The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1943-10-23
BOOK NOTES X
DORES McCRARY

Editors note: Miss Dores Nc
Crary OF Simmons College OF Bos-
ton who is now employed as local
librarian is guest book reviewer for
this and the next two weeks)
Perhaps the fairness OF compar-
ing a twenty-page magazine supple
ment with 3l5-page book and
evaluating the results OF each can
be questioned, but after wading
through the latter which takes no
definite stand on any phase OF the
Negro problem which II purports
to analyze. and then reading the
magazine articles to find excellent
analysis, one cannot help but justi-
fly the comparison. II on no other
grounds than the Intellectual use OF
discourse, paper and print in war
time.
The book. The Race Question and
The Negro, 4 Study Of the Catholic
Doctrine on Interracial Justice,
by John LaFarge. S. J. New York:
Longmans Green & Co.. l943, 3i5pp
$3.50 is in reality an expanded
and rewritten" edition Of an earlier
work by the same author Inter
racial Justice. 1890 and strikes this
reviewer as a book produced TO
capitalize on the present crisis-state
OF the so-called race problem.
Father LaFsrge writes dispas-
sionately on the Negro covering
such subjects as racism, education,
social equality and inter-marriage,
racial differences, human rights
segregation. and race prejudice, and
presents his information. interpre-
tations and conclusions with objec-
tivity as their basis.
He says. E.. have not so much
-tfied"to seseuade geJ1 y fsD~ walk
on a certain road. as TO show them
the road that I am convinced they
are sooner or later going to walk
on" Therein lies one OF the princi-
pal weaknesses Of the book: the
whole thing lacks force and advo-
Gates mainly the administration Of
Catholic Christian principles TO
solve the problems facing Negroes
today.
It seems that Father LaFarge
might have consulted and read
more carefully some Of the very ex-
cellent books in his lengthy and
in most cases good photography,
and quoted a good deal fewer En-
cyclicals, il he had wished to write
a really good book on the race
question. He does not, in spite OF
the FREQUENT references and ex-
cerpts from Catholic doctrine and
dogma, completely explain the lack
of a real positive crusading pro-
gram carried on by his Church for
Negro rights and betterment
He says. in speaking Of the work
actually done, Mere statistics con-
vey only the vaguest and most I'M
satisfactory idea OF the work that
the Catholic church Is actually do
ing for the Negro In the United
States. The two outstanding fea-
lures of this work may be said to
be, without exaggerating the points:
the smallness Of the work in guam
tity, in comparison with the vast
amount OF work that needs to be
done; the general excellence OF the
work in point OF quality"
The absolute Of quality IS not
justification enough for a church
which can be Justly accused of
countless examples Of glazing and
fragrant racial prejudice and seq
regation within its own clustered
walls. ct is realized here that this
criticism can also be extended 20
other churches) II was not until
the toes OF the Catholic Church had
been most thoroughly stepped on
in Europe by the totalitarian pow
ers did the Church take any notice
able interest in racial problems and
their solutions. II has often been
said that IL Hitler had taken the
Catholic Church to its bosom, there
would have been no awakening TO
the plight of Jews and the darker
races. Father LaFarge seems UNI
aware OF these opinions
Equally dispassionately written