The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1954-06-18
No Place For Christ?

No matter how the current hassle between Sen
ator Mccarthy and the Army comes out, no matter
who, If any one, is ever adludged the final win
ner the professional politician is going TO come IN
for lot Of bad weather His prestige in the eyes
of many has been hurt and the public Is using It's
stock antidote of worn cliches to Justify this not
very new conclusions Well what can you expect?
They're all politicians"
This phrase is thrown off as a universal answer
TO any problem of political nature. II Is used 10
explain mistrust malfeasance self-seeking vain
glory and the ultimate of the double standard
the supposedly trusted public official using his
office for merely personal aggrandzement And
this, sad TO say, Is often believed and taken as
gospel"
The words politician and political" have taken
on very cloudy connotaton, one that brings along
with 1t the ideas Of being above the laws-both
Gods and mans. The words seem to stand for
anything tricky and underhanded.
Sad it is that such should be the case, but to
large extent 1t is. Sadder yet that everyone takes
1T for granted and after expressing initial dis
appointment shrugs it off as something that Is not
only true in the present instance, but something
that must always remain true.
Now not saying that there Is no founds-
ton for some of this way of thinking, We not
saying either, that there is never occasion for
wondering just what Is the right thing politically
whether II deals with situations or personalities.
What We do say is this II is the dvorcing OF re
ligon from politics that leads inevitably 10 the bad
situations that all decry, and secondly the
former statement is not appeal for the Church,
as institution, to play part in politics.
There is vast difference between the Church"
In politics and morality" in politics.
The American Hierarchy has never advocated as
the Churchs enemies have so often charged, that
there should be place for the Church organ
izaton in the political field whether il be on
local or national level Far from it, They've leaned
over backwards 10 preserve the present situation
guaranteed to all by the Constitution OF our coun
Try.
What they and all right thinking individuals
have always advocated s the high moral background
necessary for anyone 10 be entrusted with public
office They must be moral persons and morality
Is based religion. There rs other source or
guide of moral creature than the moral
code Of Almighty God
good bit of very hastily framed generality can
usually be taken as false To say that every
engaged in politics Is ipso facto unprincipled and
a shyster utterly foolish To say that this is the
norm and TO be expected from the very nature Of
politics Is even more idlotic.
II is only The individual politician who be
held accountable for his actions II he has di-
vorced religion and morality from his dealings, then
he, and he only should be condemned And he
should be condemned
The trouble is he and his actions seldom are. Ef-
fectvely that is. oh that's Just potics-and you
knov-politcs is dirty business that's the kind
of condemnation such IT is that most of
give. And then let II go al that A foregone
conclusion.
II takes time and energy, real toll, TO stay on
top Of the political scene from day to day II takes
dedication, dedication spelled out in time and
trouble that too few average citizens are willing
10 make
Before any OF US shrug off the embroed condl-
tons surrounding us as hopeless, before we pull
out our pat explanation about politics etc" lei
each ask himself where he stands each
a. h.
ms and outs and whether he understands them all.
And after this lei Us see how the men nee
elected the men who speaking voice are
carrying out wishes IN making wills an
effective part in government
If there is in our country today the bad effect
Of having no religion IN politics II is, 10 a large
extent because We not interested enough 10 see
that religion and morality play the part they should