Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-17
DC. Catholic Leader
AssaiIs Press, Films,
~ for 'venaIity'
By cospor Nonnes
Star Sioff Correspondent

Oh. EAOL, MlllIl., MAI. IL
Publishers, moving picture pro- |
ducers. and radio and television
broadcasters were assailed here
today by leading Washington
Catholic as 'tragically" failing
to fulfill their responsibilities to |
Christian civilization.
Martin Work, executive direc-
tor of the National Council of |
Catholic Men, declared that |
modern newspapers have pros
tituted the fine art of journal
ism-from editorial page to
comic strip. the average large
city daily is a potpourri Of sex. |
sadism, and crime. garnished
: with serious but superficial and
prejudiced editorial comment"
"The popular novel is filled
with seamy romances (hav-
ing) immature heroes and hero |
ines and plots that distort truth.
dishonor virtue and enthrone
impurity," Mr.. Work told a Ma
tional Catholic Family Life Con- |
ference session in st. Paul Mu-
nicipal Auditorium.
'Venal, Vulgar and Narcotic
He charged that radio and |
television is "too often venal, |
vulgar and narcotic" in its effect |
on listeners and viewers, and !
claimed moving pictures are now
striving desperately "for economic !
salvation for recovery from |
financial bankruptcy brought on |
by years of bankrupt morality
and creativity."
The speaker also attacked !
comic books and pocket-Size
publications. asserting that with
in a few short years they have
earned for themselves the I'M
enviable reputation of being
twice the subject of congress
sional Investigations" i
But Mr.. Work also observed
there is paradox here as there
is in individuals where saints
and sinners sometimes are in
extricably bound together. I do
not think it would be possible
for us to have real democracy
if we did not have the kind of
free press We now have. I
think the press in this country
has made a tremendous contri-
button to every phase of Amer
lean life"
Urges Family Censorship
The Washington church leader
called on fathers and mothers to
be "censors in our own family"
with respect to radio, television, /
newspapers and magazines. Don't I
let one of these media inside
your home if it is going to affect I
harmfully the members of your
family check the motion .
pictures that you and your chill I
dren see before you see them
and don't go to a motion picture
house that shows Objectionable
films as a matter of practice"
I'm being censors let's not /
forget that we must accentuate
the position as we'll as eliminate
the negative" Mr.. Work added.
I'm respect to radio and tele-
vision, let's be sure that we en-
courage listening to good pro-
grams if we create good
habits in this respect among our
children. we viii have made a
significant contribution to the
welfare of the family" |
A former Washington resident,
Salvatore G. Dimichael, was one
of four persons receiving a Fam
lily Action Award last night at
a mass meeting in the auditor
ium. The award is given annual
ly by the Family Life Bureau of
the National Catholic Welfare
Conference to those who have
particularly distinguished them
selves in activities on behalf of
the family"
Lecturer at C. q.
Mr.. Dimichael, now executive
director of the National Associa-
ton for Retarded Children. New
York, served as consultant in the
office of vocational rehabilita-
ton, department of health, edu-
cation and welfare, from 1947-
1854. and as lecturer at Catho-
lie University.
Others honored were Mary
Brigid inland of Cincinnati,
Catherine Schaefer of New York. 7
and Father Emmanuel jacques of
Saigon, Vietnam. Asia.
The conference, which opened
yesterday, will close tomorrow
with family holy hour in the
Cathedral Of ST pauI