The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-16
Catholic Thought And Opinion
By REV. JOSEPH E. DONNELLY

of membership" clause which the Board might order included in the new contract is in no sense a form of closed shop.
 The closed shop requires an em- ployer to employ only union mem- bers. Under the maintenance of membership clause MT. Avery can hire anyone he wants and all of them can work at Wards without any of them being forced to join the union. The maintenance of mem- bership clause touches only those who have of their own free will seen the need of the union and have joined. If the Board awards 1t in the new contract all those who are
 now members of the union may get out of the Union within fifteen days after the Boards order, but if they remain after the fifteen days, they must remain union members for the duration of the contract which will be one year.
 The provision is not even remotely associated with the closed shop. But MT. Avery well knows that public opinion in America has not sane toned the closed shop, and he knows, too, that this is a string from which he can pluck a sympa- thetic tune.
 AL SMITHS SORROW
 The death of Mrs. Catherine Dunn Smith the wife of the hap py warrior" touched the heart of New York more deeply than the death of many far more distin- guished citizens of recent genera tions. The unaffected gracious lady had won the hearts not only of those who knew her but also of those who had but heard of her.
 In the spirit of the nations an- nual tribute of effectionate recogni- tion to its mothers we think that the words written by the editor of the New York Times on the occa- sion of her recent death might be flttingly reproduced:
 Tt will be forty-four years to- morrow since her marriage. The stroke is cruel. The long bright day is done. The survivors sole conso- lation is the deep religious faith and hope that are his as they were his wife's. Because he is the best-loved citizen of New York, because his wife won the affection of many friends, this is public sorrow and we may speak of 1t. The life of these two seemed like an idyl of some happier world.
 "She, too, was a Fourth Warder, but her parents had moved up to the Bronx. Young MT. Smith bicy- cled up there time and again. He was a long time winning her. The wedding journey was to Bath Beach, where they lived for a while. Then they came back from Brooklyn to Madison street to Peck Slip. The convent-bred girl washed. ironed, cooked, scrubbed. swept. MT. Smith began his political career
 Whatever honors came upon him, to whatever post he was called she was equal to any duty or fortune. When he was a candidate for Pres ident the crowds in the cities which she visited with him gave her a friendly welcome. Whether she was doing her own housework or mis- tress in that somber palace, the Governors Mansion, she was serene, living for her family, for others, foi her Church. In the turbulent stream of events the life of these two to- gether is a gracious remembrance The presses swarm with novels and romances. In none can be found anything half as pleasant and touching as the game of cards that MT. and Mrs. Smith played every night before bedtime"
 In the sad campaign of 1928 a not-small group used to say, Imagine the Smith in the White House!" America today would be truly blessed if God gave us many women of the mould of Katie Dunn Smith.