I The- Chrisfc <*r> i'nv Ack'or 

A D L 7 0 7 3 

7 0 7 3 

i HIS 
I 

I N 

Economic 

Relations 

F E A T U R I N G E X P E R T S 

P I E L D OF F A M I L Y 

I N THE 

L I F E 





"The Christian In Action— 

In Economic Relations" 





"The Christian In Action 

In Economic Relations" 

A series of eight radio programs presented on "The Christian in 
Action" (ABC, 11:30-12 noon EST) from September 2, 1951 to October 
21, 1951. "The Christian in Action" is produced by the National Council 
of Catholic Men in cooperation with the American Broadcasting 
Company. 

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC MEN 

1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N. W. 

Washington 5, D. C. 

Printed and distributed by Oar S a n d s ? V M t o r 

Huntington, Indian* 
" 1 



Nihil Obstat: 

VERY REV. MSGR. T. E. DILLON 

Censor Librorum 

Imprimatur: 

»i« JOHN FRANCIS NOLL, D.D. 

Bishop of Fort Wayne 



TABLE OF CONTENTS 

What Does the Church Think of Labor? 7 

Christ In the Marketplace .. 15 

Christian Social Action In the Field of Legislation 23 

Christian Social Action In the Field of Labor-Management Relations 31 

Christian Social Action In Migratory Labor 40 

Christian Social Action In Interracial Relations 49 

Christian Social Action In Rural Life 59 

In Economic Life 67 





WHAT DOES THE CHURCH THINK OF LABOR? 

Address Delivered on September 2, 1951 

By the Rev. Vincent J. O'Connell, of the Society of Mary. 

I wonder as you ride along in 
your car or sit at home with 
your eyes on the Sunday paper 
and your ear tuned to the radio 
—would you permit me to have 
a one-way chat with you about 
labor? I know to-day and tomor-
row are really days for relaxing. 
It does seem funny, doesn't it, 
that we call the day when most 
workers are on vacation—Labor 
Day? But after all, the Labor 
Day weekend is a good occasion 
to take time out and, at our 
leisure, think over some of the 
problems which face American 
workers today. Certainly a prob-
lem of modern life is the terrific 
pace we are forced to keep up. 
Most folks have neither the 
chance nor the desire to think 
things out for themselves. The 
main thought which I would like 
to discuss with you today is: 
What does the Church think 
about Labor? By Labor here I 
mean generally, all people who 
work for a living, and partic-
ularly, organized labor—unions. 

You know, some people believe 
that the Church shouldn't have 
any thoughts about labor. They 

seem to feel that the mind and 
voice of the Church should be 
restricted to things like prayer, 
devotions, religious services, and 
the salvation of souls for the 
hereafter. By the way, did you 
ever stop to think how close the 
hereafter is to the here-and-
now? Many folks who are here 
for the beginning of this labor 
day weekend, are mighty close 
to eternity. Their number will 
be a headline in Tuesday's pa-
pers. When they stand before 
their Maker, I am sure that they 
will find that He is interested 
in more than just what they did 
on Sunday or during a novena. 
They will find that God had a 
purpose in mind when He said, 
"In the sweat of thy face shalt 
thou eat bread." 

The Divine purpose of work 
is fitted to the nature of man. 
One of our main problems today 
is man's refusing to seek and 
accept the natural purpose of 
work. Nature is a funny thing 
—we can't flaunt its laws with-
out experiencing painful reac-
tions. I think it was St. Thomas 
Aquinas who said, "God for-



8 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

gives, and man can be taught to 
forgive, but nature never for-
gives." Now if God had wanted 
to, He could have created man 
and then left it up to us to find 
out in our own way what He 
wants us to do—how He wants 
us to behave. In His Infinite 
Mercy, He did not abandon us 
in that manner. All through the 
ages He has spoken to man 
through His representatives. In 
every day and age, He has told 
us what we must do in order to 
be happy here and hereafter. 
Now that's the function of the 
Church. Our Lord, Himself, has 
told us, "Behold, I am with you 
all days even to the consumma-
tion of the world," and again, 
"He who hears you, hears Me." 
In recent years Our Holy Fa-
thers have told us over and over 
again that work, like the nature 
of man, has a double character, 
a double purpose—personal and 
social. The personal "purpose of 
work is to give us the things we 
need to keep us alive and de-
velop our creative powers. The 
social purpose of work is to sup-
ply all and each with all the 
goods that the wealth and re-
sources of nature, technical 
achievement, and the social or-
ganization of economic life can 
furnish. 

Has the industrial age op-

erated in such a way as to ful-
fill these two purposes? What 
do you think? Pius XI certain-
ly didn't think so. In 1931 dis-
cussing the necessary recon-
struction of the Social Order he 
wrote these solemn words re-
garding the failure of modern 
industrial techniques to fulfill 
the personal purpose of work. 
I quote: "And thus bodily labor 
which Divine Providence decreed 
to be performed, even after or-
iginal sin for the good at once 
of man's body and soul, is being 
everywhere changed into an in-
strument of perversion; for dead 
matter comes forth from the 
factory ennobled, while men 
there are corrupted and de-
graded." It 's clear from the con-
text of his letter that Pius XI 
was not talking here about im-
morality in the factories. He 
was concerned with the blunting 
and stunting effect that a mon-
otonous, mechanical, repetitious 
operation can have on the per-
sonality of the human being 
created to the image and like-
ness of God. This question of 
mass production techniques is 
both a serious and a difficult 
problem. Its seriousness can be 
gathered from these words of 
Leo XIII. I quote: "No one may 
with impunity outrage the dig-
nity of man, which God Himself 



( WHAT DOES THE CHU] 

treats with great reverence . . . 
Nay more, in this connection a 
man eannot even by his own free 
choice allow himself to be treat-
ed in a way inconsistent with 
his nature, and suffer his soul 
to be enslaved. . ." Now what 
makes the problem so difficult 
is the fact that if we concen-
trate on trying to make our 
industrial jobs more human so 
that they will give a man a 
chance to develop his creative 
instincts, we run the danger 
of not fulfilling the social pur-
pose of work. You will remember 
that we said the social purpose 
of work was to supply all and 
each with everything that na-
tural resources, technology and 
social organization can produce. 
Pius XI tells us that these goods 
ought to be enough both to meet 
the demands of decent comfort 
and to advance people to what 
he calls that "happier and fuller 
condition of life which, when it 
is wisely cared for, is not only 
no hinderence to virtue but helps 
it greatly." 

It 's all right to talk about the 
wonderful effects that hand-
craft methods have on develop-
ing a man's creative abilities, 
but you don't have to be an econ-
omist or a production manager 
to "see that such methods are im-
practical when hundreds of thou-

:H THINK OF LABOR? 9 

sands of people are dying of 
starvation in India—when we 
are not producing enough now to 
give our own workers a living, 
saving, family wage—and when 
millions of people are forced to 
arm themselves against the 
threat of a gigantic Soviet mil-
itary machine. The Church 
doesn't have all the answers to 
these problems. She never has 
and does not intend to enter in-
to the field of business, concern-
ing matters which are purely 
technical. She is not interested 
in proposing scientific produc-
tion techniques, accounting sys-
tems, marketing methods, and 
such things. As the Bishops of 
the United States said in 1940: 
"To pass judgement on their ap-
titude and merits is a technical 
problem proper to economic 
science and business administra-
tion. For such the Church has 
neither the equipment nor the 
authorization. We frankly de-
clare that it would be unwise on 
her part to discuss their opera-
tion except insofar as the moral 
interest might be involved." 

But the Church very defi-
nitely has both the right and 
the duty to be interested in econ-
omic affai rs whi§h produce a 
long train of evils, physical, 
social and moral. As the Bishops 
point out, unfair wages due to 



10 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

greed, and insecurity due to im-
moral economic principles cause 
parents and children to be un-
dernourished, live in unfit 
houses, quarrel, and become par-
ental and juvenile delinquents. 
Certainly, no one can challenge 
the right and duty of the Church 
to speak out against these moral 
evils. As the Bishops put i t : "be-
cause human beings and not ani-
mated machines toil in industry, 
therefore, the Church cannot 
abdicate her right and duty to 
speak out in defense of the 
rights of human personality nor 
fail to declare uncompromisingly 
the moral obligations of indus-
trial and economic life." 

Too often, this right of the 
Church to have a hearing in the 
market place is denied by the 
worldling and even, sad to say, 
by some of its own members who 
have become infected with sec-
ularism. It should be evident to 
any' clear thinking person that 
our social problems involve 
rights and wrongs and are, 
therefore, moral problems. Sure-
ly anyone who is not blind to 
the history of the past 50 years 
will readily see that the Church 
and her members have been 
tragicaly harmed by false polit-
ical and economic philosophies 
which were pawned off on mil-
lions of men as a total solution 

to their social problems. Exag-
gerated individualism with its 
philosophy of "what's mine is 
my own" developed an iron cur-
tain policy towards the moral 
law and its application to busi-
ness. As a result insupportable 
economic burdens were imposed 
upon the shoulders of the work-
ers to such a degree that they 
lost interest and even developed 
an antagonism towards their re-
ligious and moral obligations. 
The effects of this false doctrine 
tore away members from the 
body of the Church in such num-
bers that our late Holy Father, 
Pius XI was forced to utter 
these startling words to Bishops 
in a European country: "the 
working classes are lost to the 
Church." As f a r as Communism, 
Facism, and Nazism are con-
cerned, how can anyone possibly 
close his eyes to the campaign of 
insidious propaganda and inhu-
man persecution carried on 
against the Church and millions 
of her members ? These are some 
of the reasons why the Church 
insists that all of us must work 
with untiring and unceasing ef-
forts for a return to Christian 
life and Christian institutions, 
especially in the world of labor. 

Christian Social principles are 
not statements made for the re-
cord. They are ethical judge-



( WHAT DOES THE CHU] :H THINK OF LABOR? 11 

ments giving directions for ac-
tion. sWe have heard a lot and 
read a lot about Christianity. 
It 's time we see a few more 
Christians in action. As our 
Bishops pointed out in 1948: "I t 
is not enough to find fault with 
the way our economic system is 
working. Positive constructive 
thought and action are needed." 
What does the Church think 
about labor? She thinks that 
those who work for a living will 
never be really interested in 
their work if they turn to the 
solutions offered either by 18th 
century individualism or 20th 
century statism. The brown shirt 
and the red shirt, just like the 
stuffed shirt, turn the workers 
into a mass, and the masses are 
the worst enemy of the people. 
The masses can be pushed 
around and manipulated like a 
large rubber ball by any clever 
demagogue. P eople don't like to 
be herded beneath a bal cony, 
whipped up to an emotional 
frenzy and asked to make the de-
cision, "What do you want? 
Butter or guns." Dictators 
whether they be political or 
economic have no fear of the 
masses. What they fear more 
than anything else in the world 
is people. People have the dis-
turbing habit of asking, "Why?" 
They find no satisfaction in 

answering problems with the 
hysterical shout of "Duce", 
"Sieg heil", or "Stalin". They 
want food, clothing, housing. 
They demand a degree of econ-
omic security, but real people 
want these things in order that 
they may exercise the virtue of 
social justice by making their 
•contributions to the political, 
economic, and social welfare of 
the community. 

Christian Social Principles 
which apply to labor, manage-
ment, government are too nu-
merous to mention on this pro-
gram. I am restricting myself 
here to judgements made by the 
Church which would help us 
build the kind of social order 
that would permit our workers 
to labor in such a way as to ful-
fill the personal and social pur-
pose which God assigned to 
work. Pius XI offered two ways 
of working out a solution to 
this problem. One technique ap-
plies to the relationship between 
employer and employee. It would 
make the worker more interested 
and efficient on his job. The 
other plan calls for a cooperative 
effort freely organized between 
the elected representatives of 
capital and labor under the su-
pervision, but not the domina-
tion, of government, in order to 
attain the social purpose of an 



12 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

economic system. Most of our 
industrial and farm population 
today is sharply divided into two 
groups. A few own the machin-
ery and/or direct the operations. 
The vast majority neither own 
nor direct. To remedy this un-
natural division of labor Pius 
XI made the following state-
ment: "We consider it more ad-
visable in the present condition 
of human society that s,o f a r as 
possible, the work contract be 
somewhat modified by a part-
nership contract . . . Workers 
. . . thus become sharers in 
ownership or management or 
participate in some fashion in 
the profits received." The per-
sonal ownership of his tools has 
always been the best way to 
make a worker interested in his 
job and its product. In our pres-
ent setup this is not possible ex-
cept for a handful of our work-
ers. I t is certainly possible, how-
ever, to introduce, gradually, the 
majority of our workers to the 
functions and advantages of 
ownership. í h e main things that 
go along with ownership are 
management, profits, and the 
feeling of independence. Our 
Holy Father is not suggesting 
that labor should immediately be 
allowed to have a voice in such 
things as the purchasing of ma-
terials, marketing operations or 

financing. These things are over 
the heads of most of our work-
ers. But he is saying that labor 
dharing in management means 
more than bargaining collective-
ly for wages, hours, working 
conditions. A man who spends 
his whole working time for years 
in a factory or office or on a 
farm can't help but learn some-
thing about the productive pro-
cesses of his industry. Since he 
is a human being with brains, 
he gets the urge at times to have 
«some control over these opera-
tions. He wants to suggest im-
provements. He thinks of ways 
to eliminate waste. If he is per-
mitted equal cooperation with 
his employer in these things, 
the sharing in management will 
go a long way towards develop-
ing his directive and creative 
abilities. He gets the feeling of 
ownership also if he is able to 
share in the profits in an 
equitable way. Perhaps one of 
the most effective methods of 
creating interest and efficiency 
in the worker would be the pos-
sibility of owning some con-
trolling stock in the business. 

What we are discussing here 
are some of the techniques 
recommended by Our Holy Fa-
thers for the purpose of intro-
ducing the majority of our 
workers to the functions and 



( WHAT DOES THE CHU] :H THINK OF LABOR? 13 

advantages of ownership. The 
techniques are not offered as 
either complete or infallible so-
lutions to the problem of human 
relations in modern industry. 
They are, however, sound re-
commendations which would go 
f a r towards helping us to 
achieve the personal purpose of 
work, namely, the providing of 
the things necessary for life and 
developing man's creative pow-
ers. But even if labor along with 
capital and government succeeds 
in humanizing our industrial 
system, it would not have sat-
isfied the social purpose of 
work, which is, as we have said, 
to provide each and all with all 
the goods that the wealth and re-
sources of nature, technical 
achievement and the social or-
ganization of economic life can 
furnish. We have great wealth. 
We have great natural resources 
and technical know-how, but 
what we need badly is the social 
organization of our economic 
life. The organization which our 
Holy Fathers recommend has 
been given many names, "the 
vocational group system," "the 
occupational group system," and 
recently in America "the in-
dustry council system." It is a 
plan which calls for cooperation, 
not conflict—for freedom and 
not repression in the develop-

ment of economic life. But the 
cooperation must be organized— 
organized for. the common good; 
the freedom must be ordered— 
ordered for the common good. 
As our Bishops have told us in 
their appeal for the Christian 
in action: "Today we have labor 
partly organized, but chiefly for 
its own interest. We have capi-
tal organized, possible on a 
larger scale, but again for its 
own interests. What we urgently 
need in the Christian view of 
social order is the f ree organiza-
tion of capital and labor in per-
minent agencies of cooperation 
for the common good." These in-
dustry councils would bind men 
together, not merely as workers 
or managers, but according to 
the specific public service they 
offer. For instance, in the tex-
tile industry the owners, man-
agers, workers would recognize 
the fact that the main reason 
why they are in business is be-
cause people need and want tex-
tile goods. Employers and em-
ployees would elect representa-
tives to the National Textile 
Council and the National Textile 
Council would elect representa-
tives to the National Federation 
of Industry Councils. Govern-
ment representatives would have 
the job of supervising, but not 
dominating, the council de-



14 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

cisions. In a word, the Industry 
Council plan is an appeal for 
representative self-government 
of the people in industry, by the 
people in industry, for the peo-
ple as a \vhole. 

