Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1944-04-26
FAIR
ENOUGH
-ByWestbrook
Peeler
THE REV. EDWARD DOW

THE REV. EDWARD DOW
Il LING, S. j., one of the edi-
tors of a pious little monthly i.
magazine called the Queen'sX
Work, has been my friend forS
20 years.
mention this TO disalarm
any one who may be inclined
20 regard the ensuing discussion
AS an attack on him. the Catho-
lie Church and/or Christianity.
In a recent issue Father Dow
ling discussed taxes and came 10
the point OF recommending, as
an aid to the salvation of the
rich, the limitation of individual
possessions 10 $4,000 or $780,
900.
Inasmuch as he did propose
the $4,000 limitation | will take
the lower figure as the basis Of
my objection. 1t dramatizes the
story.
WHAT Father Bowling here
w recommends would destroy
our system of government and
substitute socialism, against
which my old preceptor and, l
believe Father Dowling's, the
Rev Father Fritz Siedeiburg.
inVeighed IN church and class
room and in print for many
years.
He also inveighed memorahly
10 me IN our frequent long walks
by the shore of Lake Michigan
on the north side of Chicago,
where Father Siedenburg, who
had worldly genius for promo
ton. was buI ing Loyola
Academy and accommodating a
very tidy fortune for his order.
or perhaps the diocese, through
real estate operations.
Limit individual fortunes to
$4,000 ad YOU put an automatic
stop 10 ambition very early In
the lives of the exceptional men
and women and confront every
one of wealth with great
temptation 10 squandcr furtheE<
earnings IN luXurieS and worldly \
living which is Just what Father
bowling IS against.
can see no objection 10
luxury as such and that nobody
who has visited The Vatican or
passed by the quarters provided
for Archbishop Francis j. Spell.
man in New York has received
an impression Of bleakness.
WHEN ! was public enemy
w in Excelsior, MINI. oranges
were a luxury Al all times,
green vegetables were available
only 10 the rich IN winter and
hesitant motorized buggy.
/ with cruising radius OF about
! 20 miles. was the playthlng OK
the millionaire.
Milhonalres. then, As now.
had other playthings 10 be
sure. but as one who has COW
cred thousands Of default di-
Vorce hearings. | am on sure
ground in adding that " IS no
private vice OF the dirty rich.
but pretty evenly distributed
II luxurious living IS bad Tor
tho character and the soul, then
the majority Of our people are
more than half likely 10 end up
IN hell. for tins was on the aver
age up 10 the war. a very luNu-
rlous nation by comparison with
any other
To proceed. Il my friend
means I'M addition. 10 make II
T impossible for the person Of I'M
usual ability. for example one
who has made some great con-
triButlon 10 his fclloWmen, TO
enjoy large income beyond
hi, basic accumulation Of So
600. then he destroys incentive
and. on the spiritual side. I'M
perilS that one by condemning
his hands 10 ldlenesS. IN which.
case tho devil may find worl
for them TO DO
DEOPLE who argue that
Il riches make for sin and
also that poverty breeds crime
contradict themselves and as
sumo an arbitrary and certainly
disputed authority 10 say eN-
actly how much rs enough 10
keep others AS happy as they
should be. hut out of mischief.
They have no right n rule
that because one family goes 70
smash for having a great for
tune. then no family however
decent. is 10 he trusted with
more than $4,000 OF any other
amount.
And If il is argued that
wealth is power and that rich
man should not he allowed tn
possess such power, then let me
ask Whet her the Catholic
| Church also would give up its
wealth. and down 70 what
maximum figure, and who would
get II.
AT ceiling of $4,000 a man
could own very little property.
And | wait 10 hear from Fr.
! Bowling how he would divide
up the millions of American