The Irish standard., 1915-01-16

Oh Ills IreeUOm IN CIVIC acIlOns Out much
more necessity Of his being" (Bel-
loo, The Church and Socialism, c. S.
G., pamphlet, p. g. capital held by
many, still more capital held by all,
each with a share that forbids him
to be proletarian in the state, is the
opposite and the contradiction of the
Socialist ideal'-for the Socialist
wishes the means of production and
distribution to be vested entirely in
the state. But this wide diffusion of
Observation-Disclosures the people
is "the contamination of the Catholic
ideal, and it is curious to note how
those of the chief nations of Europe,
which resisted the Reformation have
since that crisis, tended to the perpet-
ual accumulation of small capital in
many hands, while societies which
succumbed to the storm have tended
to the accumulation of capital in few
hands, and to the turning of the mass
of the citizens into proletariat eco.
nomically unfree. Contrast Protestant
and Catholic cantons of Switzerland,
France and Ireland VS.. England, North
Germany with South, ETC., and this
historical truth will be apparent"
Qbid, p. Ill., The church stands not
for the complete subserviency of the
individual to the public good, as do
the Socialists, not for the complete
subserviency Of the public to the in
dividual good, as do the adherents of
Liberalism and our present Capitals
tic regime, but for the exercise and
development of public and individual
rights and duties each in it's own
sphere, the common good. AS to which
of these policies is preferable, the
common sense Of every man should
dictate.
The Workman and Socialism.
Does the workman really wish the
placing of the means of production
and distribution in the hands of the
officials of the state, as Socialism de-
sires? Upon reflection he certainly
will not. It would mean merely chang
ing from the tyranny of the capitalist
to the tyranny of the off1ce-holder-
the strong men or INSCRIPTIONS men
geon which seeks to strangle it, under
the pretense Of curing it. Will it be
enough to turn out the ill-omened sur
geon? No; we must try to cure so.
ciety." (Dardano, Elements of Social
Science and Political Economy, Dub.
lin, 1909. p. XIV And Dardano him
self says, Slavery, as such can no
longer exist as of yore. Behold, how.
ever, proletariarism, which, coming
under the shade of the tree of liberty,
appears less horrible. but it is slav-
cry, real slavery - in some respects
worse than the ancient" elements
of Social Science, p. 17) "Any one,"
writes the brilliant layman, Hilaire
Belloc, "who pretends that the pres.
ent condition of society in England is
tolerable, or has even the least chance
Of enduring, is of a mental calibre
worthy rather Of what is called 'prac.
tical politics than of serious and vital
discussion" Gan Examination of So
cialism, G. S. G., Pamphlet, p. 49,
The Social Teachings Of the Church.
The Middle Ages.
This denunciation of evil conditions
and of the misuse of economic power
by those who are the possessors of
riches and the holders of high posi-
lions is not a mere opportunistic
stand of the Church at the present
day, as with so many agencies and
sects, but is an historic attitude, based
upon the teachings Of Her Divine
Founder; "Take heed and beware of
all covetousness, for mans life does
not consist in the abundance of things
which he possesseth." (Luke, xii, 15.)
"You cannot serve God and Mammon."
Matt. vi, 24) "But woe to you that
are rich, for you have your consola-
tion." (Luke, vi, 24.) In no uncertain
terms did the Church Fathers call the
rich to task for their wrongful treat
ment of the poor, for their folly and
their luxury. "It is absurd and dis
graceful" declares Clement of Alex
andria, "for one to live magnificently
and llXllriOus1v when an MANY aro
hungry" (Ryan, Alleged Socialism of
the Church Fathers, st. Louis, 1918,
p. 11.) st. Augustine writes: "The
superfluities of the rich are the neces.
saries of the poor. They who possess
superfluities, possess the good of 9TH
ers." (1bid, p. 12.) And st. Ambrose
thunders forth: "How far, o rich, do
you extend your senseless avarice? Do
you intend to be the sole owners of
the earth? Why do you drive out the
fellow sharers of nature, and claim it
all for yourselves? The earth was
made for all, rich and poor, in COM
mon. Why do you claim it as your ex-
elusive right?" (Ibid., p. 14.) The
enunciation of the principles underly-
ing these expressions is to be found
in the writings of Catholic leaders in
every period of history. In the Middle
Ages, when the Church was supreme
and the mind of Europe was a Cath
01fc mind thov uvorn ON NJ, n cfood nv,