The completion of this reor-
ganization of our economic life 
would take a long time, much 
courage, and persistent pa-
tience. I t presupposes that all 
of our managers, professional 
people and workers already be-
long to their appropriate organ-
izations so that fully accredited 
representatives would be elected 
to the councils. But the time to 
begin is now. It is hard enough 
to make our economy produce a 
living, family saving wage in 
peace time. The problem of 
'maintaining a balanced econ-
omy with one foot on the battle-
field is an impossibility unless 
our leaders in government, busi-
ness, labor, and agriculture are 
willing to accept their solemn 
obligation to the general wel-
fare. Yes, labor day is a day for 
relaxing. A day for getting 
away from our ordinary routine. 
But in 1951, it is also a day for 
some serious thinking, construc-
tive thinking. When we think of 
the world situation, when we 
think of the boys in Korea, it 
seems to me that complete men-
tal relaxation in the sense of 

getting away from it all and 
letting things take care of them-
selves is a luxury which none of 
us has a right to seek. One of 
the reasons why we have boys on 
the battlefield today is because 
you and I have been too lazy or 
too fearful to face the politicál 
and economic facts of life. I t is 
said that the tragedy of our 
times is that evil triumphs be-
cause of good men's timidity. 

In making their appeal for the 
Industry Council plan the Bish-
ops said: "We call upon men of 
religious fai th and principle, 
both in management and labor, 
to take the lead in working out 
and applying, gradually if need 
be, a constructive social pro-
gram of this type. For the moral 
and social ideals which it would 
realize are their heritage." This 
is indeed a great challenge to 
the Christian in action. But in 
the words of Pius XI on Atheis-
tic Communism: "When our 
country is in danger, everything 
not strictly necessary, every-
thing not bearing on the urgent 
matter of unified defense, takes 
second place. So we must act in 
today's crisis. Every other en-
terprise, however attractive and 
helpful must yield before the 
vital need of protecting the very 
foundation of the Faith and of 
Christian civilization." 



CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE 

Address Delivered on September 9, 1951 

By the Rev. John F. Cronin, author and assistant director, depart-
ment of Social Action, N.C.W.C. 

We wish to make the world 
over, in the image of Christ. 
Knowing that Christ as God 
came on earth to redeem us from 
sin and to teach us the ways of 
truth, our aim is nothing less 
than total Christianity. We 
seek to have the life-giving 
teachings of the Savior prevail 
everywhere, from the councils of 
nations to the humblest home. 

It is for this reason that the 
Church has a program of social 
principles and of social action. 
For us it is not enough that men 
accept the Gospel merely as in-
dividuals and in the narrow 
spheres of private action. It is 
good that farmers and industrial 
workers, business men and pro-
fessional men, believe in God 
and accept His teachings. But 
the world will not be Christian 
until men practice these truths 
in every phase of their lives. 

We are often told that the pur-
pose of economic life is the pro-
duction of wealth. Textbooks 
put it that way: the laws of 
wealth, production and distribu-

tion. But to the Christian, such 
a point of view is incomplete. 
The material world exists to 
serve man. Food, clothing, and 
housing are for man. The thou-
sands of services, from teaching 
to medical care, are for man. 
Material wealth is a ladder 
which man uses to climb to high-
er things—to the riches of the 
mind, to treasures of art, and 
above all to the lasting wealth of 
virtue. It is just that simple. 
Economic life should help man 
to be a better Christian. It has 
no other purpose in the mind of 
God. 

Such is the ideal. But in prac-
tice material things are often 
obstacles to man's progress to-
wards heaven. This can happen 
in several ways. 

First, there are those who 
seek wealth for its own sake, 
who worship riches as men once 
bowed down before graven imag-
es. This is the sin of greed. In 
its worst form, it violates the 
first and greatest commandment 
of God: "I am the Lord, thy 



16 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

God. Thou shalt not have 
strange Gods before me." (Ex.— 
20:2-3) 

Again, there are those who 
seek wealth merely as a step to-
wards other vices. I t may min-
ister to an excessive desire for 
pleasure. I t may pander to van-
ity and pride. Or it may lead 
man to the sin of Lucifer, the 
grasping for power and even 
more power, until man saya in 
his heart : I will be like God. 
All these evils have been occas-
ioned by economic life, by the 
misuse of wealth. 

But there are other dangers 
as well in the struggle for ma-
terial things. Some do not re-
ceive enough in worldly goods to 
enable them to live a Christian 
life. A startling statement? But 
this is the thought of our pres-
ent Holy Father, Pope Pius XII. 
He speaks of "social conditions 
which, whether one wills it or 
not, make a Christian life diffi-
cult or practically impossible." 
(Solennità della Pentecoste, June 
1, 1941). 

Bitter poverty often drags a 
man down to earth, because it 
forces him to devote all his 
thought and energies to mere 
survival. I t is the occasion of 
sins against the marriage bond, 

as families desperately refuse to 
have children which they cannot 
support. Such poverty has pro-
duced city slums, the festering 
breeding places of crime and 
vice. And, in our day, it has 
served as an excuse for the dic-
tator state, Communist, Nazi, or 
Fascist, which enthrones a Party 
and its ruler in the place of God 
Himself. 

I t is only natural, then, that 
the Church should speak out 
again and again for an economic 
system which would be a servant 
of man, not his master; a sys-
tem which would minister to all, 
not to the few; a system which 
would be a material foundation 
for Christian living, and not an 
occasion of sin and oppression. 

But what does this mean in 
practice? How do we enthrone 
Christ in the marketplace? 
There are m a n y ways to 
answer these questions, but two 
steps are basic. Christ must rule 
in the hearts of men. Christ 
must rule in the laws, customs, 
and organization of social and 
economic life. 

For Christ to rule in the 
hearts of men, it is necessary 
for each of us to accept Him 
totally. Religion must be more 
than Sunday worship or family 



CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE 17 

piety. Its principles must guide 
our conduct in the factory, at 
the mine, on the farm, in the of-
fice. Where greed has reigned, 
there must be Christian modera-
tion. In place of the pursuit of 
power or pleasure, there should 
be a sense of service, a desire 
to benefit one's fellow man. Aus-
tere justice, tempered and warm-
ed by Christian brotherhood, the 
love of neighbor second only to 
the love of God, should prevail 
in economic life. 

But personal reform is not 
enough. Christ must also be en-
throned in the very structure of 
society. We know that many 
will not practice the teachings 
of the Gospel. There will be evil 
men, selfish, greedy, desirous of 
absolute power. Some men will 
do the right thing only if re-
strained by law, custom, or by 
the form of social organization. 
That is why justice and charity 
must be more than personal vir-
tues: they must also be the ac-
cepted rules of economic life. 
Only in this way can the pursuit 
of wealth take its proper place 
in God's-plan. 

A Christian economic society 
would produce and distribute 
goods and services in such a way 
that the individual, the family, 
and society itself would receive 

the greatest benefit. Such a so-
ciety would be productive. I t 
would use the best techniques of 
the physical and economic sci-
ences to assure efficient and 
abundant production, provided 
only that man did not suffer in 
the process. 

Christian virtues do not sub-
stitute for economic law, any 
more than they would repeal the 
law of gravitation. Rather they 
direct and channel the forces 
governed by these laws into 
worthwhile ends. 

With this in mind, we seek a 
level of production and distribu-
tion which would be a material 
foundation for right living. This 
means above all the ideal of a 
living wage—a system whereby 
a worker who is the head of a 
family could support his wife 
and children in decent comfort. 
We do not want children to be 
compelled to work at tasks un-
suitable for their age and 
strength. Much less do we sanc-
tion conditions which f o r c e 
mothers of young children to 
leave the home for work in a 
factory or store. A family wage 
for heads of families is the norm 
we seek. 

This example may serve to il-
lustrate how social principles 



18 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

lead to social action. In the 
nineteenth century, the abuses 
of the Industrial Revolution led 
to sickening scenes of poverty in 
industrial Europe. To remedy 
these evils, men took two practi-
cal steps towards a better distri-
bution of wealth. Some favored 
s o c i a l legislation: forbidding 
some evils, regulating others 
which could not be abolished at 
once, and beginning a common 
program of action to provide 
such necessities as housing, 
medical care, and . education. 
Some forms of child labor were 
abolished; the work of older chil-
dren and of women was regulat-
ed. Gradually, as economic so-
ciety improved and the social 
conscience of mankind was more 
developed, we got an extensive 
code of social legislation. Chris-
tian groups, acting on religious 
grounds, were in the forefront 
of the struggle for such laws. 

The second step toward the 
attainment of justice for the 
worker was the foundation of 
unions. Labor unions had a 
hard struggle for existence in 
the nineteenth century. But they 
received tremendous encourage-
ment in 1891, when Pope Leo 
XIII issued his famous encycli-
cal letter "On the Condition of 
Labor." 

Here the Pope explained clear-
ly the rights and duties of work-
ers, as defined by the moral law. 
And among the rights, he noted 
the very important right of or-
ganization. 

Moreover, Christian groups 
aided workers to f ight for their 
just claims. In fact, in Europe 
many purely Christian labor 
unions were formed. While this 
particular pattern is unnecessary 
under our conditions, it does 
show the real interest of the 
Church in social action. 

What the Church has done 
may seem strange to many of 
us who have held a limited view 
of the function of religion. Some 
feel that religion is almost ex-
clusively a matter of worship, 
with perhaps some moral impli-
cations for our private lives. 

But this view misses the total 
nature of Christian teaching. 
God's law and God's purpose 
must enter into every phase of 
life. If, under God, you hold 
that man's dignity and his abil-
ity to observe the moral law can 
be substantially furthered by a 
sound economic foundation, then 
you are bound to take prudent 
and reasonable steps to secure 
that foundation. Social princi-
ples and social action form an 
inseparable team. 



CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE 19 

I t would be possible to go 
much fur ther in outlining the 
implications of the Christian 
dignity of man. Certainly it calls 
for a decent wage, as the mater-
ial foundation for family life. 
But it also demands working 
conditions and a community at-
mosphere which respect man's 
dignity. 

Thus, the Christian idea of 
labor-management r e l a t i o n s 
would call for mutual respect 
shown in the conditions of work 
and the rules of collective bar-
gaining. It would frankly reject 
discrimination against anyone 
for trivial or unjust reasons. 
This is especially true when dis-
crimination is based on race, re-
ligion or national origin. 

Here again principles lead to 
action. In this country, for ex-
ample, the Church has made con-
tinual efforts to bring about 
harmony, based on mutual re-
spect, in labor-management re-
lations. There have been many 
statements by our bishops re-
garding the dignity of labor and 
the urgent need for a real spirit 
of partnership between workers 
and employers. We have well 
over a hundred labor schools, 
conducted by Church groups, for 
the purpose of infusing Chris-
tian principles into labor rela-

tions. In fact, the few exceptions 
to the custom that churchmen do 
not accept public office have oc-
curred in this field. Priests have 
acted in public capacity as arbi-
trators, mediators, and even 
chairmen of state or federal 
boards having functions of this 
type. 

Likewise the Church has been 
active in fighting discrimination 
against minority groups. We 
have Catholic interracial coun-
cils. There is a Catholic Com-
mittee for the Spanish-Speaking. 
The leaders of the Church have 
spoken strongly against anti-
Semitism and other forms of 
bigotry. 

Our views are clear. Under 
God, there is no such thing as 
a second-class man. We cannot 
say that justice and charity are 
observed, so long as men are 
labeled inferior because of their 
color or their cultural back-
ground. 

There is another conclusion 
from the Christian dignity of 
man. This is man's claim to free-
dom. 

Today this is particularly true 
in the political area. Against the 
dictator state, Communist, Nazi 
or Fascist, we hold the basic 
rights of the individual man, the 
family, and of f ree associations 



20 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

formed by men. In modern 
times, at least, these rights are 
best safeguarded by political de-
mocracy. 

But even democracy has its 
economic foundations. Men have 
their highest political freedom 
when they also have economic 
independence. I t is for this rea-
son that the Church has opposed 
socialism, even democratic but 
total socialism which rejects 
both revolution and the class 
struggle. When there is but one 
employer, the state, the citizen 
cannot be really free. If he has 
only one source for his daily 
bread, then that source can con-
trol his life. 

The Church has argued for 
economic independence as the 
basis for man's freedom. Three 
popes—Leo XIII, Pius XI, and 
Pius XII—defended property 
rights against Marxist socialism 
or communism. But each of them 
has called for a better distribu-
tion of property, particularly 
among the workers. 

In fact, it would hardly be an 
exaggeration to call this the cen-
tral social teaching of the pres-
ent Holy Father. In more than 
a score of important addresses 
he has brought out this theme. 
"The dignity of the human per-
son requires normally as a na-

tural foundation of life, the 
right to use the goods of the 
earth. To this right corresponds 
the fundamental obligation to 
grant private ownership of prop-
erty, if possible, to all." This will 
"prevent the worker, who is or 
will be a father of a family, 
from being condemned to an 
economic dependence and sla-
very which is irreconcilable with 
his rights as a person." (Christ-
mas Broadcast, 1942). 

The Church has fought in 
many ways to protect man's 
freedom by securing for him 
economic independence. Thus, 
the National Catholic Eural Life 
Conference has urged the value 
of the family farm. It has en-
couraged families to live on a 
farm, either as a full-time occu-
pation or as a supplement to in-
dustrial work. 

For industrial labor, our con-
cept of a living wage includes 
saving so that the worker may 
own a home and achieve some 
degree of independence. Pope 
Pius XI favored experiments 
which would give the worker a 
greater stake in the plant where 
he works. Such devices as profit-
sharing, worker stock owner-
ship, and a voice in management 
have been encouraged as steps 
towards independence. 



CHRIST IN THE MARKETPLACE 21 

The popes have condemned 
concentration of economic pow-
er, whether in the hands of the 
state or in private hands, as 
threatening the independence 
and hence the Christian dignity 
of the worker. 

Freedom is the battle-cry to-
day. But the Christian ideal of 
freedom is not anarchy. We do 
not believe that anyone can do 
what he wants, without regard 
to his neighbor. Imagine, if you 
will, how life would be in a large 
city if there were no t raff ic 
lights, no rules or regulations 
regarding the movement of tens 
of thousands of automobiles con-
verging on the business section. 
That would be a form of indi-
vidualism which ignores the 
rights of others. I t would violate 
the basic virtues of justice and 
charity. 

