SOCIALISM.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1361, 12 February 1912, Page 8

SOCIALISM.

ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD'S INDICTMENT.

WARNING TO CATHOLICS OUTSPOKEN CONDEMNATION. Archbishop Redwood has issued to the Catholic, clergy and people of tho diocese of Wellington a lettsr on the subject of Socialism. It has already been read from the pulpit to some of the people, and in the course of the next few weeks will be read in all the churches. The letter, which is a comprehensive condemnation of Socialism, runs:— "Some years ago we issued a. Pastoral on Socialism which we criticised more as an economic system than as a fee of Christianity, iiut the subject of this Pastoral shall bo Socialism versus the Catholic Church. In his immortal encyclical (on the 'Conditions of Labour'), the late Supreme Pontiff, Leo XIII, raised iiis voice in no uncertain and faltering tone against this most insidious, specious, and dangerous error. With great eloquence and irresistible argument he demonstrated the utter untenableness of the principle on which it is based, namely, that the State should contrive, sooner or later, to appropriate all private property and convert it into common property, to transfer all capital, or the material of labour, or productive goods, to tho State, whether the central or local Government. He showed how detrimental such a theory would prove to the labouring class for whose benefit it was invented; how it opposed the natural rights of every human being; how, iu fact, it perverted' the truepurpose of the State, and would render the peaceful development of social life impossible. As this great Pontiff's teachings 011 this subject are but those of the Catholic Church in relation to one particular species of modern error, it behoves us to provide you with n clear and forciblo presentation of the same. And in doing so we shall be most careful to attribute no doctrine to Socialism which its chief scientific and accredited exponents have not again and again claimed and proclaimed to be their own. "In this exposition you will see that Socialism aims at a fourfold destruction —the destruction of Christianity, the destruction of Church authority, the destruction of the rights of property, and tho destruction of tho family; in other terms, the utter ruin of the four main foundations of Christian society and civilisation. Socialism would Destroy Christianity. "Socialism assails Christianity, because it is based upon principles, religions, philosophical and economic, which are directly antagonistic to Divine revelation, The educated out-and-out Socialist of outday admits no distinction of spirit and matter in the universe. Everything is matter and motion. Man is a mere evolution from the brute. There" is no .such thing as a spiritual and an immortal soul. No immutable and eternal truth is set before the mind of man. There is no personal God, no Providenco governing mankind, whose history, in all its phases and developments, has been shaped ,by two factors, production and exchange. Each age varies according to its economic conditions, and these—not any higher or holier influences—have by degrees wrought the present development of fhe human race. No interference of God in His own world, no mission of His only begotten Son to save us—because there is no God, no Christ, no wrath to come from which we need salvation. Death ends all; and he is a fool who refuses to strive .with might anil main to have as large a share as he can grasp of the good . things of this world, and to drink whatever he can drain from the cup of life.

