SOCIALISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 189, 9 February 1914, Page 4

SOCIALISM.

INDICTED BY ARCIUHSIIOP iIGDVYOOD. A PASTORAL LETTER. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. A pastoral letter from his Grace Archbishop Kedwood was read at all the Wellington Catholic Churches to-day. ft declaims vigorously against Socialism. The letter says that in their reaction against a false individualism, socialists have rejected that true individualism which is the necessary basis of sound democracy. Two ideals were set to man by socialism and Christianity. Socialism deems this life an end in itself, Christianity regards it as a preparation for a life to come. Furthermore, Christianity views the State as a natural institution with well-defined rights ant duties, limited by the prior rights and duties of the individual and the family. Socialism on the contrary is an economy set up to run counter to the providential purposes of the State. Un.ter Socialism, State action, instead of be ing supplementary to individual action, would become a substitute for it. The individual would be swallowed up by 'Jic State, a mere cell in an organism whi.-ii is the incursion of the natural order. Socialism is non-natural it' not unnatural. ■Socialism would paralyse mail's freedom, [aider it man would not oe master of his own life, hut a slave, a cog in the State machinery. Divorce is bad enough, race suicide is worse, and this is openly promoted, nay eulogised, I l>v socialism.