The same is true in economic 
life. We want freedom, but not 
anarchy. Independence tempered 
by social responsibility is the 
Christian approach. We have the 
f i rm belief that people working 
together can do more than the 
same people fighting one an-
other. This is why we favor 
labor-management co-operation 
in the factory. 

But we would go fur ther and 
not restrict collaboration to the 

individual plant or firm. We be-
lieve that groups with common 
interests should organize to pro-
mote both their own interests 
and the common good of the 
economic community. Industries 
and professions should be so or-
ganized that everyone concerned 
would have a voice in meeting 
general problems. 

There are two main reasons 
for favoring an organized ap-
proach to economic problems. 
The f i rs t is negative. If people 
do not group together to act on 
common responsibilities there 
will be a demand for government 
action to meet these needs. This 
would tend to move more power 
toward the center and to leave 
less with the individual or the 
smaller group. Even though the 
purpose is good, there would be 
some lessening of freedom. It is 
f a r better to have self-regulation 
by all persons in the industries 
and professions, capital and 
labor united for this purpose, 
than to have controls imposed 
from without. 

A second reason for common 
action is the value of co-opera-
tion in contrast to struggle. 
What works well in the home 
and in the factory should at least 
be tried in broader areas. Of 
course, there is a legitimate 



22 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

place for rivalry and competi-
tion. There are fields in which 
interests clash and in which in-
dependent action may be de-
sirable. But this is no reason for 
doing nothing- or too little about 
common interests and problems. 

As a means for translating 
these ideas into action, the 
Church has not only promoted 
collaboration among economic 
groups, but it has also urged 
that government agencies con-
sult and work with voluntary 
groups in their respective fields. 
We prefer self-regulation to the 
greatest degree possible. But 
when this is not feasible, then 
we wish maximum participation 
by the affected groups in the 
making of decisions. 

These, then, are the highlights 
of a program of social action 
based on Christian social prin-

ciples. We seek an economic sys-
tem which harmonizes with the 
dignity of man. This system 
would support- the family. I t 
would be a society based on part-
nership rather than conflict. I t 
would be permeated by justice 
and charity. 

To bring this about the 
Church seeks to change the 
hearts of men. It seeks to edu-
cate, to persuade men into atti-
tudes of friendliness and co-op-
eration. But attitudes are not 
enough. These principles must 
pervade our laws, our customs, 
our organizations. 

Thus the work of Christian 
social action is also a work of 
legislation and organization. 
How this is done in practice will 
be the story to be told in the re-
maining broadcasts of this ser-
ies. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN THE FIELD OF 
LEGISLATION 

Address Delivered on September 16, 1951 

A discussion by the Rev. Joseph Fitzpatrick, S.J., Mr. James R. 
Brown, Mr. Alphonso Castagno and Mr. Joseph Claderon. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: Some years ago, I remember meeting an 
experienced Pastor who had just come from 

a conference with one of his parishioners. He said: "Do you know 
what we are discussing, Father?" "Here was one of the finest 
mothers we have in the parish. And she came to me in great dis-
tress this evening. She said 'I hope you can help me, Father. My 
oldest boy Bobby just told me he is going in to politics. Isn't there 
something you can do to stop him? He was always such a good 
boy.'" 

I mention the story because I think it illustrates the attitude 
that too many of our people have toward the matter of political 
action. Yet in the field of political action lie some of our most 
serious and urgent responsibilities as Christians. For we know, 
as Christians, that we are our brother's keeper. We have duties 
in justice and charity to all the children of God. We have an 
obligation to give of our talent and to create a social world worthy 
for all men to live in. Yet it often happens today that we can fulfil 
these duties only through legislation and intelligent political action. 

We have an obligation to feed the hungry. But we can rarely 
do this today by giving a few pieces of bread to a hungry neighbor 
on our back porch. Today this has become a problem of feeding 
millions of starving people in India or elsewhere by sending them 
millions of bushels of wheat. This can be done only through highly 
organized activity; often only through the medium of national 
legislation. 

How could we shelter the homeless today without housing 
legislation; how could we give workingmen a chance to seek justice 
without our labor laws; how could we have released the captive in 
concentration camps without the political cooperation of the nations 
of the earth! 

But our obligations also come closer to home. In a highly 
complicated society such as our own where probably the work of 
millions of people was required to get the pork chops on our dinner 
plate, control of strategic positions by unscrupulous or incompetent 
men may place these men in a position to control our lives. Eternal 
vigilance, therefore, is the price we pay for freedom. That is why 



24 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

the present Pope warned us in his 1944 Christmas address that 
intelligent political action was today a matter of life or death. 

Political action, therefore, is something that no- Christian 
can take lightly, particularly in view of 6ur present social problems. 
Perhaps my colleagues on today's program can tell us how to go 
about it. Mr. Castagno, suppose you get things started. 

MR. CASTAGNO: Well some of the basic ways by which we 
can participate in government is by voting. 

In this way we exercise our privilege to vote as often as national 
and local elections allow. When every citizen votes his responsibility 
and proper participation in government is completed. We then 
withdraw from all other political activity. But it is between the 
elections that is also important. However, at the time of "Voting is 
the particular period that the citizen must take part. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: You're not arguing the importance of voting 
are you Mr. Castagno ? 

MR. CASTAGNO: Certainly not Father. On the contrary. The 
privilege to vote is one of the most impor-

tant privileges and we must use this right and exercise it. There 
was some commentary recently on American Political life that we 
have been more anxious to preserve that right than to exercise it. 
Only approximately 50% of the population votes. For example, in 
Europe, France, England, and Italy the percentage in elect ions, is 
higher than here in the U.S.A. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: That's a surprising thing particularly in 
view of the fact we pride ourselves on being 

an outstanding example of a democratic nation. Mr. Brown can 
we have a comment from you along these lines ? 

MR. BROWV • I would like to add this comment that it is 
also the duty of the citizen to take action 

between voting periods. For example when the Control Bill was 
debated in the Senate, many Congressmen publicly stated the 
fact that they did not hear from their constituents. And thus they 
had to take action without really knowing what the voters back 
home really wanted. Many voters did not take time to find out what 
the facts in the case were and hence they didn't take action. So it 
seems to me the voter must not only vote but he must watch what's 
going on and take part. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: Mr. Calderon I wonder if you could give us 
a little word on this ? 

MR. CALDERON: Father, it's quite true what Mr. Brown said. 
The congressmen want to hear from their 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN THE FIELD OP LEGISLATION 25 

constituents. Because of the fact that the constituents did not 
write letters the Congressmen could not take the position and vote 
as the citizens think they should vote. The Congressmen are grate-
ful to the citizens who keep in touch with the Congressmen. I have 
had quite a bit of experience with Congressmen and I know they 
are grateful when the fact? are presented as the reasons for their 
actions in Congress. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: What do we know of what happens to a 
telegram or postcard when it is sent to 

Washington. Tell us something of that. 

MR. CALDERON: They have some effect. But their effect has 
been overly exaggerated. A congressman 

is not too impressed with a manufactured opinion. He listens to 
the opinion of his constituents and of the citizen because he con-
siders that a real measure in the opinion of the community. 
Whereas the other one is an artificial opinion and that type of 
opinion he is not impressed with. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: Well, you are of the opinion that intelligent 
participation is important. However being 

informed properly is the real point where the problem comes in. 
Now our good people are housewives, they're plumbers, truck driv-
ers, they're longshoremen and they want to participate in public 
life and legislation but it's the problem of being informed and of 
having an intelligent judgment that baffles them. And that to my 
mind is where I think the real problem lies. 

MR. BROWN: Let me cut in there Father and take a few 
minutes of our time here. I think I can 

give you an example of exactly that problem and possibly suggest 
a partial solution at least to it. We all knew from the news-
papers that early in 1951 India was facing a very serious starvation 
problem. Their Embassy had asked us to give them help on reason-
able terms. Now on June 30th Congressmen began to take action. 
They met with the President a little bit later and he suggested to 
them that they introduce legislation before the House of Repre-
sentatives, and eleven bills were sent upv Now when these bills got 
there that information was printed in the paper. Any voter by 
merely writing to the House Document Room in Washington, D.C., 
that's the House Document Room of the House of Representatives, 
could have received a copy of any or all of those bills, which he 
could have read and studied at his leisure. Later on the Committee 
of Foreign Affairs in the House called hearings. Now at those hear-
ings 19 people appeared. Nine of these people were from 
private organizations or purely individuals. Once again if the 



26 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

citizens feel strongly about a piece of legislation he may arrange 
to appear personally before the Committee that is holding public 
hearings and express that point of view. Or if he cannot go there 
he may certainly send his points of view in writing, and this will 
be made a part of the record. As a matter of fact many Christian 
organizations did that. In addition the Christian who wants to get 
fur ther information on anyone may write to the Committee and 
receive a copy of those hearings, when they are printed. When the 
Committee had finished its work it reported the bill out. The report 
being the summary of the reason for passage of the bill. And in 
some reports perhaps there are reasons against it. These also are 
available to anyone who will just take the trouble to write a re-
quest to the House or the Senate Document Room at the Capital in 
Washington, D.C. Now here are the ways Christians could study the 
matter and form opinions. In this bill for India which was passed 
in 1951 many people did form opinions. The bill that was originally 
proposed rested in Committee for a long time. Nothing was done 
about it. While this time was going by many people were writing 
letters, both individuals and organizations. So that when the Bill 
did cpme up in the House, the Chairman of the Rules Committee, 
Mr. Saber said this: "This legislation was tied up in my committee 
for many weeks. During this time I was being assailed and held 
responsible for the delay in the granting of a rule for its con-
sideration. As Chairman of the Committee on Rules I have received 
thousands of letters from all over the United States, from Church 
organizations of every denomination, civic groups, labor organiza-
tions and individuals pleading for and favoring that a rule be 
granted without delay." He gave some of those letters. There were 
letters there from the Southern Baptists Convention. Letters from 
the Atlanta Young Women's Christian Association, from the Syna-
gogue Council of America, from the Missouri Province vf the So-
ciety of Jesus Educational Institute. When the bill was debated 
many representatives revealed that they too felt strongly about it 
because their constituents had expressed Christian opinions. Rep-
resentative McCormack said it was a matter of charity. Represen-
tative Doyle said it was American Christian ideals in action. Mrs. 
Baldwin said we were actually sharing what God gave us as our 
abundance was not our own. So in this act I think we can see first 
of all that the individual may get his information not mainly from 
the newspaper but authoritative and as complete information as his 
own legislators have. And secondly that he may go through organi-
zations and through individual actions, to express himself to his 
legislators and if enough will do it the effect of that expression will 
feel itself. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN THE FIELD OP LEGISLATION 27 

FR. FITZPATRICK: I think that is an excellent example Mr. 
Brown and I am glad that you brought it 

up. I think what is so important about the remarks in aiding India 
is that we were not only helping fellow Christians in the world but 
also those who are not Christians but are children of God. I was 
glad you mentioned the various associations because when we speak 
about the Christian in Action we do not mean to exclude those who 
do things out of good will. We're simply emphasizing that as Chris-
tians we want to be aware of our responsibilities to our fellow men 
in social affairs. I think that is an excellent example of the way 
legislation was effecte'd. 

MR. CALDERON : I think one more thing that ought to be said 
here is the importance of contact with the 

representatives in Congress and appropriate contact with the proper 
officials who want this contact. I think the representatives or offi-
cials should try to get a personal visit contact of his constituents to 
his office. Or an invitation should be extended to the representative 
or local official through local organizations, or Church organization 
so that the representative may come and present his views to the 
citizens. Some of the questions today are very complicated. I t is 
only by personal contact that the representative as well as the citi-
zen can have his views clarified and that both of them try to under-
stand each other and understand that both are working for the same 
thing, the common good of the United States. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: That's an excellent idea Mr. Calderon. I 
often think how much more interesting our 

parish societies and organization meetings would be if instead of 
sitting around discussing local gossip perhaps if we had one of our 
representatives in Congress appear and discuss these things with 
them. And particularly around the time of local elections or at the 
time of some particular legislation such as price control, housing, 
or rent control. In that way we would know why the Congressman 
thinks the way he does and why he will vote for the legislation the 
way he does. I think it would help a great deal if that personal 
contact were established between us and our government officials. 

MR. BROWN: Also Father let us not forget that today we 
live in a very highly technical society, so 

complex that even our own Congressmen cannot today completely 
comprehend the impact of a piece of legislation. 

MR. CASTAGNO: The average citizen cannot be expected to 
be an expert on such questions as federal 

housing and the like. Perhaps such people as the school teacher who 



28 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

is teaching economics, or the university professor who lives around 
the corner or the pharmacist who has studied a bill on medicine, that 
is if such a bill were introduced in Congress, could be considered 
experts. Now I would like to illustrate here an area in which the 
citizens join to form themselves and then influence their Congress-
men on a very important measure. After World War II, as you 
know, hundreds of thousands of workers were living in devastated 
homes, hundreds without opportunities of employment, without any 
funds, hundreds of citizens in the United States conscious of their 
Christian duties asked the government to help them in their pre-
dicament. A bill was introduced in Congress in 1948 for them to 
enter our country. The Bill was having trouble and then it was 
delayed. What happened was that the sympathy that was provoked 
for these people was conflicting with the desire to perserve the eco-
nomic and culttiral background of our country. The bill that was 
made was inadequate but Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant groups 
prevailed upon Congress the need of liberalizing the bill. It was a 
good example of cooperative effort and the campaign was kept alive 
by some private citizens until in 1950 Congress submitted a bill for 
the entrance of 100,000 refugees. That is an example of citizens 
aware of their responsibility and not letting down their work until 
it was completed. In a similar fashion such groups as the Knights 
of Columbus prevailed upon Congress to make sure that our immi-
gration act included the many unemployed in Europe and in Asia. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: Thank you Mr. Castagno. I think it is 
grand and is another example of the proper 

interest of our parish societies and our local groups. I think it is 
interesting to know that not only our government representatives 
but informed people, and I know personally that people engaged in 
the Displaced Persons Program, etc. are most anxious to inform 
people about what they are doing. And I personally think it would 
be one way of participating intelligently in such legislation to have 
our people get in touch with the informed men who are actually 
working in the Program. 

MR. CASTAGNO: I think you'll find Father they are usually 
very glad to participate. I must say that 

unless each individual, and unless each and everyone of us feels a 
personal responsibility for our neighborhood, for our country we 
will not be able to discharge our responsibility, we will not be able 
to make our country a better place. Each and everyone of us must 
participate in the Apostolate of charity. 

