POPE'S SOLICITUDE FOR LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 183, 29 April 1919, Page 8

POPE'S SOLICITUDE FOR LABOUR

APPROVAL OF TRADE UNIONISM,

(From "The Times" Correspondent.) Rome, March 4. In tho course of an address to delegates of tho Unione Populate ami representatives of the A7.ioneCattollcaltal.mnu, the Pope made an important declaration con. corning the Labour question and Ui« trade union .movement, a declaration which corresponds closely with tho terms of Cardinal Bourne's Lenten Pastoral. The Pope said the ' working classes merited tho special attention of all who wished to promote the gonei-al good. A Pontiff of glorious memory, he continned, "espoused the cause of the working men, and supported their just claims." They .were wrong who thought that with the death of Leo XIII the solicitude of tho Holy Sec .for the working classes had ceased. "We willingly seisw the occasion offered by this numerous assemblage of Catholics to declare that the Encyclical Eer'um Novartmyircserves today all .its pristine vigour.' . ibis reference to the famous Working Men's Charter" of-Leo XIII caused the audienco to overstep the bounds of etiquette by breaking into applause, /he Popo terminated his address with a special expression of sympathy with. nw. lively interest in the development of the trade union movement, saying, Ihe heart of the Pope is with those who organise .unions and those who form, part of them." , , ' ~ . No papal pronouncement of such importance as this on kindred subjects has been made sine* the time of Leo Mil (1878-1903). ' : . .