Would Destroy all Church Authority, "It assails the very principle of authority on which the Church of Christ 6fands. What docs the principle of authority mean in practice? It means obedience for conscience sake; it means that the Christian conscience is trained to obey those who hold the place of God in this world, namely, those who are the legitimate representatives of order in the family, in the State, and in the Church. Anions; Christians worthy of the name Hie child is taught obedience to ifa parents; the wife due submission to lier husband; the citizen obedience and loyalty to his Sovereign; the priest reverence and obedience to bis Bishop; and the Bishop obedient veneration to the Vicar of Christ upon earth—the Pope. But the Socialist contends that all these inequalities in society, all distinctions bewcen class and class, originated in fraud and are maintained by oppression. For him no authority, no yoke of law, except such tts his oivn judgment has ratified and approved. . Setting up as his own legislator, he resents any interference with his privilege; he repudiates with particular abhorrence and detestation the Catholic Church which claims to have received from Christ her Founder authority to teach and judge, and power to bind and loose the souls of men. For this reason alone, not to speak of others, the Catholic Church must ever appear to the consistent Socialist, his deadly and unrelenting fee, to be combated, and. if possible, utterly annihilated. But this antagonism grows in him sevenfold when ho Willises that on almost, every article of his system she joins issue with him. Therefore she must be resisted all along the line. First of all, and above all, must the education of the young be wrested from her grasp, and . secular schools set up. that her influence may be restricted, if it cannot be completely destroyed. If such hatred of the Catholic- Church does not conspicuously assume such bitterness and violence in this land as in some others, it is owing to the fact that in other lands the basic tenets of Socialism are better understood, and the Catholic Church better known. Hetu'e the war that is being wasted against the fre»floni of her influence and institutions in Fiance, in Italy, in Germany, in Portugal, and elsewhere at this moment. Hence, too. the readiness with which we see Socialists, all -the world over, join in any angry outcry against tho Church, on no matter what unjust pretext. Would Destroy the Rights of Property. "Tt attacks every mail's natural right to acquire and to hold property. It. 'denounces that rational and stable bond which the moral law protects, w'/iich humankind in all ages has respected, which enables man, by some just title, to unite • o himself the good and useful things of creation. And so, here again, it antagonises Christianity. Sweeping away all the old titles to ownership, it erects in their room but one—that of labour. T_.ol>our alone, il_ says, and not the intrinsic usefulness of a thing, determines a thing's value as an article of exchange. Hence in its eyes accumulated wealth of anv kind, whether in land or capital, is nothing but the hoarded yield of labour, and is unjustly withheld from the working man whose labour went to make it. As though the-e things, the creation of God Himself, had no" value independently of labour, when they become maltor of barter, and labour, instead of being a mere marketable commodity which gets its price, were the sole producing factor in the fruits of n-n-icnlturc and the works of industry! Xav. carried on further bv his theories, the Socialist boldly contends that whatever can bo used as a means of production, distribution, or exchange, in short, the v.li'ile capital of a country, should I:4' wre-ted from private hands and placed in those of the Slate, for the Stale to maintain all citizens alike.

"(In this proposal we n<vd only remark: (1) That if all the inhabitant* of a country, or members of a community, consented to such n wholesale transfer of their properly, justice indeed would not be violated, but the experiment would mn=t certainly prove n hu»e economic failure. We may. however, rest assured that so vast n vovoliitbn. bent, upon ruthlessly uprooting one of nian'« mos| Pgveri'u! insh'ncK could not be ofl'eoled w.lhonl the most awful bloodshed ever seen in the wcvM., And for this all thorough-going Socialist,"—to judge bv, tlicir publications—seem prepared. 12) 'Hint I lie =ob> object which individuals and families pnu'/lit, by coalescing into a State, and eslti'ilishing a civil irovornnient. was that: it might safeguard their already o.\is(ing rights, and might maintain the substance, of these rights, whilst ad Justine them m'opcrlv in their exercise. Conse(|iiently. the civil govorumenl nns-se-'-T's no greater power or authority 'ban that -.vhicli bclenjel to the indiriduaJj.

