ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND SOCIALISM.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 60, 3 May 1912, Page 4

ROMAN CATHOLICISM AND SOCIALISM.

There appears at the present time to bo somo misunderstanding as to the relationship of these two. Socialism has absolutely nothing to do with any man's private beliefs in matters styled religious. This cannot bo too often stated or too clearly understood. A corporate water supply, a national system of railways or municipal trams, are at the service of all citizens— Roman, Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Theosophist, Agnostic, Atheist, etc., at the same prices and under the same conditions. When the wholo of the menus of production, distribution, and exchange nave passed into the hands of the community, as they certainly will, it will be just tho same. Religious faith will be freer than today because no one will be able to use economic pressure to affect our beliefs; they can and do to-day. The Catholic Clubs at their Easter Conference passed thia curious resolution: "That this conference of the Federated Catholic Clubs of New Zealand expresses its strong condemnation of the attitude of a section of tho Socialist Party of violent hostility to his Grace Archbishop Redwood, on account of his recently-issued pastoral letter on Socialism, an attitude which displays a hostility towards tho Church itself, rather than a disagreement with the economic views enunciated in the pastoral, and further expresses the sympathy and pledges the loyal support of the Federated Catholic Clubs throughout New Zealand to his Graco the Archbishop, under the attack to which he has been subjected in consequence of the issue of tho pastoral." No Socialist can feel any hostility to tho publication of the pastoral. From our point of view, nothing better could have happened. Thousands of working men and women have heard the gospel of Socialism and been convinced of its truth. They have learned tho truth that all tho wealth in the world is produced by tho workers; that the wealthproducers, tho whole world over, arc poor, whilo thoso who produce nothing and only live by the exploitation of the workers, dwell in the palaces made by tho hands of the workers. The useless live in luxury and idleness; tho useful live in privation and toil. They have learned these tilings, and woe betido thoso who shall stand in the way of Justice, which shall remedy this state of things. Many of these workers, awakened md aiert, were brought up in the ■jhurches, including the Roman Catholic Church, and they find that the greatest bulwark of tho existing capitalist class has been the Church. When they re-read the story of the Dhrist of Nazareth, they find' that if t is true, it is also true that the Christ *vas put to death by the rich men and he priests of His day. They find that in every struggle of ;hc workers for a better opportunity in ife, for a larger share of the wealth ;hcy alone produce, their priests and lastors are either dumb .dogs or tako *ho side of the ln.vStcrs" against tlie vorkers. True, there are a few honorable exceptions, but the churches as churches alee tho side of the mastcr-cku-s. No one can deny the truth of the oregoing, and the workers, with their :ycs opened, arc beginning to roeogliso those facts. They find that their riendis in their time cf need are nciher their pastors nor their masters, mt tho Socialists. No wonder they isten eagerly and in ever-growing numicrs join our ranks. It will little avail that an archlishop "solemnly warns them to keep loof from all Socialist propaganda." They cannot keep aloof: the "New Scab-wid Tablet' fer April 18, 1912,1

I says: "In New Zealand, as elsewhere, 1 Socialism is tho question of the hour." - There is no keeping aloof; it is discussed in every workshop, in the train, at the street corner j in every newspaper Socialism tills a large space. Tim very Archbishop himself cannot keep aloof. He is compelled to issue a pastoral. Twenty years ago the Pope himself put forth an Encyclical against Socialism, and since its issue 80- ---: cialism has grown by leaps and bounds. So it will bo with this pastoral. AVhon the Catholic Clubs put in their resolution the words, "violent hostility to his Grace Archbishop Redwood," tJiey arc. to put it mildly, "stretching the truth." Who could feel "violent" about a case which can only plead, or command, that its followers shut their eyes and cars lest they be converted? Socialism is an economic theory based upon tho facts of history anil scientific truth; its acceptance by a man has no more to do with a man's religious beliefs than it has to do with the color of his hair. It is perfectly true that when people begin to study and to understand Socialism they are very apt to cease the membership of tho churches. When once men begin to think, the flimsy foundations of the churches aro already shaken, but this is no fault of Socialism. If men build their houses on sand, they must not complain that in the day of trial their houses are insecure and fall. Consider the bitter hatred of Romanists and Protestants after 2000 years of pretence of believing in the samo Jesus Christ. Mark the awful fact that after 2000 years of pi."tending to pio;itli lov<> and brotherhood for all mankind, Europe is an armed camp, and the. best of our knowledge in science and mechanic*- is devoted to making instruments of minder. As soon as the airship has become a practical machine, instead of it being used for the good of mankind, nil the so-called great nations are spending huge sums of money to add tlie airship to the terrors of war. Our friends of the Catholic Clubs forget that Archbishop Redwood was tho attacking party; that it \vas his bitter hostility to Socialism and his unfair misrepresentation of Socialism which called for a reply. For myself and the Socialist Party we have nothing but thanks to his Grace for tho pastoral. May the truth prevail! A much better plan than trying to "keep aloof" and sniping from the hills and hedges will bo for the Arch bishop to como into the open and fight the matter out. It will have to be fought, Let Archbishop Redwood select <i week for the purpose, and in any hall he may provide meet an accredited representative of Socialism for five nights in succession, discussing the pros and cons of Socialism. Or, if tho Archbishop prefers it, we will provide the hall anno may conic himself or send a representative. 'Twould be better if the Archbishop himself took this matter in hand; so learned a man should be able to put down Socialism at onoo aijd for all timo and save his Church any further trouble. If no one else can bo found, I myself will take up our case. It may be a caso of being "butchered to make a Roman holiday," but at least I would go down fighting. This is not in any sense bravado. Tho Romish Church and every other church has got to fight Socialism, or to accept it in its fullest and completest sense. The longer they put it off, the stronger we grow. Note tho fact of the Pope's Encyclical of twenty years ago. The Archbishop's pastoral was a declaration of war, and Socialism will not shrink from the issue. Will the Church? If so, all its adherents nnnst ask themselves, Why?