The guardian., 1952-02-23
BOSTON
BAKED
BY MABE KOUNTZE
'"The breakdown Of racial
barriers is inevitable"
Father LaFarge.


~ ~
CATHOLIC EDITOR, the Rev.
John LaFarge, will be honored
Feb. "a, this Sunday at N. Y.
Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The
honor will be we'll deserved.
Father LaFarge is one of the
founders Of the Catholic Inter
Racial Council. Perhaps, aside
from BoSton'S John Boyle o.
Reilly, no other Catholic editor
has fought so hard for race
equality.
~ ~ ~
FATHER LaFARGE has spok-
en- so forcefully and frankly
against injustice that he has
been called a radical" by the
more conservative clergy. He
has fought for mixed schools
and Civil Rights when many
clergy of his own land Protest
ant faithS) evaded the subject.
It is obvious he met opposition
to an Inter- Racial project.
Some call that communism /,
too.
%e ~
THESE DAYS, when every
colored or white man is called
communist" for advocating
mixed schools, FEPC, Civil
Rights, or justice for the Miami
bombings, it is refreshing to
find a man like Father LaFarge
being honored instead OF being
investigated" for subversiye ac-
tivity. The Old Christian lead
ers sacrificed for equalities. We
need more clergy of all faiths
to carry on; to place mercy
above money.
~ - ~
COMMUNISM thrives where
there is suppressed freedom and
there is absence of a Just and
equal program and opportunity
for the people, says Father La
Fargo who studied the Russian
system calmly. Rising above
name-calling and SmearS. this
71-year-old Catholic priest ad-
yocateS a lot OF house cleaning
by Christian nations as a cure
THE WESTERN nations as
they prepare for the future OF
war or peace can profit from
the warnings Of Father LaFarge
which have also been substanti-
ated by clergy of other faiths.
Colonial Suppressions whether
in Ireland, Africa or Asia, and
racial determinations, whether
in Capetown or Carolina, re-
feet the attitudes of those who
call themselves Christian ma
tons" It is an attitude that
must be corrected. And soon.
- - ~
ARMED FORCES can win a
war, but not necessarily a peace
We have had two world wars,
and an element of a third
without eliminating the evils OF
Dictator Isms, or colonialiSm.
That much is fact. The lay
men of the western churches,
says Father LaFarge, are slow
in catching up with the ideas
and teachings of Christ. A Re-
hgious Renaissance is needed.
- 50 ~
CONG. ADAM POWELL, per-
haps the most prominent clergy
man in Congress has spoken
these messages for the Protest
ant churches many times. But
as in the days of Rome, there
has been a tendency Of political
forces to exploit the churches
and even put them in conflict
Father LaFarge has seen thru
this also. He wants friendship
between the faiths. No faith
should have political prefer
ence, or lack equality in a DEM
ocracy.
JOHN BOYLE oREmLY. the
Irish patriot who escaped Brit
ish slavery and came to Boston
to edit the Catholic Pilot, fought
long for equality of colored
peoples and native Indians be-
fore going to his rest here. Nc
one hates suppression more
than the Irish who have yet to
gain full freedom. OReilly and
Father LaFarge, both Catholic
editors, refute all claims that
Equal Rights are Russian
ideas" They're Brotherhood
ideas.
0'BanVOun'S