MR. CALDERON: Generally, we have been talking about 
national government and I think we are 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN THE FIELD OP LEGISLATION 29 

completely forgetting the area of local government. Now we've 
talked about national legislation, etc. but now let's get back to our 
home ground. Let's consider for a moment that each one of us in 
our daily life is being regulated constantly by our local government. 
They have the power to pass laws dealing with marriages, health, 
unemployment welfare, labor, education. Here is an area where 
a vast part of social legislation is being made yet only one out of 
three persons entitled to vote, votes in the municipal elections. Only 
one out of every ten votes in a county election. If a State election 
is not held during a presidential election which is usually the case 
the number selected here is not very much better. Now as for 
public participation between the elections nothing is more indicative 
of public apathy than the recent reaction to the Kefauver Crime 
Investigation. When the hearings brought out widespread gambling 
and its effect on the» community there was an immediate cry for 
action. But the demand faded away when the newspapers stopped 
headlining the investigation. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: I'm glad Mr. Castagno that you brought up 
that question of local affairs because I think 

its quite clear that a great deal of the most advanced social legisla-
tion originated on the state and local level. 

MR. BROWN: We have a very good example of that right 
here in New York State gentlemen although 

I think Mr. Castagno and I could get in quite a little argument of 
whether it will remain on the state level. I refer to the state law 
against discrimination. You know the one that has been in effect 
here in New York. All I wanted to mention was that when that law 
was being proposed and in the discussion stage all the Christian 
communities in the state took action. There were radio programs, 
newspaper articles, magazine articles so the legislation knew that 
it did have the support of all people of good will and they found that 
the act worked out very well in New York State. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: That's another good example of citizen 
participation. But what bothers me is that 

we have been talking all morning about the participation of the local 
housewife and the plumber but what bothers me a little is getting 
incompetent people into government positions. 

MR. CALDERON: I think that it is absolutely important to get 
good men and good women into government 

positions. One way we can encourage this is for the average citizen 
to stop irresponsible criticism of those in government. We must 
believe that those in the government are men of good will, are 
trying to do a good job and if they don't vote the way that we 



30 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

would like to have them vote that they have good reason to vote and 
thus our criticism must not be abusive, our criticism must not be 
violent, our criticism must be reasonably discriminating, to the 
point and must be criticism of the issue and discussion of the issue 
on the merits of the issue not on the individual. 

FR. FITZPATRICK: A very good point. 

SUMMARY 

If that good Mother we spoke about earlier had heard today's 
program, I am sure she would have come to her Pastor and said: 
"Father is there anything you can do to get Bobby to go into poli-
tics, or at least to busy himself about intelligent political action?" 
It is quite clear from our discussion that Christians must be con-
cerned about their obligation to participate in political decisions and 
legislation that are closely related to problems of justice and charity. 
It is clear that the obligation to vote is basic. To be convinced of 
this, we should not have to wait for some critical election like the 
1948 elections that saved Italy from Communism. But it is not 
enough to vote. It is equally important to participate in the forming 
of legislation between votes. Our speakers have indicated how 
simple a thing this really is when a person puts his mind to it. We 
can participate by informing ourselves on issues involved, and by 
expressing our judgments in an intelligent manner. Certainly the 
examples of our great charity to the starving in India, or to the 
homeless refugees of Europe, our fostering of social justice through 
the labor laws, or our help to families through housing legislation, 
these are small illustrations of the extent to which Christians can 
cooperate with other men of good will to enable the Christian con-
science to express itself effectively in legislation. 

As Christians, we have the message of Christ's love and mercy 
to bring to all men today. Strive as we may to bring this example 
of Christian living to others in our personal life, there are many 
occasions where we can bring the power of justice and love to men 
only through legislation, through political action. 

Never before has a nation had the responsibility of leadership 
that the United States has today. But most of this leadership must 
be exercised through political channels. Whether or not we shall 
give to the world an example of justice at home, whether or not we 
shall give an example of great-mindedness, of charity and justice 
abroad, will depend on the extent to which Christians make effective 
the teachings of their faith. Political action can be matter of life 
or death. But it should be so much more a matter of life, than a 
matter of death. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN THE FIELD OF 
LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS 

Address Delivered on September 23, 1951 

A discussion by the Rev. Philip A. Carey, S.J., Miss Frances M. 
Smith, Mr. John J. Brooks, Mr. Charles D. Cicchino, and Mr. Bernard 
H. Fitzpatrick. 

FATHER CAREY: Labor relations were pretty much of a mess 
in the Ford Company, till young Henry 

Ford took over. His first task, as he saw it, was a sincere effort 
to improve relations between his company and the 130,000 men he 
employed. He based his new policies on the four things working-
men seem to want from their jobs: 

A sense of security. 

An opportunity for advancement. 

Treatment proper to a human being. 
A sense of human dignity, which comes from feeling that 

a man's work is useful to society. 

What Ford has been trying to do is being done by many other 
men from Labor and Industry. For men are realizing that labor 
problems are human problems; that labor problems are moral 
problems; that the relations between those who offer their wealth, 
and those who contribute their know-how and those who give the 
most intimate thing a man can give—the labor of his person—that 
these relations are subject, under God, to the demands of justice 
and of charity. 

It wasn't always this way. In a bitter passage of his teaching 
letter on the REORGANIZATION OF SOCIETY, Pius XI wept. 
He said: "Dead matter comes from the factory ennobled, while men 
there are corrupted and degraded." 

Thinking and courageous Christians have come to see that 
industrialization ought not to have become a hideous curse upon 
mankind. Man is the master of the universe—subject only to God. 
Man was made for God—and all other things on the face of the 
earth, the factory, the economic system—all are man's. My friend, 
Johnny Dillon, said well: "We Christians are the real radicals." 
He's right. What a gigantic upheaval in human affairs would result 
if every man were regarded, not for his economic worth in the 
market place, nor for his social contribution to the community . . . 
but respected and treated for that which in all reality he is: the 



32 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

most precious thing in the world, God's adopted child, a true Christ 
bearer, my most dear brother. 

Men have been thinking that radical way. Men have been 
praying for the courage and understanding that only comes from 
God's grace. 

Mr. Fitzpatrick, a little while ago you were telling us of a 
business man . . . 

MR. FITZPATRICK: My story is the story of an individual, a 
Christian. Let's call him Peter Stuyvesant. 

Peter was one of the directors of one of the nation's largest banking 
houses. A problem came before the Board of Directors of this bank-
ing house. I t had to do with the employment of tellers in the cages. 
You may remember that, before the war, almost universally banks 
employed male tellers. During the war, shortages had forced them 
to employ women in that capacity. At the conclusion of the war, 
this bank had to make a policy as to what it would do with the 
tellers. Should it employ women exclusively, should it employ men 
exclusively? How should the problem be met? 

Well, it was a rather large organization, with a very competent 
personnel department, and the question was referred to this depart-
ment. The Personnel Department made a thorough study, and 
reported back to the Board that, over the long run, the employment 
of women tellers in the cages would mean a saving in money for the 
bank; contrariwise, if the bank used male tellers, the expense would 
be prohibitive. The reason assigned for this by the Personnel 
Department was that if men were assigned to the cages, they would 
have to be paid a living wage; based upon family responsibilities; 
whereas, if women were employed, the family responsibility angle 
of the women would tend to keep the wages down. 

That was their report to the Board of Directors. Now, the 
Board usually follows the recommendations of its Personnel Depart-
ment, just as it does these of its general executive offices. But, in 
this case, Peter Stuyvesant was at the meeting of the Board of 
Directors at which this matter came up, and he said: 

"Gentlemen, if we follow the policy suggested by our Personnel 
Department, we will not be discharging our obligation to the com-
munity in which this bank operates. I t is not only our obligation to 
provide adequate and safe banking service and facilities, but it is 
also our obligation to provide jobs which will sustain the families of 
the communities which we serve. We can't permit the bank to cut 
out every job which might sustain a family simply for the reason 
that it would save the bank money, or save it trouble. We must, 
therefore, adopt a policy of employing men in our tellers' cages, even 



SOCIAL ACTION IN LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS 33 

though that means that we will have to pay them a more ample 
wage." 

The Board followed his policy. Now, why did he make this 
suggestion? Well, the only reason I can ascribe is that, as a 
Christian, he had a sense of obligation that the organization was 
not only to make a dollar, but that it was obliged to meet its social 
responsibility as well, particularly toward the heads of families. 

FATHER CAREY: This man did an excellent thing. It 's true 
that there are many exceptional cases where 

women have to work. But it's true that the family is the basis of all 
our society, and that the normal supporter of the family ought to 
be the father. Here is a man who recognized that principle, and 
despite what it cost, was willing to follow through. 

John Brooks tells the same story of Christian action, but this 
one was done by a group . . . John Brooks . . . 

JOHN BROOKS: In another state, there was a bad situation 
in one of the larger transit systems. It was 

an all too frequent story. A gang had control of the union, and they 
worked in collusion with an old-time management. Wage scales 
were below standard. Protection against unjust accusation just 
didn't exist. You worked because you had to, and were told that if 
you didn't like the conditions as they existed, well then, no-one was 
chaining you. Get the heck out. The contract was almost automatic-
ally negotiating itself, and the men had substantially the same deal 
that had been worked out in 1920, with little, if any, progress. 

Now this wasn't right, and many of the drivers resented it. 
They all grumbled, or cried in their beer, and said it was wrong. 
Then a group of the fellows decided they had better do something 
about it. 

First, they realized they didn't know too much about those 
things, so they made a connection and came over to the Xavier 
Labor School for a couple of years. That wasn't easy. In fact, it 
was tough. They didn't get home to bed before midnight, and they 
had a six a.m. report at the barn. 

Now, they decided they had to work together as a team, and 
as a team that wasn't Catholic only, but one that would include all 
the guys on the road and in the shops. The work of social justice 
is the job of all men of good will. 

Every one of them figured before he started this deal that he 
was liable to be in a position where he'd suffer. They weren't look-
ing for it—but they had a job to do. I think we all know what it 
means to go through a rough organizing campaign . . . to stand on 
the s t r e e t . . . to get the bad name of an agitator from the manage-
ment and even from some of the men themselves. Every man of 



34 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

them lost his job on some pretext or excuse. The Beakies did a real 
job on them. Most of them walked the streets for six months with-
out any help from anybody. And they were all family men. 

I'm very happy to be able to say that these men from Jersey 
did a swell job. They were successful, and they have very good 
conditions on the job. They broke the evil system. 

MISS SMITH: What's a Beakie? 

JOHN BROOKS: It's another word for company detective or 

spotter. 

MISS SMITH: Why did they do it? 

JOHN BROOKS: Why did they do it? Well, suppose we ask one of the fellows who was in it. Charlie, 
tell us why they did it. 

CHARLES CICCHINO: John, it's a composite story. You told about 
the fellows, but if we hadn't the help of a 

really Christian lawyer, we'd never have made it. He doesn't want 
his name mentioned here, but we're all deeply grateful for the 
encouragement his unselfish example and advice meant to us. While 
we recognized the problem and the need to do something, we feared 
to lead off until our advisor pointed out the proper road. I can still 
hear Don Kelly saying: "C'mon boys, let's get going. The Lord won't 
let us down." And some tough spots were licked by Jack Clayton's 
reminders that as the Lord took care of the sparrows in the streets, 
he'd not forget us and our little ones. You see, these obligations 
that we fathers of families have shouldn't make us cowards. Our 
Lord never promised us that we'd have an easy time of it, and any-
one who promises a free and easy existence is selling snake oil, or 
gold bricks. A Christian man wants a family living wage, so he can 
exercise freely, responsibly, and with independence his duties as a 
father and husband. 

The one thing we really learned from the labor philosophy 
course at Xavier was a deep realization that the other fellow was 
our brother . . . that we had an obligation to love the other man as 
a brother in Christ . . . It is possible that this LOVE really moved 
us, even though we didn't know it at the time. 

MISS SMITH: The wives of those men must have been 
pretty wonderful people. 

JOHN BROOKS: Well, they were animated by the same 
Christian spirit. 

FATHER CAREY: The men, their wives—all good souls are 
members of Christ's Mystical Body—and 

we have to suffer with Him. In the words of St. Paul, we are "Filling 



SOCIAL ACTION IN LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS 35 

up by our suffering what is wanting to the sufferings of Christ." 
Christ does suffer again in His people. Do you remember that in-
cident told of the Young Christian Workers of France? There was 
a vast concourse of young workers from all over the nation gathered 
in the huge stadium at Paris . . . the bakers, the bus drivers, the 
workers from the Renault auto plant . . . waiting for a special mid-
night Mass. They were all there—ten thousand of them. And in the 
pitch darkness of midnight, the leader walked quietly into the sanc-
tuary. He lit his candle from the sanctuary lamp and, with infinite 
dramatic quiet, paced down to the f i rs t row. From his candle, he 
lit that of the f i rs t man, who in turn passed it to the next man, and 
so from man to man, from one to the other all the way down the 
lines of the stadium, until the night was gleaming. 

One man lights the candle. 
Every group, every generation needs men like these men of 

Jersey to light the candle for their fellows. 
Let's leave Jersey for awhile to take ourselves across the rivers 

to Brooklyn, the haunt of Dodgers and Christian men. 

MISS SMITH: This is a story still in the making, and 
while I can't tie it up with the usual happy 

ending at this time, it is developing the way we hoped it would. 
Again, it is an example of what one person can do in a rather 

complex situation. The company I work for has been in business for 
a long time. It is small enough to be fairly intimate and yet large 
enough to give us scope. I t is family-owned, and has a large pro-
portion of workers who have been with us for some time. It has 
been run profitably. The working conditions are good. The wages 
are comparable to those of other companies in the area. We are 
unionized by the UAW, a union which is not noted for its softness. 
We have had, I think, good management-union relations. We have 
never had a strike, nor have we ever taken a grievance to arbitra-
tion. We have had, of course, good healthy knockdown, drag-outs 
with the union, but somehow we have always managed to reach a 
compromise . . . not necessarily satisfactory to all parties, but 
workable. 

The President of the company came to us about five years ago. 
He had, therefore, a fresh point of view, and it struck him that 
while we were operating well and fairly harmoniously, there was 
something lacking. A factory—no matter how ideal the working con-
ditions—implies assembly lines and rows of machines; in other 
words, it's rather monotonous work for the majority of the employ-
ees. How you will do your job is thought out for you by the en-
gineers; one simply follows directions and produces one small part 
of an item. Eight hours a day is a long time to be simply an ex-
tension of an idea. 



36 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

Well, anyway, one man—the president—felt that there must 
be a way of running a profitable enterprise which would be more 
rewarding to the people involved. Rewarding not only in a dollars and 
cents way, but in emotional and spiritual manner as well. So, af ter 
some ^puzzled gropings, he hit upon a production sharing plan 

-whereby workers stood to gain if they put their brains, not their 
brawn, to work. 

The core of the plan revolved around those ideas and sugges-
tions workers have regarding better and easier ways to do their 
respective jobs. Frui tful suggestions may involve changing the set-
up of a department, buying special equipment, or just the addition 
of a simple fixture to a working place. But underlying all these 
suggestions is the idea of doing the job with no greater expenditure 
of physical energy. It is really the principle stated in Quadragesimo 
Anno . . . it is a grave wrong for the State to do for the individual 
what he can better do for himself . . . brought down to the plant 
level; or perhaps it is the St. Thomas principle, whereby one is 
given an opportunity, at least in part, of developing his potentiali-
ties. Moreover, the worker probably has more and better ideas 
about his job than the Engineering brass, and possibly, he is ful-
filling himself to some extent, at least vocationally, if he is in a 
position to contribute to his own job welfare. 

