The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-05-01


| also; and we must take into considera-
ton the conclusions they have
reached, rather than from the tyrO
who seeks by his plausibility SYM
pathetic hearing in decent cOmmun-
! ity. Both Marx and Engels, the found
ers, the evangelists and promoters of
scientific socialism, base their entire
system upon the materialistic cOncep-
tiOn of history. That is to say, they
originate man from the clay-limit
his ambitions to the earth: and deny
the interference of spiritual power,
either as existing in his own nature,
or from above. With them, marriage
has no sanctity, the home no real pro-
lection, the parents no responsible
ties: and the children being wards of
the state shall look to it for their
education, and for their moral up
bringing.
Catholics and Socialism.
Need I say that such tendencies
violate the first principles of Catholic
Faith; and, in fact, of human nature
itself? We believe that the parent
exists before the state-that the state
is nothing more than the congeries
of families which compose it-that it
is the duty of the state to sustain
the parents in their prior rights. and
the family, rather than to destroy
them. We believe the spiritual ele-
ment essential to the family and to
the homes. We consider that man has
soul as we'll as a body; and that
the soul, which is spiritual dominates
the body, which is material-that.
therefore man lives by his soul-that
his essential work finds neither it's
inspiration nor it's goal in the mate
rialistic concept of life.
Socialism, the dream, is in reality
a nightmare. 1t stands not for hu-
manity's betterment, bav its uegrada-
ton. This is proven true by recall
ing what has come to those who have
enthroned it. Twice in the world s
history has socialism become the rul-
ing philosophy of the state.
The first was when at the close of
the eighteenth century, France at
tanned through the dethronement of
her king, the exile of her mobiles. and
! the massacre of all who stood for
established authority and law and re-
| lieion, the full and frantic develop.
ment of her socialistic career.
I need not tell you the o1t-repeated
story of socialism's successes-its
crimes, nor of the quick punishment
which in order to get rid of the mon
ster was willing to bow to the de
mands of a dictator.
Social Problems Exist.
Again, in our own day, we are wit
Messing it's establishment. What, OF
how soon, will come the end in Rus
sia, we know not. 1t may be il
greater anarchy; or it may be by re
version to cZardOm and dictatorship
But what we do know is that if hal
the crimes imputed to it were true
it deserves the condemnation of the
civilized world. If on the other hand
the socialist depicts the injustices o
the world which he insists must b.
undone, the wrongs committed b.
property owners, and eXplOiters, tina
must be righted, the sins and crimes
that must be ended, the poor and th
broken that should be cared for, tha
must be helped, we have no difficult.
in agreeing with him that these prof
, lens do exist His description o
them may be more picturesque thai
ours, but his desire to right them i
not stronger, nor has he been the frs
to call attention to social ills" The
Christ gave much of His Gospel t
the denunciation of wrongs, an
WrOngdoers-to the sins of wealth an
capital; but He paralleled the sam
to give to Caesar only what belonge
, to him. He taught the blessedness {
| greatness Of charity. He never prom
\ ised the abolition of poverty. H
p taught that the righting of wrong
:. would finally obtain only in a bette
n world
Reform Not Hopeless.
:. But this again does not mean tn;
n reform is useless, or hopeless. @
;, the contrary it is now, and has eve
O been, the duty of the followers
- Christ to approximate their lives, ar
- their laws, and their country to H
O teaching-to set up the standards
=, right as also of duty to help the POI
and weak, and lowly-to curb the e
travagances of wealth-to make fl
u labor just wage-to compel capt.
L. to give fitting employment-to gi'
protection to the man with the hon
!, and the family that they, and he, m;
y live and thrive under the laws al
=, protection of the great Father
~ Heaven; and as family contribu
to the state that obedience and su
a port that properly constituted autht
- tity may demand.
- There are many desirable reforr
~ which are supposedly sOcialistic,
iC (Contfnuad nm nape ~