and families uhich constitute the Stale; and this, because, no effect is greater than its cause, and no one can give what he has not got. As, therefore, neilher individuals nor families surrendered any one of their existing rights, ami could not give away one another's rights, when they united to form a Slate, the civil government is incompetent to confiscate their rights of property. (:)) That Christianity ha.- l>ul one reply—and a peremptory one—to the .Socialist, for Christianity is but the fulfilment of the Old Law, and in the Old Law wc read: 'Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his house, nor his field, nor his manservant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything which is his.' (Dent., v 21.) And again: 'Thou shalt not steal.' (ib., v 1!).) Would Destroy the Family. "As though all this were not enough, Socialism aims at the destruction of the family. No doubt it is untrue that all who call themselves Socialists preach the abominable doctrine of free love, vet the dissolution of the family is a necessary consequence of their official teaching, anil their official demands. Because their tenets are grounded on Materialism and Atheism, they afford no security for the permanence of the marriage-bond, but. rather encourage and urge the severance of that bond, whensoever a marriage has resulted in disappointment or disagreement. The nnitv of the family necessarily requires" one supreme head. Socialism would fain abolish all laws subordinating- woman to " m "> !" I'rivntc as well as in public life, lint the Socialist's nnxielv and concern cnieflv regard the family's offspring, in wnich he discerns the promise of the future Socialistic Commonwealth. So, by a detestable inversion of the order of facts, he claims that the child is born into the State and not into the family; and, as the child belongs at once to th» State, it is for the State to tend and train the child, and to determine both (ho character and the qualitv of its education. Thus the chief duty of parents, and their main right (for what is of dutv is eminently of right), are torn from them, in violation of natural instinct, sound reason, and plain-spoken Christianity. And hero let us hearken to the grave words of our late Holy Father, Pope Leo Xlf.: 'Paternal authority can neither bo abolished by the Slate, lior absorbed; for it has the same source as human life itself. The child belongs to the father, and it is, as it were, a continuance of the father's personality: and, to speak with strictness, the child takes its place in civil society not in its own right, but in its quality as a member of the family in which it is begotten. And it is for the very reason that the child belongs to the father, that, as St. Thomas of Aquin says, "before it attains the use of free will, it is in Hie power and care of its parents." (Summa 2a 2oe. o. x, Art. 72 ) The Socialists, therefore, by setting aside the parent aud introducing the providence of the State, act against natural justice, and threaten the verv existence of family life.' (Encycl. 'On "the Conditions of Labour.') "Utterly Incompatible." ''From all this it follows that Catholicism and Socialism arc utterly incompatible—they are opposed to each other as much as light is opposed to darkness. Wherefore we solemnly warn Catholics not to let themselves be cajoled into error by such as think that they sec in the establishment of the Socialistic State a cure for all the plagues of suffering humanity. Socialism is a lltonian dream or craze. It is impracticable," and would bring aljout a far worso condition of things than the one which in many ways is most deplorable. Above all, it is flat'ly adverse to the teaching of our faith. No real Catholic can be a thorough-going Socialist. But Socialisim is a word bandied about in a very vague, loose, and illdefined meaning. Often it means onlv 'social reform,' and a 'social reformer' is what the Catholic Chnrch is, and must be, and so also should every Catholic be. We must meet the new social gospel not with mere negations, but with positive measures of reform. Accordingly, Catholics should press for manv of 'the reforms which Socialists themselves demand —and the absence of these reforms affords the Socialist's most, telling argument, on the ignorant masses. Verily the present evils are terrible in manv lands, I hough much less in this than in others. The lowest of the poor should everywhere bo enabled to lead a life worthy of a human being. His wages should be made sufficient in "accordance with his state of singlo or married life. His health and his life ought to receive the care of his employer. , He should not be overburdened with labour;. he should not be "sweated." He is to bo trealcd, not only with fairness and consideration, but with generous love. Wise, moderate, timely legislation can do much in Ihis direction, and lias done much, particularly in this country. But it is to the teaching of Christianity- alone, to the charity of Christ pervading all classes, both rich and poor, employer and employed, that we must look for the truest and surest means of lessening or assuaging the inequalities of human life. Equality all round of rank and means thore never will be, just as the earth will never be flat. But when the rich everywhere realise that they are but the stewards of the substance given them by God, and that the poor are in very deed members of the same body as themselves: when the poor man looks for strength the comfort to the example of his Saviour, who, though the master of all, toiled with His own hands, and, though the Lord of all, had not whereon to lay His head; when we all feel how fleeting and how brief is this our span of life, in the l'ght of a fast-approaching eternity, whose rewards incomparably surpass the sufferings of this life—much will Imve been done to reconcile class with class, and make this world a happier one than it is. Some Socialists Criticised, "Our flock will now know how to gauge at its true value the frequent assertion of Socialists, anxious to gain over unwary Catholics to their evil cause, that the 'Socialist, party is primarily an economic and political movement. It is not concerned with matters of religious belief.' (Resolution of Socialists in National Convention assembled at Chicago, May 10, 1905.) The best comment on this resolution is the accurate record of the circumstances attending its adoption. The first recommendation of the Platform Committee at the meeting # was worded diffrrently, viz., 'That religion bo treated as a private matter—a question of individual conscience.' Its rejection was instantly moved by a leading Socialist author "and lecturer (Arthur M. Lewis). 'If wo must speak.' he said, 'I propose that we shall go before this country with Hie truth and not with a lie.' Honesty, however, lie admitted, might not be the best policy, and, therefore, h:> preferred that nothing lie said about the matter. This was, at least, negative truth fulness:. Then another noted Socialist (Morris Hillquit) put as an amendment the clause quoted bv us in the first instance as tho famous snbterfuge of the Socialist agitator-. It was intended for this purpose, he declared. Socialist orators must have a ready answer when suddenly asked the question. 'Yes. but won't Socialism destroy religion?" They answer, 'No, we don't agree on it. I personally may not be religious, but Socialism has nothing It do with religion.' After various discission, one Van der Porter-more honest than his cniiirades-fhu; challenged the assembly: 'Is there a man who will dare to ssiv that religion is not a social ouestion?' None took up. the gauntlet. He continued: 'Let us say nothing, or say the truth. To spread forth to the world that religion is the individual's affeir. and that religion has no part in the, subjection of the human race, we lie when we say it.' This sentiment — sjvs the ivr>orl-'-was greeted with greal applause. The .resolution was, however, carried for campaign and propaganda purposes—mark the hypocrisy—by a majority of onlv one vote out of 1.17 votes east.' Atheists or Agnostics, "One of I he speakers asserted—and he was not contindit ted-that ninety-nine per cent, of the Soc-iali-ts are Atheists or Agnostic?. If out of a hundred Catholics who ioin the Socialist party in the United Slates of America ninety-nine finally become Agnostics, or virtually so, it is simply mi untruth to assert tJint Socialism is not i-oucrmed with religion. And the true rea-on fur (he lo'-,s of faith on the part of Catholics is not any profound science or truth contained in Socialist literature, since in both il is glaringly deficient, but the fact that in affiliating themselves with Socialism, limy have latitat vtvry act disregarded the authorily of Christ, and His Church, by associating themselves with an organisation which is begotti'ii nud reared in Materialism, and which has never cleared il.-elf nf Hitoriginal hiu: on organisation whose first principle would demand the injustice oi