If the suggestions are worth-while, they pay off in increased 
production, and the f rui ts of that production are shared by the 
workers, from the porter to the President. We like the plan better 
than individual or group incentive plans, for the basis of it appears 
to be rooted in the Christian principle of men working together, 
and not pitted one against the other. A worker will give a lift to 
a trucker who is having trouble pushing a heavy hand truck over a 
bumpy floor, for they both benefit through concerted action of this 
kind. A die-setter may knock himself out making crude drawings of 
improvements if he thinks the Engineering Department will examine 
them with interest and improve them. In other words, people respond 
to respect. Not just phony paternalism, like sending birthday cards 
on your birthday, but the love and respect Jesus Christ demands 
that you give your fellow workers. The real thing is difficult to de-
velop, but you know when you have got it and when you have given 
it. 

The team work, love and respect we are trying to achieve is 
not being won without a struggle. The idea behind the production-
sharing plan was not greeted with mad enthusiasm when it was in-
troduced. The union was suspicious and some of the staff thought it 
was socialism. The head of the Company had, and still has, a tough 
road ahead; however, he persisted, and I think his plugging away at 
these very simple Christian concepts almost shamed the opposition 
into acceptance. 



SOCIAL ACTION IN LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS 37 

We are not yet sure how it is going to work out. For the past 
two months there have been no bonuses, and we have eyed that 
period uneasily; we wondered if man really did "live by bread 
alone." It does not look that way. There have been disappointments, 
but we continue working together to develop a better-run enter-
prise. 

FATHER CAREY: Both John Brooks and Charles Cicchino 
have a number of questions, Miss Smith, 

but we haven't time for that discussion here. What they wanted to 
know was: "Is this a gorgeously disguised form of speed-up?" "How 
do the men know they are not being 'taken'?" "They produce the 
ideas that make for greater profits . . . do they really get a proper 
share of these profits, which they've helped to create?" 

And, you, Miss Smith, would say that the whole scheme is based 
on mutual confidence and fa i r dealing . . . that the integrity of the 
parties had to be assumed, or the scheme meant nothing, and that 
this kind of an experiment must be worked out in a climate of faith. 

Mr. Cicchino wants to give his tale of a man who did something 
positive in the field of Christian social action . . . 

CHARLES CICCHINO: The most important thing about Pete 
Belmonte was that he knew something; I 

don't mean the way we all of us knew him—he was a plain little 
man, who had had a rough time of it. He left grammar school to 
take over the support of his family, because his father died. Now 
Pete's trade was to be a paper cutter, and his joy was to be a good 
union man, in Local 119 of the Bookbinders. When I say it was 
Pete's joy, I'm speaking of this knowledge he had so strong and 
deep inside him. There were times when he would speak of it as his 
sense of responsibility. I t was a word he prized; "We're a respon-
sible union," he would say. 

Pete worked in a shop, known as the Trade Bindery, in Hell's 
Kitchen. He was shop steward for two hundred workers. There was 
no man who worked harder when contract negotiations rolled around, 
and no man who gained more for his union; but, on the other hand, 
when he felt his men were not living up to their agreement with 
their boss, he worked just as hard to see them meet their obliga-
tions. The boss, by the way, was a pretty good guy, and he admired 
Pete. Many times he offered Pete the job of plant manager, at twice 
the pay, but Pete always turned him down, and the boss couldn't 
understand. It was part of that thing Pete knew about himself, for 
he'd had other chances to advance himself financially. 

One day Pete was talking to Father Carey here. He said that 
he had a problem to solve. "I've a chance to go into the package 
liquor business with my brother-in-law, a vet, in a good location," 



38 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

said Pete, "but I don't know whether to take him up." All on his 
own he worked the problem out. He put down the arguments for 
and against the deal. 

There was a lot to be said for the liquor store. It was a good 
business. A man got up in the morning, dressed in good clothes, 
and went to work as a gentleman should. He was respected as a 
good man to know in the community . . . and he made money. "Of 
course," Pete said, "I know there's nothing really basically wrong 
with liquor. Liquor too is one of God's creatures. It 's good for 
pneumonia. But just like the mustard people make their real money, 
not on what people put on their hot dogs, but what they leave on the 
spoon, so," Pete said, "I'd be making my real money on the abuse of 
the creature. In the shop," he said, "work is hard and full of aggra-
vations. There's danger, long hours, and getting stuck when you 
don't want it. There's the pressure of getting production o u t . . . 

"But somehow, I mean something there. I have work to do with 
my fellow children of God, and I count for something in helping to 
make at least a part of their lives better. 

"I guess when it comes down to it, I've got to make the choice. 
There'll come a time when St. Peter is going to be making the 
introductions to Our Lord. I wonder whether I would want him to in-
troduce me: 'Lord Jesus Christ, this is Mr. Belmonte, the package 
liquor salesman'; or would it be better for him to be able to say: 
'Christ, this is Pete, the paper cutter from Local 119 and a good 
shop steward.' You don't have to tell me," Pete would say, "I know." 

MISS SMITH: How fortunate Pete was that he knew—that 
he saw so clearly. 

MR. FITZPATRICK: Two years ago this very month that intro-
duction was made. 

JOHN BROOKS: How does a guy get that way? 

FATHER CAREY: Well, I guess the only way you get that way 
is that you're awfully simple and you take 

Our Lord for just exactly what He says He is. Pete did a lot of 
praying in a strange, manly kind of way that nobody ever knew 
about. And through the grace of God working in his soul, through 
the retreats and days of recollection that Pete went through, he 
got some kind of vision. He saw things so clearly. Life was simple 
and clear to him. 

The incidents just mentioned here were all very real. They 
happened. And I myself know something of the soul searching and 
the suffering these good men went through for the sake of justice 
and for the sake of love of their neighbor. 



SOCIAL ACTION IN LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS 39 

- Normally, social action, to be effective, must be group action— 
the work of a team. But that group must be sparked. You will have 
observed in the stories that one individual was responsible for a good 
which came to so jpany. 

The world is a better place for what they did. But I want you 
to realize that it was that which motivated them that was import-
ant. I just can't, as a Christian, love my neighbor for the sake of 
humanity. Humanitarianism is a vague phantom of the virile su-
pernatural virtue of Charity. I've got to love my neighbor, in all 
his God-given greatness, for the sake of Christ in him. 

The incidents we mentioned this morning range from a simple 
Christian way of viewing a business problem, to incidents involving 
heroic sanctity. But the point in all of them is the same. These men 
did try to think and act as Christ would think and act if He were 
in modern times. And whether the action was simple or heroic, it 
was God's grace moving them. And that comes only from prayer . . . 
honest, perservering prayer. 

There's the Christian in action. It 's not too hard. Christ didn't 
talk to philosophers, but to little peopleJike you and me. His doctrine 
is simple enough to understand. You'll find it in modern applica-
tion in the letters of Pope Leo XIII and Pius XI. 

Over in Belgium the young Christian workers have done an 
admirable job in Christian social action. They have a technique, a 
simple technique for group action. It 's in three words . . . Observe— 
Judge—Act. 

1. OBSERVE. The team must f i rs t get the facts of a problem. 
No hearsay. No opinions. Get the facts. Study the situation. Observe! 

2. Then, JUDGE. In the light of Christian principles and of 
Christian thinking . . . what are we to say of this situation? What 
JUDGEMENT would Christ, our Lord, give were He on the spot? 
How would He assess it? What attitude would He take? JUDGE! 

Again, to JUDGE. To judge what we, our small group, can do 
in the light of our limitations. What positive action can we perform? 
Judge. 

3. ACT. Above all, to act! Don't be just debating society. Set 
down concrete action that you, as a group, will surely carry out. Put 
sanctions on yourself if you fail. B u t . . . act. 

OBSERVE—JUDGE—ACT. 

It is our vocation to be living out the life of Christ all over 
again in our living. I t is our high privilege to radiate Christ in the 
market place, in the factory, on the.docks, in the banks. 

We are other Christs. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN 
MIGRATORY LABOR-

Address Delivered on September 30, 1951 

A discussion by the Rev. Theodore J. Radtke, Dr. Carlos Castaneda, 
the Rev. James J. Riley, Mr. Henry LeBlanc, and Mr. Ted Aanstoos. 

ANNCR: Today the "Christian In Action" presents a round 
table discussion entitled, "Christian Social Action 

In Migratory Labor." The members of our panel are: the Rev. 
Theodore J. Radtke, Executive Secretary, Bishops' Committee for 
the Spanish Speaking, Austin, Texas; Dr. Carlos Castaneda, Pro-
fessor of Latin American History, University of Texas, author of 
"The Catholic Heritage of Texas"; Rev. James J. Riley, O.M.I., 
Colorado City, Texas; Mr. Henry LeBlanc, Texas Employment Com-
mission, Austin, Texas; Mr. Ted Aanstoos, Human Relations Coun-
cil, Austin, Texas. Here is Father Radtke to begin the discussion. 

RADTKE: There are now in the United States, roughly 4% 
million wage earners who depend principally on 

farm employment for their income. At this time of the year, 
September, employment at farm labor is at its peak. 

In December and January, less than one million farm laborers 
are employed. The farm workers who migrate in search of employ-
ment are approximately one million. They work principally in the 
cotton, fruit, vegetable and sugar beet industry. 

Mr. Henry LeBlanc of the Texas Employment Commission is 
here to tell us who these migratory workers fire, what they do, and 
where they go. 

Mr. LeBlanc. 

LEBLANC: Thank you. Our economy today demands a migra-
tion of a large number to meet the seasonal produc-

tion needs in agriculture. The increase in mechanization and the 
decline in farm population causes the need for migratory labor. 
This need becomes essential in the harvest season and without this 
labor many crops would be lost. Much of the investment and effort 
put into the food crops by producers and processors would be 
sacrificed and the crop bills would not be met. In order to avoid 
these losses the migratory farm laborer is employed. 

He is a worker whose principal income is earned in farm em-
ployment and who in the course of a year's work moves one or more 
times to several areas in one state or to several states. You have 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN MIGRATORY LABOR 41 

heard it is estimated that, during the harvest season in the United 
States, the migrant labor force is composed of a million persons. 
In addition to this number there are approximately three and a 
quarter million people not living on farms who do seasonal farm work 
locally but do not migrate to other areas. Actually to meet the 
seasonal need it is also necessary to use citizens of the United 
States, Puerto Rico, Bahamans, Jamaicans, and Mexican nationals; 
there never seems to be enough farm labor. These workers engage in 
all types of agricultural activities. 

The majority of workers required in the migratory movement 
have their origin in states along the Atlantic seaboard, in the south-
western areas of Texas, in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Arizona, and 
in southern California. 

There are three major migratory movements, identified as the 
eastern, central and western province. 

The eastern province is the movement along the Atlantic sea-
board from Florida to Maine, in which it is estimated that about 
45,000 people engage. 

The central province representing the migration which origin-
ates in the southwest, primarily from Texas, fans out over the north-
western and north central areas of the United States from Oregon 
to Ohio. This migration involves about 125,000 people with some 
85,000 from Texas. The western province originates primarily in 
Southern California but includes migrants from Arizona, Oklahoma, 
and Texas, and continues northward to Oregon and Washington. In 
this migration about 40,000 are involved. 

On November 1 most of the migratory workers have returned 
to their homes. Some of the Texas migrants, on their way home, 
harvest crops in Missouri, Mississippi and Arkansas. 

However, the larger proportion of these workers upon returning 
to Texas join local migratory workers in the cotton harvest which is 
carried on in the western part of the state. While the 85,000 Texas 
workers have moved to the Northern states, another 80,000 to 
100,000 Texas workers migrate to engage in seasonal agricultural 
activities but restrict the area of their migration to Texas alone. 

These workers are primarily from the southern and eastern 
parts of the state. Normally, the first of the year finds them in their 
home areas. 

In fact, in southern Texas, the fruit , vegetable harvest and 
f ru i t processing are the chief operations in the winter, and employ-
ment is provided by these activities. 

In east Texas the workers are usually supported through the 
winter by large farmers and by doing farm work on small farms and 
in small communities. 



42 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

In the spring, the cotton chopping which progresses through 
other sections of the state until July produces a small migration, 
but the cotton harvest which starts in July involves the largest 
number of migrants. The cotton harvest progresses through the 
states and continues i nto December in west Texas. Following the 
completion of the cotton harvest, the vegetable season in south Texas 
is in full force and the annual migration cycle begins anew. 

RADTKE: Thank you, Mr. LeBlanc. Now Father Riley, you 
have had contact with many of these people, while 

they are on the road; could you describe the conditions of life and 
work which you have seen? 

RILEY: Well Father, I would like to limit my remarks to the 
conditions which prevail among migratory workers 

in west Texas, especially in the cotton fields. Let us take the hours 
of work; almost with the rising of the sun, the migrant workers 
bundle themselves picnic style into their trucks and venture out into 
the cotton fields. 

From 'home-base' the distance varies from five to 15 and some-
times as high as 20 miles. Their hours of work depend upon the 
workers themselves. They punch no time clock, they arrive and leave 
more or less at will depending, first, on the distance back home from 
the fields, or for how long they can endure the work before weariness 
or fatigue slows them down. 

Their day's work would extend from six in the morning to four 
or five in the evening. 

Now in regard to their wages, these are not standard by any 
means. From county to county, from season to season, it is variable. 
Let us take the cotton; it is dependent upon two factors—the amount 
of cotton to be picked and the number of hands available to 
manage it. One farmer for example may, because of an urgency, 
offer a higher wage than the prevailing one, in that particular area, 
and this may tend to raise the standard. Or when an entire area has 
a bumper crop as in 1950, the necessity of gathering it in before a 
complete loss, tends to raise the wages. 

From season to season the wage is more or less dependent upon 
the prevalent fixed price for the cotton. Hence the migratory 
worker's wage for picking cotton may vary from $.50 to $2.00 for 
100 pounds, vary, too, according to the amount and the speed with 
which the cotton is picked. During the harvest season the amount 
of cotton picked ranges between 300 and 500 pounds a day. So in a 
ratio from a minimum to a maximum the migratory laborer's earn-
ings range from about $3.00 to $12.00 a day. 

NoW, as to the question of housing and sanitation. Almost 
without exception, these are simply primitive and almost shocking 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN MIGRATORY LABOR 43 

shacks. They are a menace to both physical and moral health. Take 
the labor camp and on-the-jpb housing. At the labor camp where 
the workers congregate upon coming into a new area the place is 
almost cattle-like, and many different families will occupy a place 
that does not provide healthy living for even one family. 

Bathing, cooking, laundry facilities do not exist at all; or almost 
without exception are unhealthy, unworthy to be fit for human 
beings. And in on-the-job housing, these are on the sites where the 
migrant will find work. The local farmer usually provides this 
housing, and in some instances conditions are very good, but in the 
vast majority of cases they can be alluded to as simply rundown 
shacks, hardly able to keep out the rain and the cold. 

