last year the Socialists endeav-
ored to make capital out Of the
accession to their ranks Of a GER
tain "Father Bowden," who, &C
cording to their statement, had
cast aside his priesthood and sew
cred his connection with the
Church because he found he could
not be a Catholic unless he was a
Socialist! Of course, they never
informed their dupes that the
much-heralded "ex-priest" had
no claim to the title, for he had
never been a priest at all, but a
good-for-nothing Catholic who be-
came a Socialist and styled him
self "ex-priest" in order to make
an easy living.
During the past month another
attempt was made to show that
the utterances Of priest
in Superior, Wis, were favorable
to Socialism. In a recent issue
the "Miami Valley Socialist" re-
produced from the Superior
(Wis.) Telegram of October q,
extracts from a sermon of Father
M. w Ross of St. Alban s
Church," in that city. Any one
who reads these extracts carefully
can not fail to reach the conclu-
sion that they are published not
because they possess any intrinsic
merit, but because they are sup
posed to have been delivered by a
Catholic priest.
In the course of the article the
preacher is referred to several
times as "Father Ross" with the
very evident purpose Of creating
the impression that the sermon
was preached by Catholic priest.
To leave no doubt in the mind of
the ordinary reader that such is
the case, the "Miami Valley So
cialist" heads its article: "Priest
Says Charity Has Failed and That
the Church Must Begin to Con-
slider Socialism,"
What are the facts of the case
The Rev. M. W. Ross who de-
livered the sermon in question
is not a Catholic priest of the
Diocese Of Superior. AS a mat
ter of fact, there is no Catholic
priest Of that name In any do
cese in the United States. The
Rev. M. w. Ross of Superior is
an Anglican minister who pre-
fers to be called "Father" Ross,
and it is extracts from his sermon
which are quoted to convey the
idea that one Of the priests of the
Diocese of Superior endorses the
principles Of Socialism. The So
cialists from long practice are
adopts at creating false impress
sions and this latest attempt is in
keeping with the efforts made dur
ing the past.
That this deception is deliber-
ately practiced for the purpose OF