State Funds for Parochial Schools
By J. O. C.
FROM continued appeals by the American Roman Church for government support of their parochial school work, one would almost conclude this country to be the only theater of such a propaganda. But a glance at the news columns of foreign dailies reveals that the same demand for state recognition of religious teaching is made in all quarters where it has not yet been obtained. An item in a late Melbourne Age shows that the conflict in that distant country, on this particular aspect, has become sharply irritating, to say the least. In the heated debate of the question there, the president of the Protestant Defense Association for Australia charges that the Roman Church is insincere in its declaration that Roman Catholics are not in politics. Quoting from a speech by the Catholic Dr. Mannix, in which he made the statement referred to, Mr. Gainford, the aforesaid president, said that after making it, the priest "in the very next few words advised his young men, as Roman Catholics, to forsake their political parties and vote for the demands of the priesthood." In other words, every Roman Catholic was asked to "place the welfare of the papal system before the welfare of the state, that gives him or her the privilege to vote at all." From the controversy there, it seems that the Roman Church in Australia, as in America, looks forward to success for its demands through its church federation efforts, whereby it expects to capture the "treasury benches" in the interests of Roman Church institutions. Mr. Gainford, seeing this, warns the commonwealth electorate to keep their eyes open to duty at the polls, in view of the seriousness of the situation. This movement of the Roman Church for political power is in no wise a local issue. Like Napoleon I, its eyes are on world subjugation. But should this, or any approach to it, be secured, the horrors of the Dark Ages would quickly follow. Of this trend of affairs, the people of America seem, partially at least, to have lost power of perception, while indulging their taste for selfish ease. The awakening, however, is sure to come sooner or later, and to some will likely be one of sorrow and distress. J. O. C.