The migrants roam from one job to another, following the crops 
like nomads. They remain in one spot only until the crop is finished 
and then the family must pack themselves and their belongings into 
their trucks for another two or three days stay in another spot in 
the same area. Whenever the work of an entire area is finished, the 
season over, the migratory farmers pack themselves into their 
trucks, their destination many times off into the distant states, 
either back home or to another crop. 

In both instances, home is on wheels. Their bed is either the 
floor-boards of the truck or down beneath, the food is meager, and 
on the long -stretch, gasoline and food bills eat up a good deal of 
their savings. I would say that these conditions are hardly pro-
ductive of a healthy and educated citizenry. 

BADTKE: Thank you, Father Riley. Along our Mexican border 
stretching for sixteen hundred miles from Texas to 

California, many Mexican citizens cross the line illegally and swell 
the farm labor supply. In 1950 this "wetback" traffic reached an all 
time high, estimated between 500,000 and 600,000, sometimes as 
high as 1,000,000. 

Mr. Ted Aanstoos can give us some data on this phase of the 
migratory labor problem. 

AANSTOOS: Father, the "wetback" invasion became intensified 
during the genuine shortage of the war years when 

American employers, despite their compunction employed them pro-
fusely. Continued usage has given employers a sense of rightful 
domain over this contraband labor, and caused an unprecedented 
flow last year of approximately 1,000,000 "wetbacks," estimated 
conservatively. 

Generally speaking, this condition is a result of the most abrupt 
clash of economic standards found anywhere in the world. Another 
product of the war time shortage of labor, was our first agreement 
with Mexico for the procurement of legal farm help for the United 



44 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

States. In accord with the agreement, recently renewed on a short 
time basis, the United States government plays an additional role as 
legal guardian of the Mexican worker, by guaranteeing employment 
for the term of their contract. 

Depending on variable factors it is estimated that 100,000 to 
150,000 Mexican nationals would be contracted for work in the 
United State's agricultural industry under this agreement. As 
regards the original agreement, Mexico remained steadfast in her 
refusal to send Mexican nationals into communities where there is 
discrimination against them. The Mexican government has also 
taken a stand that legislation designed especially for the "wetback" 
is a prerequisite for future renewal of this agreement. Due to the 
seasonal and the temporary characteristics of their employment, 
these people, especially the "wetback," who works continually in a 
state of intimidation, seldom encounter adequate housing, sanitation, 
educational or recreational facilities; and the argument has been 
advanced that they seriously impair the wage structure to the detri-
ment of the community. 

I t logically follows that the domestic migration is primarily a 
result of displacement. One fifth of the population of Texas, is com-
posed of people of Hispano-Indian descent; for decades they have 
made an earnest and respectable attempt to qualify for assimilation 
into our democratic society. This process has been retarded drastic-
ally by presence of those having marked differences in their physical 
characteristics, customs and speech. None-the-less, we avail our-
selves of whatever utility this horde possesses, right or wrong. 

Should we ignore the inherent responsibility? These people 
are not essentially nomadic, but rather are victims of circumstance, 
and finding themselves confronted with an utterly strange environ-
ment, where their psychology and set of values are inapplicable they 
become as defenseless as lost sheep. And is it not said, "What one 
of you that has a hundred sheep, and if he shall lose one of them, 
doth he no go forth, af ter that which is lost, until he find i t?" 

RADTKE: Thank you, Mr. Aanstoos. Dr. Carlos Castaneda, 
you have had first hand experience with the prob-

lems of workers during the last war as an official of the Federal Fair 
Employment Practices Commission—let's hear your views on the 
matter of the migratory worker. 

CASTANEDA: Father, "who is the migrant worker," has been 
explained. But in Texas the migrant worker is the 

American citizen of Mexican descent primarily, and the Negro, who 
like the "wetback" every year leaves home and goes to help others 
across the Southwest and in other states, even as f a r as the beetfields 
of Michigan. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN MIGRATORY LABOR 45 

He is in the same position as the displaced person; the social 
security legislation does not protect him; he is a non-resident in 
every community. Public health facilities are refused or grudgingly 
given; and public welfare agencies have adopted the policy of giving 
him little or less than that which is alloted. 

The "wetback" has been mentioned several times. The "wet-
back" is a part of the social-economic situation peculiar to our 
present day. The Mexican national, like the laboring class of many 
countries throughout the world, longs for an opportunity to work 
for wages payable in American dollars. Other workers find it very 
difficult and often impossible to enter the United States because of 
the physical difficulty of reaching its border. The Mexican national 
has but to cross the river, a river that, although called "Grande," is 
fordable during all seasons of the year throughout its entire course 
from Brownsville to El Paso. In New Mexico, Arizona, and 
California there is but a flimsy fence to keep the Mexican national 
from the promised land. 

That he has no status, that if he were caught he would be 
deported, makes no difference to him. He is willing to take chances 
and to run the risk. He is truly a pathetic figure, heartlessly exploit-
ed by the employer in this country who knows that he is helpless. 

Numerical statistics? Almost an impossibility; one can guess 
at the number; only those who are caught and deported can be 
counted. When the employer, who will pay twenty-five cents or less 
an hour, needs them no more, the Immigration officials gather* about 
one out of ten for deportation as illegal immigrants. Estimates vary 
from 500,000 to 1,000,000. These laborers compete against native 
workers in all kinds of unskilled labor in the fields, and af ter the 
harvest season many drif t to the urban areas for any unskilled job 
they can get. 

In this manner they retard, demoralize, and lower the standard 
of living for our American citizens and become an added burden 
to our welfare agencies. South Texas in particular is the victim of 
this unrestricted, uncontrolled invasion of hungry, anxious human 
beings, who blindly follow the will-o'-the-wisp of the American dollar 
to the benefit of large farm owners at the expense of the American 
public and to the detriment of American laborers in our fa i r land. 

RADTKE: Thank you, Dr. Castaneda. The migratory laborers 
in the United States are our American "D.P.'s." 

They are 1,000,000 people who cannot help themselves. The majority 
of them are citizens but they have no rights. They are wanted only 
when farm employers need stoop laborers. Immediately when that 
work is done, we say "Move on, you sons of misfortune!" The 
majority of them are good people, honest people, looking for work 
in order to earn an honest dollar. And believe me, you earn your 



46 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

two or three dollars under the hot sun picking a hundred pounds of 
cotton, or hoeing an acre of beets. 

My hat is off to those good people in our labor union movement 
who were instrumental in getting President Truman to appoint a 
five-man commission to study and report on the conditions in 
migratory Tabor. The report and recommendations of the President's 
Commission on Migratory Labor is available at the U. S. Government 
Printing Office for $.75. 

This report declares that there is no need for alien laborers in 
the U. S.; that legislation is badly needed to correct the abuses 
which abound in migratory labor; that a Federal Committee on 
Migratory -Farm Labor be appointed to assist, coordinate, and 
stimulate the various agencies of the government in their activities 
and policies relating to migratory farm labor. I think we can all 
perform a Christian act of charity by asking our President and 
congressional representatives to carry out the recommendations of 
the President's Commission on migratory labor. 

There are other favorable slants to the picture on migratory 
labor. In the area of Saginaw, Michigan, during the beet-growing 
season, thousands of Texans are working in the fields. The Church 
there carries on a program of catechetical instruction, medical 
assistance, recreation and social welfare for these people. In the 
Red River Valley in western Minnesota the Church has for years 
conducted summer schools to give the migrant children at least some 
semblance of an education. In 1945 sixteen Bishops of the southwest 
formed the Bishops' Committee for the Spanish Speaking. This 
Committee maintains a regional office to study the problem and 
promote the welfare of the migrant workers in the southwest. This 
year in the area of Corpus Christi, Texas, where we were located, 
we succeeded in getting the cooperation of the Chambers of Com-
merce in five cities with a plan based on the idea of welcoming the 
cotton-pickers into our cities as visitors, providing them sanitation 
and recreational facilities, and furnishing them a special bulletin of 
information about the area. Any city can copy this plan. 

ANNCR: Thank you, Father Radtke, we will have a summary 
in just a moment on the discussion you have just 

heard entitled, "Christian Social Action in Migratory Labor." The 
National Council of Catholic Men is pleased to make available printed 
copies of this discussion and the summary that follows. For your 
free copy simply drop a letter or postcard to the National Council of 
Catholic Men, Washington 5, D. C., or to your favorite ABC station. 

Now for perhaps one question, Father Radtke, and then our 
summary. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN MIGRATORY LABOR 47 

RADTKE: Mr. LeBlanc, you are very familiar with the recom-
mendations of the President's Commission on 

Migratory Labor, which of these do you consider of prime impor-
tance? 

LEBLANC: Father Radtke, I believe the first recommendation, 
that a permanent commission should be appointed; 

I believe this because the changes involved will take a long time, but 
these things cannot be accomplished rapidly, and coordination of 
various government agencies is a good starting point. 

RADTKE: Father Riley, how is it possible for the migratory 
workers to live up to their religious obligations? 

RILEY: It is becoming very difficult for those away from 
their home parishes to observe the regular hours of 

church. These migratory laborers will often fall off from their 
religious practices. 

ANNCR: Now Father Radtke; we will hear our summary of 
today's discussion. 

RADTKE: Of the 4% million farm workers in the United 
States 1,000,000 are migratory. Some of them 

travel thousands of miles in trucks and old cars to find work in 
agriculture. They work principally in cotton, fruits, vegetables and 
sugar beets. 

The wages for migratory laborers are low. The work is seasonal 
and unsteady. Very few migrant families can earn enough to keep 
their children in school. Children work in the fields along with their 
parents. Housing accommodations, sanitary and laundry facilities 
are f a r below standard where they exist. Overcrowding is common-
place. In many places migrant workers live in tents and out in the 
open under the trees. Undernourishment, overwork, disease and 
death are ordinary companions of the migrant labor force. Tuber-
culosis and infant mortality have a high incidence. 

Along the Mexican border approximately half a million illegal 
immigrants swell the labor force and keep the unorganized workers 
in peonage. The wages offered in this area are commonly called 
"slave-labor" wages. The invasion of the "wetbacks" is a major 
factor in retarding the progress of citizen labor and community life 
in our states that border on Mexico. 

The new international agreement with Mexico gives some of the 
Mexican workers a legal status in the country—but the President's 
Commission on Migratory Labor declares there is no need for 
foreign workers if we would utilize our unemployed labor force. Of 
course, that means paying an honest living wage. 



48 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

Legislation and social security laws have passed over the 
migrant workers. Public aid and public facilities are generally 
denied him because he is non-resident where he works. Oftentimes 
his color alone is the cause of segregation, discrimination, and 
ostracism. We have laws governing the treatment of cattle in 
transit and societies organized to protect animals from human cruel-
ty but we have no laws or organized societies to protect the migrant 
worker. He can be exploited at will. 

The recommendations of the President's Commission on Migra-
tory Labor are excellent. As Christians we have a duty to tell our 
President and congressmen that we want these recommendations to 
become a part of the law of our country. 

There is great room for improvement in our cities and towns 
where migrants are working. Christian society has a Christian duty 
here of welcoming the stranger and providing for him at least the 
necessities for health and decent family living. 

ANNCR: Thank you, Father Radtke. You have just heard 
a summary of today's discussion "Christian Social 

Action In Migratory Labor." 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN INTERRACIAL 
RELATIONS 

Address Delivered on October 7, 1951 

A discussion by the Rev. Daniel M. Cantwell, the Rev. John 
Owczarek, Sister Mary Ellen, Mr. Edward Kralovec, Mr. and Mrs. 
Charles Strubbe and Mr. Clifford Campbell. 

ANNOUNCER: Today's program presents a discussion, 
"Christian Social Action in Interracial 

Relations," featuring Sister Mary Ellen, author and teacher, Rosary 
College, River Forest, Illinois; Mr. Edward Kralovec, President, 
West Suburban Unit, Catholic Interracial Council of Chicago; Mrs. 
and Mrs. Charles Strubbe, members of the Christian Family Move-
ment; Mr. Clifford Campbell, Director, Dunbar Trade School, Chi-
cago; Rev. John Owczarek, Pastor, Holy Name of Mary Parish, 
Chicago, and Rev. Daniel M. Cantwell, Chaplain, Catholic Labor Alli-
ance, who will act as discussion leader. Now here is Fr. Cantwell 
to begin the discussion. 

FR. CANTWELL: It is really good to be here this morning 
with this group to discuss what, for me, 

is a very practical problem. My problem is this. It came to me this 
way. A man came to me and asked why all this talk about a more 
Christian attitude toward colored people. "Why all the fuss and 
bother," he said. "I don't see anything to be worried about do you?" 
Well I'll grant that this question more or less took me by surprise 
and more or less took my wind. I tried to answer him as best I 
could but I am wondering this morning if you could help me with 
the job of answering a question like that. So far as those who are 
with me today, such people with such wide fields of experience, I 
suppose I could just get a pretty good answer. 

MR. STRUBBE: Well, I suspect Father you have already 
told him what we could tell you but if 

you want we can give it a try. 
What about this race relations problem? 
Well, the first thing that comes into my mind is some of the 

doings around the Chicago area not so long ago. I also recall the 
headlines about the race riots around Israel. All over the world you 
know the Constitution of the United States is extremely low on this 
question to me. We really put ourselves up as the so-called cham-
pion of Democracy, we stand before the world as the people who 



50 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

believe that all men are created equal. The point we are extremely 
low on the ladder is that we don't really act as though we believe 
people are created equal. It 's a point that the Soviet Union broad-
casts around the world. 

MRS. STRUBBE: I'd like to back up my husband on this 
point. A friend of ours recently returned 

from a trip to India and he said that af ter one of these race 
riots in Chicago he was ashamed to be seen on the streets. People 
used to come up to him and say so you're an American; you're sup-
posed to be a great believer in democracy; you're the ones that are 
going to save us from Communism. It's enough to make us ashamed 
of ourselves. 

Well, what do you tell a man who says "so what" to things like 
this interracial prejudice? 

SISTER MARY ELLEN:In my position as a teacher, Father, 
I don't meet many people who are quite 

•so blatant as that but I think that you're right. I see the reason 
and I don't see what Americans have to be so proud about. After all 
more than two-thirds of the people of the world are colored. This 
includes the negro, the Mongol, the East Indians, the Arabs, and 
others. If all of these people are convinced that we, as Americans, 
hate all colored people he'll believe what he believes in case of an all 
out war. 

MR. KRALOVEC: I've spent some time in the service so I 
think I know how the fellows in uniform 

feel. Something we can't forget is how can we expect our colored 
Americans to fight for democracy abroad when we don't have democ-
racy at home. 

MR. CAMPBELL: You happened to hit the nail on the head 
there Ed. It can really eat a man's heart 

out. You read about the Indian who was killed in action in Korea, 
and then was refused a decent burial back home. That kind of thing 
goes on in many different ways. Well, how about Father Owczarek? 
You are a Pastor in Chicago. So fa r you have been sitting there very 
quietly? How did Ed and Charlie and Clifford size themselves ud 
to you? 

FR. OWCZAREK: What they said, of course was very true. 
But it doesn't go far enough. 

