The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-19

AlC pAC0CAlO WOA A0 VI AoAO 70 0 struggle for the survival of ideas, stated Rev. Richard J. Bowling, s. J., dean of education at Holy Cross college and a Waterbury native. in an interesting and well delivered address at the largely attended com. munion breakfast of the Knights of Columbus, police and fire depart mentS, school teachers and post of. flee employees at the Hotel Elton yesterday morning immediately fol- lowing the military Mass at the Church of the Immaculate Concep- ton, dedicated to our men in the armed forces.
 Representatives of the five Spon- Soring organizations, numbering close to 300. assembled on Grand street near Field street at 7:45 and marched down Grand, over Bank and North Main streets to the church. AS the group turned onto West Main, Raymond Walker of the American Legion, blew the church call from the church steps. He also sounded Taps" at the con. clusion of the Mass which was cele. brated by Father Bowling. The speaker at the Mass was Rev. Paul Spodnik of the Church of the Im- maculate Conception. A special musical program was offered under the able direction of Prof. Frederick Harmon, with William OBrien as soloist.
 Grand Knight Vincent Leroy led the members of the Knights of Co., lumbus; Police Board Chairman Raymond J. Tanning and Police Supt. Daniel J. Carson, the police department; Fire Board Chairman Ftnton J. Phelan and Fire Chiet Thomas F. Cavanaugh, the fire department; Postmaster Charles Babin, the postal employees; J Francis Roland, the teachers, anc Charles Melville, the veterans.
 The chaplainS of the organiza- tions attending were: Rev. Phillip Hussey of the Immaculate Concep- ton church, chaplain of the fire and police departments; and Rev. Roger B. T. Anderson, chaplain of the two departments and state chaplain oi the American Legion.
 Grand Knight LeRoy introduced the toastmaSter, John P. Kinney English professor at Crosby high school, who in turn introduced May or John s. Monagan and Father Bowling.
 Father Dowling's address in part follows:
 We can proudly and justly say that America will win the war. And thus, may we pray, will end our Crusade of Arms, at least for this generation. But far more vital, for the welfare of our beloved nation and the future of our children, is the task that remains for each one of us, the Crusade of Ideals, the pre- vention of the peace. We fought one World War to make the world safe for democracy and 1t ended in a tragic traveSty. And ten million men fed their lives to the jaws ot Moloch. We must take care that there Is no repetition of Versailles In the annals of civilization. w must secure a lasting peace. Anc that is more than a personal chal. lenge for each one of us; it is 6 sacred responsibility.
 For the cause of the present worldwide bath of blood and hate is not hard to find. Man in his pride has again forgotten his God and made his sensate desires the meas ure of the universe. Hate and lust and greed have poisoned the hearts of men and the Christian song of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man has yielded to the pagan hymn of hate! Destroy! 1! Destroy!" Man has thrust God aside to make himself self-sufficient. And we behold the spectacle of a Hitler striving to reduce the world again to the barnyard of organism, to make the omni-competent state all powerful and the mythical Aryap race supreme, while other races are but puppets of power, to be moved on the chesS-board of expediency at the whim of a dictator. It is a lar cry from the Christian con- cept Of the dignity of man, that all men are created to the image of God: that they possess a spiritual intellect and free will; that they are the last responsible agents for their actions; that at the Judgment seat Of God. in their last hour they must render an account of their stewardship to an aIl-just God. whose creatures they are.
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 lnto a false security by saying: Tt can't happen here!" We must fight the good fight. 1t is true, but once the war is over, we will revert to our old way of life. The world of tomorrow will be a world of ease luxury, speed and comfort. Once the wheels of industry return to civilian needs, there will be plenty for ev. eryoooy-no more rationing = m more A cards.-But, my friends If sS not as simple as that. Not in bread alone doth man live" And lar more than struggle for gaining new territory or new riches. this present world crisis is a struggle Tor the survival of ideas.
 For despite our wishful thinkin0 1t Is happening here. We used to romanticize about our little red school houses nestling on the hiil- side in colonial days. Yet from those schools came forth young men ana women imbued with American Ideals, with a firm belief in God and His commandments, and a spirit of self-sacrifice for the conn mon good. Yet, today from our mausoleums of learning come forth little-red-school- ol-boys who would gladly destroy the very institutions that gave them the opportunity fxf free education. Labor at last has come into its own and should be ready to occupy the position of lead ership in Society, 1t so richly de- serves. But, is not our laboring class. blase and materialized through false leadership and too much politics, in danger of becoming another tool of