The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1957-11-22
Public Morals Must
Cuarded--BishOps

the Legion Of Decency
and NoDL.
"The function of these agen-
cies is related in character" the
statement pointed out. Each
evaluates and offers the evalua-
ton to those interested. Each
seeks to enlist in a proper and
lawful manner the cooperation of
those who can curb the evil. Each
invites the help of all people IN
the support of its detectives.
Each endeavors through positive
action to form habits of art; ="
taste which will move people 10
seek out and patronize the good.
In their work they reflect the
moral teaching of the Church.
Neither agency exercises censor
ship in any true sense of the
word"
The statement said the right to
speak out in favor of good morals
"can hardly be challenged in a
democracy such as ours" 1t noted
that lit is a long-standing tradi-
ton of this country that groups
large and small have given ex-
preston of their concern over in
justice-political, social and eco
nomic."
"t would be most gratifying
TO find il unnecessary TO carry
on This work." the Bishops as
serted. Zone could wish that
the sense Of responsibility Of
those who write and those who
produce motion pictures would
make superflvovs action Of this
nature. Past experience. how
ever, does not permit Us to lock
forward TO q day when this sort
Of evaIuafion will no longer be
called for. Far from cgTfaiIing
the work Of these agencies we
must have them continue. Nor
can we fail to be wafchfuI over
the fields Of radio and feIe.
vision. Meanwhile, our exist.
ing AGENCIES must be PREPARED
to meet . continuing evil with
an unremiffing effort"
The statement said that imam
must claim and hold to freedom
of expression" but she must also
recognize his duty to exercise it
with a sense of responsibility"
This is a freedom that is init
mately bound up with other free
doms that man prizes" it added.
Freedom of the press is patent
ly a key safeguard of civil liber-
ty. Democracy does not exist
without it. The day free express
sion of opinion is extinguished
and all are constrained to fall in
to a single pattern of political
thought and action, democracy
has died.
"As indispensable as is free
dom of expression to us as clti-
zens, it is no less indispensable
to the Church in carrying out her
mission to preach the Gospel
without an unfettered means
of communication, the teaching
office of the Church is sorely
hampered. She counts among her
special blessings in our own
country the important and fruit.
full Catholic press"
As a member of society. the
statement declared, man exercis-
es his liberty within bounds
fixed by the multiple demands of
social living" 1t added:
'In the concrete this means
that the common good is to be
served. It will entail, among 9th.
er things, a respect for the rights
of others, a regard for public or.
der, and a positive Difference to
those human. moral and social
values which are our common
Christian heritage. It is within
this context that freedom of ex-
preston is rightly understood"
"Obscenity cannot be permitted
as a proper exercise of a basic
human freedom" the statement
said. "Civil enactments as well as
the moral law both indicate tina,
the exercise of this freedom can,
not be unrestrained."