FR. CANTWELL: What do you mean Father Owczarek, it 
doesn't go far enough? 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN INTERRACIAL RELATIONS 51 

FR. OWCZAREK: Well, I think it does go fa r but it doesn't 
go f a r enough. Do you really believe that 

what we've said so fa r explains why we shouldn't discriminate 
against the Negro. 

MR. STRUBBE: I know there are more good reasons 
Father, and here is one we haven't come 

to yet. I am in business and I know all those of us who are in 
commerce, for example, are conducting a campaign in this matter. 
They're coaching all employees to help qualify negroes and also 
other workers in minority groups. As I recall the matter was con-
sidered good business. I run on the basis of merit and not just on 
color. 

FR. CANT WELL: What about it Mr. Campbell is that true? 

MR. CAMPBELL: That's very true Father and there are 
more minority groups jumping into im-

portant jobs that formerly were reserved for whites only. They 
are being hired on the basis of performance. Yes, it is good business 
that the large industries are accepting the importance of the worker 
being able to perform skillfully on the job. 

FR. CANTWELL: But I still have my problem. I have this 
man who came to me. You've offered me 

so fa r now arguments from international relations, from economics. 
I t isn't good business to discriminate. But I still want to know if 
that is all that I can tell this man? 

MR. KRALOVEC: I think I know what you are driving at 
Father. I think Father Owczarek should 

give us his ideas but first let me present some views of a Catholic 
layman who hasn't thought much ab(Jut the trade question. We 
have a factory worker. The Superintendent hires a negro to do 
the job next to me, and as you probably know negroes and whites 
are working side by side in many plants in both the North and the 
South. O.K., so f a r so good. But yet I don't like the idea and I 
am going to do my best to start trouble. But before I do I go and 
see you Father Owczarek and you take over from there. 

FR. OWCZAREK: I would try to reason with you in many 
ways Ed. But somewhere along the line 

I'd give it to you with both barrels. 

FR. CANTWELL: You know Father I heard you say some-
thing the other day on St. John. I "for-

get what it was. Father I'd suggest quoting St. John to the indi-



52 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

vidual. "If any man says I love God and hates his brother he is a 
liar." 

FR. OWCZAREK: Right. And St. John goes on to say 
"How can he who does not love his 

brother say he seems to love God whom he does not see. And this 
commandment we have from God that he who loves God should 
love his brother also." 

MR. CAMPBELL: I'm afraid all of us know just about what 
we have already said and what Christ 

said. A person can get so wrapped up in things that he forgets 
what counts most. He forgets to ask himself am I living my life 
the way God wants me too. 

MR. STRUBBE: I believe some people might say but what 
has that got to do with the negro ques-

tion? 

FR. OWCZAREK: It 's got everything to do with the negro 
question. I wonder how many people have 

read Our Lord's own description of the last Judgment. It would be 
an eye-opener to them to learn just how He will separate the sheep 
from the goats and how he will send certain men -to Heaven and 
certain men to Hell. Just let me recall to you the words that He 
will tell those who are bound for Heaven. "Come Blessed of my 
Father take possession of the Kingdom prepared for you since the 
foundation of the world." And he goes on to tell them . . . "for I was 
hungry and you gave me to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me to 
drink, I was naked and you covered me, I was sick and you visited 
me, I was in prison and you came to me." Christ said that people will 
ask, "Lord when did we feed thee when you were hungry or when 
You were thirsty and give you drink." Then come the words which 
give us the heart of Christian doctrine on brotherhood. "Amen, 
Amen I say to you as long as you did it for one of these, the least of 
my brethren, you did it for me." 

MRS. STRUBBE: Yes, Father but let's not forget what 
comes af ter that. Remember that Christ 

said: "There will be some who got this standard and the odd pieces 
and to these He will say Depart from Me 0 cursed ones into ever-
lasting fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels." 

Here, in the best possible language, we have the message that 
how we treat our fellow men will determine whether we ourselves 
are going toward heaven or to hell. 

FR. CANT WELL: Well, all right now. So far, I think it's 
pretty clear. As Christians we have a 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN INTERRACIAL RELATIONS 53 

responsibility to respect the dignity of all mankind regardless of 
their skin color. 

MRS. STRUBBE: Well, that 's very true, Father but there 
are a lot of people, a lot of our friends 

and acquaintances some with whom we work, who aren't at all aware 
of that responsibility. 

FR. CANTWELL: Now there are two methods to that 
problem today. There are organizations 

that are making an extra hard drive and putting out an extra eifort 
to make known the Christian teaching on race. Maybe, through your 
own experience Sister Mary Ellen, you could oiFer some examples 
of this kind of activity. 

SISTER MARY ELLEN: Probably Father, you refer to some 
very significant groups working for 

interracial understanding. For example, the Friendship Houses 
which do this kind of work in Chicago, New York City, Canada, 
Portland, Oregon, and Washington, D. C. Besides that there are a 
number of Martin de Porres Centers. And, of course, we all know 
about the Catholic Interracial Councils in all of our larger cities. 
And then, besides, there are some smaller groups and a number of 
individual groups who are giving a great deal of time and eifort 
towards interracial justice. 

MR. CAMPBELL: I'd like to add to your list, Sister, the 
Catholic Committee of the South which 

has done a great deal. 

SISTER MARY ELLEN: And we ought not to forget the Collegiate 
group of the South which published re-

cently a very significant article in The Catholic World, if you 
remember. 

MR. CAMPBELL: Yes, I do. 

FR. CANTWELL: A great article. I remember seeing that 
myself. I would still like to ask all of 

you some practical kind of advice that you have found helpful to a 
man in your experience. Father, how do we go about getting more 
Christian attitudes on race relations right into the home. I think 
maybe Mr. and Mrs. Strubbe, you can help us on this point. 

MRS. STRUBBE: Well, we can talk about this in a small 
way because our family is still small. I 

think one that is very simple and yet a very successful device is to 
give little children the Christian teaching on the question of race. 



54 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

For example, we know that one of the wise men was a negro so we 
can see to it that our children learn about that. We can tell them how 
happy Our Lord was to show Himself to members of all races and 
not just to white people. We can tell them, for example, stories of 
the different things, the negro things. We can have a statue or a 
picture of Blessed Martin de Porres. We can always emphasize in 
the stories that we tell them the accomplishments and the great 
names, the artists, the scientists, of other races. I think that will 
do a lot to teach children the right attitude towards people who are 
not the same color as we are. 

FR. CANTWELL: You mean that it's not the truth then to 
say that we are born with prejudices. 

MRS. STRUBBE: Oh, not at all. Very little children do not 
know these things. It 's when they come 

in contact with prejudiced parents or relatives or next door children 
that they pick up all the prejudices which are increased every year. 
And that's what we as parents have to work against. 

MR. STRUBBE: I'd like to add this by way of supporting 
my wife. It's something that I have been 

doing for some time. It 's perfectly all right and it's perfectly possible 
for a good Christian family to try to establish these proper attitudes 
in the home by using all sorts of little devices from the time the 
children are very small. As I say Father, they don't have these 
prejudices when they are children. But the second they go outside 
of the family into an ordinary community they are going to en-
counter prejudice. One of the greatest mistakes we as parents make 
is to assume that if we simply give them good example in the home 
it's going to be enough. It 's not going to be enough. We have to give 
them the good example of not being prejudiced ourselves, not having 
any intolerance in ourselves. But I think we have to let that carry 
over and tell them exactly why it is that we don't have this prejudice. 
The moment they encounter prejudice outside of the home, for in-
stance in the neighbor's children, we have to tell them specifically 
why those neighbor's children are wrong and why the attitudes they 
have encountered in the home are the right ones. 

FR. CANTWELL: I notice Mr. Campbell is squirming over 
there probably because you think busi-

ness and industry has got something to do with this question. 

MR. CAMPBELL: Well, Father I think they have. I t seems 
to me there is a great need for the real-

ization of what general employment practices mean to minority 
groups. A decent job can mean the difference between hope and des-



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN INTERRACIAL RELATIONS 55 

pair for a man and his family. Many of my graduates have told me 
that they never knew what American democracy really meant until 
they got jobs that matched their abilities and training. 

FR. CANTWELL: As I understand, Mr. Campbell and I am 
sure all our-friends would like to know, 

you are the director of the Dunbar Trade School. 

MR. CAMPBELL: That's right Father. 

FR. CANTWELL: And you train young people preparing for 
jobs in special skills. Maybe at this point 

you could tell us a little about the good effects of that kind training. 

MR. CAMPBELL: Father, about ten years ago we began to 
offer a program in the Chicago public 

schools at Dunbar for the people of the community, a kind of train-
ing that would give them the fields to compete in industry for skilled 
jobs. That program has paid off. When they are given the oppor-
tunity to compete on an equitable basis with other workers the 
students do well. They do not meet with the things that we ordin-
arily associate with prejudice and discrimination. 

FR. CANTWELL: Good. They are given training as well as 
an equal opportunity. I'm glad that you 

mentioned that idea. Mr. Kralovec, you helped, as I understand, to 
organize the West Suburban group of the Catholic Interracial 
Council. Suppose you tell us a few things about it. That's a type of 
an organizational activity, too. 

MR. KRALOVEC: Well, Father I guess this group opened 
the eyes of a lot of us. We were surprised 

at the un-Christian attitudes in some of our neighbors which we 
never expected and as Catholics we felt an obligation to do some-
thing about it. So at that time we formed this organization as the 
means of getting across to our neighbors the teachings of the 
Church and our duties of social justice to our neighbors regardless 
of color. 

FR. CANTWELL : Mrs. Strubbe you have something to add. 

MRS. STRUBBE: Speaking of neighbors reminded me of 
one more thing which I think the ordin-

ary housewife can do, and that is in conversation with our neighbors. 
Topics do come up which are connected with this race question and 
I know a lot of us shy away from them. We think we should discuss 
nothing more important than the weekly laundry on the rack. I 
think here we have a chance for tremendous example for informal 



56 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

speaking with our neighbors, giving Christian attitudes on the 
race question and showing by our example and by our knowledge 
that we are working on the side of Christ and the Church. 

FR. CANTWELL: Most people, I'm afraid, have really never 
heard the attitudes to our neighbors 

which we think we have to utter. They acquire them. Everybody 
does it, everybody says it, so I must do it. Go shopping 'and we 
will hardly meet one individual who will say something that runs 
counter to the prevailing ideas. 

MR. KRALOVEC: That's partly because even when people 
do have the right attitude they feel that 

it is something which they have to keep to themselves or become 
personally objectionable to their' neighbor. You don't talk about 
politics and religion. That's the idea, and I'd like to know why. I 
mean these are the most important things in my life and it seems to 
me that they are the things that are worth talking about. As long 
as I talk about them in good will and don't antagonize anybody, it 
seems to me that this is the most effective area any of us can do 
any good work in. 

FR. CANTWELL: Sister Mary Ellen, before we run out of 
our time here, I know we could spend all 

evening discussing this problem, but I think we ought to go back 
again to the schools. What about our schools? 

SISTER MARY ELLEN: The Christian teacher, under no circum-
stances whatsoever, dares to overlook or 

neglect the strict duty to promote interracial understanding and 
justice. This does not only pertain to those teachers who may be 
occupied solely with subject matter which may be explicitly applied 
to Christian doctrine and Apologetics. In any phase and subject of 
the curriculum from the nursery school and the kindergarten to the 
professional and graduate school any misunderstandings must be 
exploded and deleted. Because of our relations with all people, our 
brothers in the Fatherhood of God, our co-members in the Mystical 
Body of Christ, justice crys out and demands that the truth be un-
veiled in history, in literature, in the fine arts and in the natural 
sciences particularly in the biological and medical course. The teach-
ers of ethics, economics, and sociology must deal, and honestly, with 
all the immoral practices which uphold convenants, segregation in 
Church, education and recreation, inadequate payment for labor, 
discrimination for hiring or any circumstances whatsoever where 
human rights and human dignity is outraged. 

FR. CANTWELL: Father, just for a moment I think we 
should get back to what individual people 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN INTERRACIAL RELATIONS 57 

can do. You told me the other day of something a young lady had 
done that I thought was awfully good. Would you repeat that story? 

FR. OWCZAREK: Negroes were moving into a certain 
section and one of the women of the 

block was going from house to house asking of every house owner 
to refuse to sell to colored. And when she came to this young lady 
the young lady just gave her a very nice talking to on how utterly un-
christian and uncharitable and wrong she was. And the woman was 
really flabergasted to find someone who believed in racial justice 
and believed that there should be no segregation. 

FR. CANTWELL: Well, now before we close this off what 
can you and I as priests do? 

FR. OWCZAREK: As an example, when the colored began 
coming into this parish and you heard a 

lot of rumblings from the people, the chief altar boy who is a colored 
boy was at the head of a procession and carried the cross. With a few 
remarks he changed the attitude of the people and no tension was 
there. 

FR. CANTWELL: At the same time we have numerous 
opportunities from the pulpit to teach 

haven't we. We teach, of course, by example, we teach by work, but 
the more and more that we can do this day to solve this problem to 
create better racial attitudes, the better job we are doing for Christ. 

SUMMARY 

There has been an estimation that racial discrimination costs 
this nation two billion dollars a year. That's right, two billion dollars. 
This calculation is based on the production we lose by failing to 
utilize all our qualified manpower regardless of race, color or creed. 
The case against discrimination amounts to much more than two 
billion dollars a year. That after all is a drop in the bucket. The real 
case against racial discrimination as we have all been saying is 
that it is morally wrong. As Archbishop Lucey of San Antonio, Texas 
says: "Racial discrimination hurts not only the negro but also the 
white man." Discrimination, as he puts it, hurts the white man's 
conscience because he remembers that what you do to the least of 
your brethren you do to Christ. The idea of a segregated Christ 
seems like a blasphemy to Him. Archbishop Lucey goes on to say 
in regard to our redemption "Does the color of a child's skin make 
any difference ?" When Christ referred to the least of His brethren 
as representing Him did He mean to exclude the colored child and 



58 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

the Latin American? Is it not Catholic doctrine that when a brother 
is excluded and segregated it is Christ who is insulted and humiliat-
ed ? So that then, as Archbishop Lucey has said, is the reason why we 
must treat all men regardless of color as brothers. To do otherwise 
is to sin. To subject negroes to what some people call their own 
justice, to keep them out of a certain job, to segregate in any way. 
This, it seems to me, is to sin against justice and to sin against 
Christian love. Last year in Vatican City the Fides news agency of 
the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith issued a 
report on the Negro in the United States. This report answers some 
wrong—those who say negroes and whites must be kept apart in 
order to maintain peace. Let me quote directly from the report. I t 
says that attempts are made to justify segregation by saying that 
it produces peace and harmony by keeping separate people who would 
otherwise be unconscious. Let's acknowledge the fact that separation 
itself is the principle cause of prejudice. Those are the words that 
separation itself is the principle cause of prejudice. How is this so 
and in what reasonable aspect? By segregation you put up an arti-
ficial wall between man and man. This artificial wall creates dis-
trust. You don't get to know each other as people, as human beings, 
as individuals made in the image and likeness of God. You judge 
each man not by his words and deeds but by his skin color. In recent 
years, more and more Americans have realized that racial prejudice 
is immoral and they've acted accordingly. Schools in all parts of the 
country are dropping racial restrictions. The Knights of Columbus 
in San Antonio, Texas recently initiated three negro members. The 
Benedictine Order has established an inter-racial monastery in 
Southwestern Kentucky. The Chicago Daily News is hiring a negro 
reporter. These are just some of the examples of the fact that human 
brotherhood is-not just a faraway idea but a reality that we can 
and must achieve in our daily lives. So more and more of us in the 
United States must act in the spirit of God's advice to St. Cather-
ine of Sienna. "I will put you beside your neighbor," God told St. 
Catherine, "so that you can do for him what you cannot do for me." 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN RURAL LIFE 

Address Delivered on October 14, 1951 

A discussion by the Rev. William J. Gibbons, S.J., Mr. Henry T. 
Broderick, Mrs. Roman Smith, Mr. Joseph J. Trainer and Miss Margaret 
I. Rooney. 

