The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1961-03-10
Our Opinion
EDITORIALS
Our Position

Our Letters to the Editor column has carried
a number of recent contributions IN vigorous support
of one or another political, economic, or social position.
WE HAVE STATED before, and wish to reiterate,
that neither our editorial columns nor news ALLEGATION
will take a favored position in areas of free opinion.
This is done because The Catholic Times tries to
reflect the stand of the Church itself. And the Catholic
Church is neither liberal nor conservative. She is a child
of particular times. but not inseparably married to any
time. The Church is the embodiment of history and
tradition changing to meet new needs and develop
ments, but unchanging in doctrine and principle.
MUCH RECENT discussion has TO do with liberal
ism, socialism, and Of course, communism.
1t goes without saying that every Catholic must
reject religious or philosophical liberalism because it
is opposed to ecclesiastical authority on the one hand
rejects the common good on the other.
BUT a CATHOLIC MAY be liberal in The pre-
sent meaning of that term socially, politically, and
economically. Or he may be conservative" in the pre-
sent meaning of that term, if he so desires.
SOCIALISM IN THE literal sense of the term is
contradictory to Catholicism when it proposed com
munity ownership of the means of production or extols
a planned economy over a Wellfunctlonlng free
economy. But, too often In the United States, the
term Socialism is loosely applied to any proposed re-
form measure which would extend government authOrl-
ty in the economic field.
THUS ACCORDING to Father John +. Cronin of
the Now "health-insurance measures are sometimes
misIabeled socialism" Socialism in the technical sense
has a very definite meaning and should be applied cor
rectly. Here again, we Catholics are free to favor
government action in such areas or not, as we see fit.
AS for Communism, The Catholic Times is not only
s~nticommunist, it is pro-American and pro-Christian.
We fully agree with Douglas Hyde who has said: "Com-
munism is hest defeated by a practical Christianity
rather than by just a negative
This point was confirmed in Columbus last week
by FBI Inspector, William G. Sullivan, who said: 1--WE
must deepen and enrich our heritage of freedom - our
mightiest weapon in the struggle for the minds and
loyatles of men everywhere"
While insisting that we must know the true
nature and extent of Communism, he repeated j. Edgar
Hoover's warning against confusing Communism
with legitimate dissent on controversial issues. We
must not therefore indiScriminately label as Com
munists those whose opinions on a particular question
may on occasion parallel the official party position"
DOUGLAS HYDE HAS written: 1--WE shall rob
the communists of the things that help them most if
we work by Christian means to end social injustice in
both town and country; if we put forward the Church's
belief in the value Of private property in assuring mans
dignity; if in international affairs, the people of the
wealthy nations are prepared to accept responsibility
for lifting up the poor ones, drawing in our own belts
to do so and not for purely political reasons, but for
the love Of God and our fellow men"
COMMUNISM" HYDE CONCLUDED, succeeds
10 the extent TO which we fail In the long run its sue
cess or failure will be determined by the extent that
we in the so-called Christian West live our Christianity
and apply it to the society in which we live
We say Amen to that. -GAF.