The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-07-21

A comparison of significant par agraphs of the encyclical and of the Portuguese constitution, adopted on March 19, 1e3S, reveals striking similarity of thought. This is es- pecially true of principles affecting the social and economic life of the people and the relations between capital and labor.
 Salazar's rule has been called a benevolent dictatorship" and the provisions of the new constitution would seem to support this de- scription. All of the provisions of the constitution have not been re- alized, but 1t is gradually being put into operation.
 Salazar's power Is supreme. All political parties except the Ma tional Union, of which he is presi- dent, have been abolished. He holds all the important government posts-premier, minister of finance, war and foreign affairs.
 Pope's Words Quoted
 The Pope in his encyclical on social justice said:
 Tt is imperative to subordinate once again economy to a directing principle that be safe and effective, to take recourse to nobler and high CT principles of justice and human solidarity"
 The Portuguese constitution and the national code for labor states:
 "The state has the right and the obligation to coordinate and regu- late superiorly economic and social life in order to: CD establish the equilibrium of population, profess sions, employment, capital and la for; CD protect the national econ- omy against enterprises of parasitic character or inconsistent with the superior interests of human life.
 "The economic organization of the nation should secure the maxi mum production of wealth socially useful and establish a collective life from which increased power should accrue to the state and jus tice to the citizens. The individ- uals are obliged to carry on their activity In the spirit of social peace, subordinating themselves to the principle that the function of jus- tice belongs exclusively to the state"
 Capital and Labor Advised
 Regarding capital and labor, the Pope said: Capital and labor should cooperate for the produc- ton of necessities required for the satisfaction of social human needs. The pretenses of capital or labor claiming for themselves the ex- elusive rights of the fruit of work are unjust"
 The constitution dealing with this subject states
 Property, capital and labor per- form a social function under the regime of economic cooperation and solidarity. The state should regulate and coordinate economy so as to obtain the lowest possible cost prices and the maximum sal- aries consistent with just remun- eration of the other factors of production"
 About wages, the encyclical said:
 "1t is against social justice to reduce or increase salaries excess sively, having solely in view the convience' of the parties concerned and disregarding the common good, and the same justice demands reg ulation of salaries in such a manner that the largest possible number of workers may find work and earn a living wage.
 Living Wage Guaranteed
 The Portuguese worker is assured that "the salary or wage has in principle a minimum limit corres- bonding to the living necessity. It Is the duty of employers to cooper ate with the state as well as with with the cooperative bodies toward the economic betterment of the workers"
 On property rights, the Pope wrote:
 "The right of property and free dom of initiative, as we'll as of or- derly competition, is to be respected"
 The Portuguese constitution states:
 "The state recognizes the right of property and the respective power and use and disposal during lifetime and by death. The state recognizes in private initiative the most fruitful instrument of prog ress and of the nations economy, but will prevent the unhridled competition of activities contrary to the just objects of society"
 In the foreign field the Pope said:
 Tt is much to be desired that the various nations as they depend upon one another and thus com- plete themselves economically, should do their utmost to bring about combined viewpoint and combined effort in promoting an advantageous and happy interna- tional cooperation"
 The constitution said:
 The state will regulate the rela- tions of national economy with that of other countries in pursuance of the principals of an adequate cor- poration."