The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-06-19
(Continued.)

without proper credentials, whether of
authority, knowledge or experience.
Will enthusiasm, self-devotion. good
intentions, make up for want Of knowl-
edge and skill in the art of healing?
Certainly not.
Are there any unqualified practition-
ers prescribing for our social sickness?
Yes, a good many, but perhaps the
most unqualified are the Socialists.
What remedy do the Socialists pro-
pose?
They propose to take away all pri-
vate capital and give it to the state.
What is capital?
Capital is the means of making
money, or wealth which is used to
produce more wealth.
Then land and machinery are forms
of capital? Yes.
So the Socialists want to take away
land and machinery from the people
to whom they now belong? Yes.
Is this unjust?
Yes, it is unjust. If thing really
belongs to me other people have no
right to take it away.
Why do the Socialists want to do
this?
Because they say that the working
classes will be better off if capital is
made common property.
Is this true?
No; people work harder for what is
their own than for what does not be-
long to them. If all capital belonged
to the state there would be great
temptation to idle and all would suffer-
Would people lose their liberty un-
der Socialism?
Yes, for there would be only one
master, the state, and we should feel
it's interference everywhere. There
would be no redress, for the state
would be supreme.
But surely the poor are not free
now. They have to take what they
can get?
At least, they have some liberty. We
should try to- give them more, and not
take away the little which they have.
May Catholic be Socialist?
No, because as matter of fact So
cialism denies some Catholic doc
trines, and, besides, it is an interna-
tional movement, and it's leaders on
the continent of Europe are bitterly
hostile to the Catholic church, not to
say to the Catholic ideals. The same
is true in this country, although the
hostility is kept more under cover.
Are all Socialists bad men?
BY no means. Many of them are
upright and unselfish men who really
believe that Socialism would benefit
mankind.
Why cannot we join with moderate
Socialists?
Because moderate Socialists are d.
rectly paving the way for the extrem.
lists. Besides, even moderate Social
lists often work on false social prin-
ciples.
Is 1t wrong to own capital?
No; it is not wrong to own capital
SO long as the capitalist pays fair
wages and performs his other indus.
trial duties.
How do you show that it is not
wrong to own capital?
Because man can make capital by
saving up, and he has right to keep
and use what he has made. If make
machine out Of my own materials l
have a right to keep it. If improve
my own land l have right to the
improvement.
But is it not wrong to make profit ?
No; 1t is not wrong to make profit
so long as we are ready to share what
is really superfuous with those who
need it.
May the state take part of the profits
of capitalists for the common good?
Yes. it is often the duty of the state
to do so.
May the state take control of capital
itself?
Yes, in cases where such control is
for the public welfare, and the previ-
GUS owners are not treated unjustly.
Can it conflscate all capital and for.
bid anyone to own capital in the flu.
ture?
No, for this, as we have seen, would
be unjust and harmful to society.
v. The Family Doctor.
What is the pope?
The Pope is the head of the Catho-
lie church and the successor of st.
Peter as Bishop Of Rome.
What does the Pope do?
He rules and governs the Catholic
church. He is the supreme teacher
in matters of faith, morals and disci-
pline.
Is the Pope interested in the social
questions?
Yes, the Popss have always been
interested in the social questions.
Why should the Pope be interested?
Has it anything to do with faith, NOR.
ais or discipline?
The social question has a great
deal to do with morals; that is with
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