Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-08-23
The Feminist Movement Leaders
Hold Views Decidedly
Pagan.
Grant Demands and Christian
Family Would Cease to
Exist.
THINGS WOMEN SHOULD REALIZE

| The FEMINIST movement is being
I promoted by women whose views
are decidedly pagan. II their de.
tian family would cease to exist and
women's condition would lapse int
paganism."
The above is the opinion of Mrs.
Joseph Frey, Honorary President of
the Catholic Women's League, which
was formed recently at Buffalo as an
auxiliary to the German Roman
Catholic Central Verein. There is
no little probability that Mrs. Frey
has observed accurately present day
tendencies and stated frankly and
truthfully her convictions about the
character of the more prominent
leaders in the widespread movement
euphoniously styled the fuller
emancipation of women. The qucs-
tion, as to what is her sphere in
life, has no doubt been considerably
obscured of late by the insistent de-
mands of some of the sex for what
they are pleased to believe are
rights. Woman suffrage is not the
cnly matter concerned In this move
ment We believe that this is bound
to come and some time in the near
future; as far as Catholics are con-
cerned, the church has issued no
definite pronouncement on this topic,
and in places where the privilege OF
voting has been granted equally TO
both sexes members of the hierarchy
have encouraged women TO make
use of the ballot With reference,
however, to some other subjects, and
especially those that affect matri-
monial relations and social condi-
tions, all Christians, irrespective of
creed, should entertain the same
views as does Mrs. Frey.
Much of the degradation and de-
basement brought upon the most
sacred of contracts is due in no
small part to the influence of the
irreligious and pagan instincts and
practices of woman without faith.
These more than others have robbed
matrimony of the character given il
by our Blessed Lord and preserved
for it by his church. II the stage
and the street, the dance hall and
the bathing beach. the salon and the
school room present spectacles at
times repulsive and indecent, upon
whom rests the blame? If conditions
are more deplorable now in certain
quarters than they have ever been
before in the memory of man, to
whom are they attributable? If there
is widespread criticism on the par.
OF those who still retain a few
shreds of decency, because of
carnality in song, dance and dress,
who have been the chief offenders in
creating the decidedly pagan state of
Mrs. Frey's opinion seems
to be sound and her conclusion that
women's condition would lapse into
were the demands of tho
promoters of the feminist movement
realized is well warranted by the
experiences of the past few years. II
would be well for Catholic woman
hcod throughout the world to take
TO heart the statement of the Hon
Orary President of this newly formed
league. 1t would be we'll also for
them and others to realize that il
was not such agitation as is now go
ing on for suffrage. nor such un-
bridled license in following the bent
of passion or of pleasure as is current
nor such utter disregard
for decency, conventionality and pro-
priety as is observable in streets,
dance halls and theaters. that raised
the sex from the mire in which 1t
was wallowing in the garlsh days of
a utilitarian paganism to the higher
state where 1t was placed by Chris
tian virtue. Christian practice and
Christian church.