The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1914-02-07
SOCIALISTS AND LABOR Uh|b>::$>
Religious Canvass of Trade Unions Shows
High Percentage Catholic
Large Membership Of Irish and German Cath
olics Bars Progress Of Socialists

the poor. Both must spend them
selves in this noble service. It must
not be merely negative effort con-
sisting in nothing but opposition to
Socialistic aggression, as is often the
case, but a strong, positive, energiz-
ing cooperation for the relief of pow
erty; the improvement of labor con-
ditions, wherever reasonably demand.
ed, and the social betterment of the
world, making the law of Christ the
rule of all our activity.
To safeguard the union laborer, to
point out to him his dangers or to
teach him how to meet them is evi.
IDENTIFY one of our gravest duties. So.
cialist locals must forever be sealed
to the Catholic. The fact is clear that
taking Socialism, not as it might be,
but as it actually is, the laborer must
finally come to choose between it and
| the church, between it and Christ.
The Catholic church is for Socialism
the block of stumbling, and any means
is licit that can asperse her fair name
or cast discredit upon her ministers
Priests and Catholic organizations
should thoroughly understand the
sympathies of the various trade
union locals to which the parish mem.
bers belong or which they are likely
to enter. The establishment even OF
Catholic locals would be welcome
support and encouragement for union
ism, since this, as a body, is still
bravely fighting to throw off it's So
cialist incubus.
It is true that many locals are So
cialistic; it is true that entire unions
are avowedly SO; it is true even that
various state conventions have en-
dorsed the first principle of the Social
list platform. The cause of Socialism
is being promoted night and day with
in almost every union..of the American
Federation of Labor, which itself Ii
yearly pestered and annoyed by So
cialist resolutions that are proposed
only to be rejected. AS Socialists ex
press themselves, they can lead the
horse to the water, but cannot make
him drink. By often repeating the &C
tion, however, they hope to succeed a,
last. Then they can saddle and ride
it, too. No one who is truly interest
ed in the welfare of the laborer ant
in the preservation of the faith of tn,
working millions can fail to see how
grave and imminent the danger is.
We know that Catholic activity ha,
already manifested itself strongly
even at the national conventions; bu
we have not as yet even begun a con
certed Catholic labor movement, sucl
as is at present gathering strength
and momentum in Germany. 1t is tru,
that under different circumstances DIFF
ferent methods must be employed
Activity within the labor unions ma!
for the present usually be our bes
tactics.
There are in the entire German EN-
pire 1921 Catholic workingmen's as
sociations, with a total membership
of 439,749.. The burning question hal
been whether such societies shoult
be exclusively Catholic, or whether i
is not better to adopt in preferenc,
the so.called christian 1ndustria
Unions" A widely-spread conviction
is that Catholics alone are not sufl
ciently strong, and should invite tn,
cooperation of Christians of all de
nominations. The guidance of tn,
church, it is thought, would, not b.
forfeited by this, and should an,
local go astray her voice could readil,
recall it's members. The fact is that
according to recent account, no
more than fifteen per cent of the mem
bership in these labor unions is Pro
testant, so that their spirit remain
strongly Catholic. Opposition is takel
to these views by the Catholic labo
federation known as "Sitz Berlin,
which counts 1929 societies with 100
900 members, and which holds tha
the entire movement should remain d
rectly under ecclesiastical. control.
The conditions which have calle
forth the labor activities of German
Catholics have not as yet arisen, an
must not be permitted to arise in ou
own country. Organized labor Il
Germany, with the exception of wha
has been here described, is entirel
identified with Socialism. These sam
conditions Socialists have pledge
themselves to bring about in our labo
unions. Their efforts, as we hay
seen, are already bearing results
! What are we, to do to meet them
I Three great forces" says a writer