nniinlin.; all private right, to productirn properly, ami whose entire method in warfare U essentially un-Cliristian, promoting n universal discontent and lintrcd of clas> again-t class over the whole world. Lei. Catholics remember thai, wherever Socialism is rife and aggressive, its danger for them is its ultimate absorption of Labour unions. That is its ambition and object. Hewarc of its insidious advances ami its hollow mendacious promises, its altitude towards the Church is sufficiently clear. Its iuterc-t in the trade unions, as Socialists themselves declare, is to change (hem into revolutionary centres. 'Unionism,' .-ays a noted one of them, 'is the body, and Socialism is the soul of the Laboiir movement.' Such is at least their dream. Warned to "Keep Aloof." "Accordingly," the letter concludes, "we solemnly warn Catholics to keep aloof from all Socialist, propaganda. Socialism is—we repeat—founded on a class haired which is anti-Christian and antiNational. Eschew it in every shape and form, and follow the noble ideal of justice for all, the ideal of Christ and Ilis Church. Ho wished to be descended from royalty and wealth and to be laid in a tomb of the rich; but He was born into the labour-world, and in this lie chose to live. It was a school of labourers He drew about Him, in the persons of His Disciples, and by the mouth of workers did He evangelise the world, having neither hatred towards the rich, nor contempt for authority, but justice and love for all. and (he coming of the Kingdom of God. Healing like Him the temporal wounds of mankind, we shall lift up our gaze to the Cross whence alone salvation can come to the world."