The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-10-07

limit of their heV'S' r' OOnneny laborers. During the past year Ill., 737 adults were baptized in China and 654,418 were under instruction. Of the more than 18,O00 priests working in foreign missions the United States has given but SIS. TN THE ORIENT
 Throughout the present trouble and turmoil in the Orient the clergy have insisted on remaining with their people and are not only car- rying on their many duties, but they are using the present suffer ings and misfortune to bring ma terial and spiritual aid to 9 greater number.
 Last month the story of the tragic death of a young Belgian priest was sent from China. A de- vout worker among the wounded and dying on the battlefront ton one night he saved the lives of 69 wounded soldiers) he escaped death many times before he was horribly killed by an exploding shell. It will be many years before unhappy Bel- gium can send another priest to yep place him. Now American should CTS must carry his mantle.
 THE SMEAR
 Tn his eloquent address in behalf of the peoples fight for peace, Father Gillis began with an analysis of the principal and most powerful weapon in the hands of pro-war party, the smear" Today 1t is neither logic, nor argument, nor facts. but call your opponents names (and the lowest seem the most desirable), make fun of him, smear" him. Call him anything, "un- American, "unpatriotic', Fas- cist", "Nazi"-even traitor" If you must-and you may consider him effectively squelched.
 Perhaps our country has never had a greater need for cool, sound reasoning than that needed on the debate of the position the United States should take toward the war. Ard the time was in American de- bate when one could expect sim pie, straightforward answers to 4AOAA8oV 4uCoVAOllos OAllOA buLldtCLJ that practice is in abeyance in 1941. Now the principal answers of these "epitheticians" are abuse, accusa- tions and imprecation.
 To illustrate: The Commonweal two weeks ago carried an article by a prominent priest asserting very senaibly that 1t is the duty of the United States itself to remain out of war except as a last resort. This week one of the war party com- mences his hot-headed retort by re- ferr1ng to the priest as "a disciple of the redherring school". So in- stead of light we get heat, and the days that should be ruled with thought and logic and facts are car- ried away by emotion and passion --and so are filled with unprece. dented danger.
 LABOR ORGANIZES
 Reports indicate widespread suc- cess in the drive to organize labor in the local factories. Such reports are accepted with much satisfaction for the workers must be taught the strength and protection that their unionization will bring. The union will be the workingman's shield a. gainst injustice; the laborer must recognize 1t as such and accept 1t for the protection of his rights.
 However, a possible danger must be noted in order that 1t might be avoided. A labor union weilds tre- mendous power. That power must be sacredly guarded and guided. In unworthy hands 1t may do tremen- dous evil: in worthy hands, tremen- dous good. More important than the dues and assessments he must pay Is the obligation of the members of the union to an active participation in the affairs of the union. The unions power Is the envy of those who would abuse 1t. In Waterbury the primary end of labor's organization is the welfare of the worker. This must always be kept the first and the last reason of the union. How will this be accomplished? The