The Irish standard., 1918-10-26

Gratis, the Republicans and the Social
lists are saying, How are we going to
attract these new voters to our party?'
They will endeavor to place planks in
their platforms that will appeal to a
majority of the women. They will
undoubtedly appeal to the emotions,
to the heart; they will appeal to the
primal instincts, the school, the home,
the child. And the good morality of
those planks will depend not so much
upon the platform makers as the dis
position of women. If the woman
voter wants easy divorce laws, anti
religious schools, etc., and if she
makes her views known then we can
expect platform planks containing
pledges to de-Christianize the Nation
What will be the attitude of the wom-
en-? 1t depends upon the Catholic
women to decide the question. If our
women do not go to the polls, if they
do not take a superior activity in de-
! Gliding what platforms shall contain,
if they do not make their presence
and power known just as much as.
those of the radical type then we can
| expect to find the Church and Amer
lea face to face with problem that
will work tremendous harm.
There is another side to this same
question. have lived in many parts
of the world and have become familiar
with the philosophy of many profess
sional and influential women. Most of
i them are anti-feminine and anti
domestic. Their theories are being ex-
plotted day and night in subtle and
! deadly way. They aim to spread about
an anti-domestic philosophy. And
conditions are aiding them. We are
putting women into painful occupa-
tions so fast that no one has time to
inquire into the moral surroundings,
which in many cases are bad. What
is the effect on a woman who works
twelve hours day on the trolley cars
brushing shoulders with many unde-
sirable elements? 1t simply brings
about deadening of her instincts and
a decay of the domestic ideal. Destroy
the domestic ideal and you destroy
the nation. Look at Greece and Rome
They were progressive nations until
increments against the home gained
impetus.
''This question is crying out and it
demands an instant solution.
The second great problem which
I desire to bring to your attention this
afternoon is more or less industrial
one. History shows us that democ-
racies eventually tend to break down
due to power not being centralized. At
the outbreak of this war, our govern
ment took over many economic forces
with the employees which was a most
necessary action. But what will hap
pen after the war? Will the govern
ment give back to their rightful own
ers what it has taken away from
them?
"In France some years ago the gov
eminent controlled nearly every in
dustry. The country had 100000 pub
lie servants. A group of irreligious
leaders got control of the country,
thereby becoming the employers of
these servants and drove them into an
anti-religious movement, which has
been especially felt by our Church.
With government control in this coun-
try after war the same thing could
happen. There are pure natural lead
ers in this country who never heard
of supernaturalism. They have no
respect for religion. They would not
hesitate, if they found themselves the
leaders of millions, to sanction an
anti-religious movement.
There is a deep moral side to this
problem. We now have many place
that formerly was a wilderness, which
has become a teeming city. Thou
sands and thousands are employed in
these mushroom growths at war work.
After the war these thousands will be
thrown out of work over night What
will become of them? Years ago when
the shipyards in Liverpool were
changed most of the workers remained
there and in that city pauperism, pow
erty and immortality arose of start
ling nature.
Some active body is needed to
study the distribution of labor. Be-
fore the war is over we shall have
about five million men in our armies.
At least eighty per cent of these will
return to civil life fit for work. Where
are we going to place them? If we de-
mobilize at the rate of million year
then we will be placing large city
on the map. 1t is easier to take man
from job then to find him one. Many
unemployed means a great deal of
vagrancy. After the Civil War it took