Evening star., 1939-08-31
Catholic Efforts
In World Labor
Movement Discussed
Mser. Haas Takes Part
In Pax Romunu
Congress Program

.
Catholic efforts in the world labor
movement were discussed today by
delegates to the 18th Pax Romano
Congress, meeting at Catholic Uni
versity.
Msgr. Francis Haas of the uni
versity's faculty and Norman Nc
Kenna of New York, managing edi-
tor of the Labor Leader, led dele
gates in an examination of Ameri-
can Catholic trade unionist tech
nique, while European representa-
tives described Catholic labor unions
abroad. AS in nearly all sessions
of the international congress, the
discussions we're carried on In three
languages-French, Spanish and
English.
Mr.. McKenna urged American
college graduates to embark on q
career of labor leadership, because
"the American labor movement is
without a philosophy"
I'm place of philosophy, labor
can boast only of certain attitudes,
he said, AS an example of Contra
dictory ideas in the mind of the
workingman" the editor cited "his
idea that the rights to living wage
and free association come to him
from the State. and at the same
time his idea that the laborer has won
those rights by his own struggle" ."
"At the present time it can be
said truthfully that the only per-
sons who can really contribute any,
thing of lasting value to the labor
movement. in point of leadership,
are the Catholic college graduates, u
he declared.
Temporary Situation.
This is a temporary situation, but
it will obtain until Catholics in
America are able to duplicate here
the workers schools and colleges
which have been established for
years in Belgium, France and Eng
land. We must meet the situation
with the means at hand-interest-
ing our college graduates in labor
leadership until it may be taken
over by educated workers them
selves"
Among those who have met this
demand, Mr.. McKenna said, are a
group of lawyers who have formed
the Catholic Labor Defense, sup
plying free legal aid to laboring
men. He asked his audience to re
call for a moment that Pope Plus
XII wrote that it is the path of
duty for a Catholic workingman to
join a union"
After a colorful Russian mass at
the Sulpician House, the 500 dele
gates divided into discussion groups
Michel Logic of France. president
of the International Catholic Uni
versity Press Secretariat, presided
over group considering the func-
ton of the church's publications.
Oswald Buchs. Swiss delegate,
led an examination of Catholic mis-
sion activities. The century-old
question of a possible reunion of the
Eastern Catholic Church and the
Roman Catholic organization was
debated in meeting presided over
by Nicholas Czubatyr of the Polish
Ukraine.
Tour of Public Buildings.
After lunch today the foreign visi-
tors were to make a tour of Wash
ington's public buildings. At the
evening session the topic will be
intellectual Responsibility of Uni
versity Students in Catholic Action. >
Most of the delegates were to visit
their Embassies or Legations this
afternoon. Chilean representatives
were entertained at their Embassy
this morning, and the Argentinan
group visited theirs yesterday.
When q Chileans, led by Msgr
Francisco Wives Estevey of Chile's
Catholic University, arrived yester-
day, the large contingent of South
American delegates began to play an
especially active part in the work
Of the Congress.
Herman Veraga of Bogota, Colum-
bia, president of the powerful Ibero-
American Confederation of Catholic
Students, which Is known in Spanish
nations as "Cidek," presided at an
afternoon session on Catholic intel
lectual collaboration between the
Americas.
Secretariats Favored.
A resolution was adopted favoring
the establishment of continental Sec
retariats at Montreal, Washington
and Lima, to be centers of informa-
ton working within a framework of
Pax Romano. Exchange of profess
sors and leaders would be forwarded
by the organization.
Senor Veraga explained that the
proposal for collaboration grew out
Of a visit which Edward Kirchner,
young American president of Pax
Romano, made to . Cidek meeting
Ia Peru last May.