FR. GIBBONS: When the American Revolution took place 
90% of our people were farmers. Less than 

10% lived in the cities in that day. Today over half our popula-
tion lives in cities and the larger towns. The rest live either in 
villages or the open country. Only a little over 12 or 13% of our 
people earn their living as full time farmers. This shift away from 
the land as a fine resource of livelihood has been helpful in that it 
made America productive. We should not underestimate the major 
importance of the land and those that till it and we must realize 
that the God-given natural resources of the soil have to be cared 
for by all of us and not just by the farmers. Families should not 
be crowded in the cities but should be spread out and that requires 
industry to be spread out and social services should be available to 
all our people in rural as well as city areas. I am going to ask 
Commissioner Broderick to say something to us about the import-
ance of the land that God has given us. 

COMM. BRODERICK: Thank you Father Gibbons. When the 
pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock little did 

they realize the vast continent that lay before them. In a little 
over three hundred years, that vast expanse of land has become the 
greatest nation on earth. Today we stand in the forefront as the 
beacon light of humanity, the mecca that the rest of the world 
looks to for succor and substance. To stay in the forefront we 
must preserve that heritage and we must protect our soil. Whether 
we live in the metropolis of a great city, in some distant hamlet of 
the great Northwest or in a modest country home in the blue hills 
of my native Massachusetts we are joined by a common bond. We 
have both a moral and social duty to preserve for our posterity the 
soil upon which we live. This great country of ours with its great 
plains, its rolling hillsides and its pleasant valleys, this land of 
ours gives us our food, our water supply, our recreation and a place 
to live under the sun and sky. We must know the land. We must 
use it intelligently and wisely so we can formulate a sound social 
Christian policy and to safeguard our future existence. 



60 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

FR. GIBBONS: Thank you Mr. Broderick. I agree with you 
that land is one of the most important 

teachers of American life today and its protection is a most urgent 
duty of all of us. But the people who live on the land are in a 
sense even more important and for that reason I am going to ask 
Mrs. Roman Smith who is a farmer's wife in South River, New 
Jersey, to say something to us about the family on the land. 

MRS. SMITH: Thank you Father. First I would like to say 
that I am very happy that my part on this 

program is that of a rural wife and mother. I have always been 
very enthusiastic about family life on the farm and in rural areas 
and I am becoming more so when I see how congested the cities are 
becoming. When I look back and remember all the gay happy young 
people that filled my home I am compelled to admit that I had many 
advantages raising that large family of nine children on the fa rm 
that my friends living in the city did not have. There are so many 
every day things that the farmer and the people living in rural 
areas need not give much thought to, and which today present 
great problems to the city dwellers. And they, consequently, are the 
subject of much discussion. Briefly the much discussed problem of 
space. We never have to worry about that. We have plenty of space 
—indoors and outdoors. Then air. For us that means the clean 
fresh smell of newly plowed earth, the fragrance of the pine woods 
and the breath of the four winds. For light we have the unob-
structed view of the sun, the moon, the stars and the beautiful sun-
rises and gorgeous sunsets. For good measure we have electric 
lighting too. Finally, according to the old American traditions of 
private enterprise we were fortunate as most rural people are to 
own something—our family type farm, a home, livestock and pets. 
And above all we have so much fun together. That is why I hold 
that the farm home and the rural home in general are especially 
adapted for establishing and maintaining a strong wholesome fam-
ily life. I agree wholeheartedly with the poet who calls that child 
blessed who is brought up on a farm and pities the child who is im-
prisoned by walls of city apartments and flaunting signs. From 
my own experience then I would urge all parents and would be 
parents to come back to the land, back to God. 

FR. GIBBONS: Thank you Mrs. Smith. I think you present-
ed that question of a family having space, 

light and air outside the crowded congested city very well. But it's 
not just the family but the workers on the land who are important 
and for that reason Mr. Trainer maybe you can say something to us 
about the labor on the land. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN RURAL LIFE 61 

MR. TRAINER: Father Gibbons I believe that a man who 
labors on a farm is probably the most for-

tunate man in America. He has independence and has developed 
the resourcefulness and the initiative that he must have to be pur-
chasing agent, salesman, treasurer and general manager of his own 
business. In contrast with his lot, however, I would say that my 
observation indicates that the migrant worker is probably worse 
off than any other man in this country. Comparing him for ex-
ample with the industrial employee. The industrial worker has em-
ployment the full year around, he has a permanent home and he has 
the chance to educate his children. The migrant worker has none 
of these. My f i rs t introduction to migrant workers came some 
years ago when I served upon a jury where we were trying a mi-
grant worker for killing one of his fellowmen. The scene of the 
crime was a house which once had been owned by an independent 
farmer and his family and where he and his family lived. When 
we saw it there were about half a dozen families living there, 
crowded together in such a way that crime was inevitable. I might 
say that that house is an ideal breeding place for murder and the 
crime that came out of it was just what would be expected. Al-
though all migrant workers do not have to live under those condi-
tions they certainly do for the most part have very bad conditions 
under which they must live. Not all fa rm workers of course, are 
migrant workers and generally speaking farm workers have more 
satisfactory living conditions than the city workers. You don't 
have to be smart to figure that one out. Just take a walk out to the 
zoo and you'll see there that the monkeys have more living space 
than the people who live in the cities. 

FR. GIBBONS: Well, Mr. Trainer I might have some reser-
vations as to whether all the rural people 

have the living conditions that you picture at times but I thorough-
ly agree with you that the lot of the migrant worker is a fertile 
field for social action at this time. Not only with regard to work-
ing conditions and living places, health and welfare of the children, 
but also with regard to their religious and spiritual well being. And 
that leads me to another question, mainly that of rural education. 
For this reason I am going to ask Miss Rooney, who has a back-
ground in that field to say something about- the importance of edu-
cation in rural areas. 

MISS ROONEY: Thank you Father Gibbons. We do have 
special problems in rural education. Our 

funds are meager. Most of our school buildings are inadequate. 
Our rural roads often are not easy to travel, our textbooks seem to 
be slanted to urbanize our youngsters. The teacher and the pupils 



62 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

will always be the important factors in every school however. To-
day we are apt to stress too much the physical aspects of education. 
If we can have teachers who themselves appreciate rural life and 
Us advantages we need not be overly anxious about our problems. 
No rural youth should leave the farm without a reasonable under-
standing of the advantages farm life has to offer. A good rural 
teacher will be sure that he has that understanding. 

FR. GIBBONS: Miss Rooney, from what you say I gather 
that it's your belief that the formation of 

rural youth is about one of the most important things in our coun-
try today, and since spiritual values and moral development is vital 
if our country is going to survive as the home of freedom and the 
service of God and man, what do you think about religious education 
and formation in rural areas? 

MISS ROONEY: If farm people are to remain firm in their 
religious life it is necessary not only that 

they be instructed in religion but even more that they be educated 
to a religious point of view. 

FR. GIBBONS: Well, I think that puts it very well and 1 
am going to turn back to Commissioner 

Broderick for a moment and ask him what he thinks about formu-
lating some principles of Christian Social Action with regard to the 
land. 

COMM. BRODERICK: Well, Father we have certain moral duties 
to use the land wisely. This is our steward-

ship so to speak. The future of our nation and the future of those 
who succeed us will depend on the kind of moral and social standards 
we ourselves employ in our daily lives. We have certain social 
duties. We must practice soil conservation, we must reforest the 
depleted woodlands. We must prevent the destruction of our forests 
through carelessness. We must protect our water supply. We must 
put all our land to suitable uses. The worker on the soil and his 
family have the f i rs t rights to the frui ts of their labor for a de-
cent standard of living. Rural people have the right to receive 
directly their just share of the economic, social and religious bene-
f i ts in their organized societies. The land is God's greatest material 
g i f t to mankind. No law or contract is superior to the Natural 
Law. Special adaptability of the fa rm home for nurturing 
strong and wholesome family life is the reason for universal inter-
est in land. A unique relationship exists between the families and 
the rotation of agriculture. It is not only our responsibility to make 
land available to the family but it is the responsibility of society to 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN RURAL LIFE 63 

encourage and educate the rural schools in the proper and most 
efficient use of the soil in such techniques which will make them 
masters of their own economic destinies. 

FR. GIBBONS: I quite agree with you Commissioner 
Broderick. I see Mrs. Smith over here is 

desirous of having something to say. What is it, Mrs. Smith? Is it 
anything about the family type farm? 

MRS. SMITH: Well, Father I think the family type of farm 
in our part of the country, New Jersey, 

would be a 60 acre farm because we raise mostly vegetables and 
frui t . Is that what you wanted to know? 

FR. GIBBONS: Well, yes. I do think the question that 
comes up very frequently is whether the 

family type farm is efficient. Those who have industrialized agri-
culture on a very large scale run by managers, etc. often point to 
the inefficiency of the small share cropper's farm. Now what do you 
think about that? 

MRS. SMITH: Well, Father I think the two man farms are 
most efficient and I think most of the farms 

in the United States are the family type farms. 

FR. GIBBONS: Well, I am glad to hear that. Have there 
been any surveys or studies made in this 

direction ? 

MRS. SMITH: Well, recently I noticed in the Farm Journal 
that 80% of the farms in the United States 

are family type farms. 

FR. GIBBONS: Well, what about their efficiency? 

MRS. SMITH: Well I suppose that would vary according 
to the acreage and the type of farming that 

is done. A 5 acre truck farm perhaps would be as good as a 500 acre 
grain farm. 

FR. GIBBONS: Good, I am glad to hear that you have confi-
dence in the initiative and responsibility of 

the American Family who till the land. Mr. Trainer I have been 
wondering about farm production in other parts of the world. Most 
of all today the United States has been trying to boost production' 
there. 

MR. TRAINER: Well, it has been estimated that % of the 
world's people live on a sub-standard diet. 



64 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

At the same time I think we have recognized that there are not 
enough bills in the United States Treasury to buy food for all the 
rest of the world. However, the National Catholic Rural Life Confer-
ence sets a fine example of the way in which that problem should be 
handled. They have helped to make available to six European coun-
tries over 400 tons of hydrant feed corn and the basic yield has in-
creased resulting from planting this corn. I t paid off 20 to one. That 
is, for every dollar invested, the farmers who planted it received 
$20.00 in the way of increased crops. I think the answer to the food 
problem comes in that kind of thing. 

FR. GIBBONS: I started talking about technical assistance 
and simple devices and methods that were 

used about 4,000 years ago. Is that what you think we need Mr. 
Trainer? 

MR. TRAINER: I mean both technical assistance and the 
idea of helping people to help themselves. I 

think they can't recover if they sit back and depend on us but I think 
if we show them how to recover by teaching technical ability and by 
training men to spread that ability they would. 

FR. GIBBONS: Good. But I am also worried about the 
question of rural education and how we are 

also going to train people to take advantage of the land for their 
own sakes and for the benefit of the whole human race. Miss Rooney 
do you have anything to say about the importance of education in 
that regard? 

MISS ROONEY: Rural education of youth is certainly very 
important. Many of our rural youth migrate 

to the cities where formal social and Christian education may be 
readily more available but we can't wait until these young people 
have left the country to educate them in spiritual values. In the 
country it is the parents I think who have the very great responsi-
bility for this job. 

FR. GIBBONS: I gather from what you say that you think 
the training of rural life in our country and 

in other parts of the world has to be carried out by the parents and 
by the school and by the community in general so that we can have 
the kind of people that will produce for themselves but what's more 
important will know how to live. Is that right Miss Rooney? 

MISS ROONEY: Yes, Father Gibbons. 

FR. GIBBONS: Thank you. I am going to ask Commissioner 
Broderick who I understand comes from 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION IN RURAL LIFE 65 

the city where the N.C.R.L.C. Convention is going to be held, to say 
something briefly about that convention. 

COMM. BRODERICK: Yes Father, we're holding the National 
Catholic Rural Life Conference at the Hotel 

Bradford in Boston, October 1,8 to 23rd. That Conference is under 
the patronage of His Excellency, The Most Rev. Richard J. Cushing, 
Archbishop of Boston and it's also under the able assistance of Msgr. 
Donovan of Milton, Massachusetts and Monsignor Ligutti of Des 
Moines, Iowa. And I am sure that all those who are interested in 
Rural Life will be there and they will be able to learn much from the 
type of Conference. The sessions will be held at that Conference 
at the Hotel Bradford. 

FR. GIBBONS: Thank you Mr. Broderick. I am glad you 
have heard what we have said about the 

National Catholic Rural Life Conference for it has been promoting 
Christian interest in social action in this country for some 20 years 
and I know it will continue to do so in the years ahead. It recently 
sponsored an International Congress in Rome this year in which peo-
ple from twenty countries came together to discuss rural problems 
and their relationship to Christian Social Action. This Rome Con-
vention, Mr. Trainer, have you heard anything about it? What about 
the conclusions that it came to? 

MR. TRAINER: The conclusions were exactly in accord with 
some of the discussions here today. t in-

doubtedly some portions of the world are overpopulated and do not 
have the facilities to produce for themselves. This problem can be 
licked only if we give them assistance from America in the way of 
encouragement of their own initiative and in the way of technical 
assistance. 

FR. GIBBONS: Fine Mr. Trainer. The conclusions just 
came off the press I understand and are now 

available. The importance of pointing out the great good of those 
directions is necessary now. We're to understand now that Christians 
are engaged in rural social action in the international field as well 
as here back in the United States. 

SUMMARY 

Land is one of the most important of God's gif ts to man. People, 
all our people, the ones in the cities, as well as the rural areas have 
to learn to use it wisely. That means very practical things. I t means 
keeping the soil from running down the hillsides. It means keeping 



66 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

our forests intact so that they can be used for future generations as 
well as for the immediate present. It means seeing that our water 
supply is protected and not polluted and that it is kept for the benefit 
of all our people. I t means that we must have the land utilized as 
the place for healthy recreation and healthy living for as many of 
our people as possible and not just for those who actually till it. 
Even more important is the question of the family on the land. It 's 
there that people can own property of their own, productive prop-
erty. There they can exercise initiative in planning their work and 
teach their children to do the same. Thomas Jefferson many, many 
years ago drew attention to the fact that the farm family and the 
people on the land are the source of independent thinking and 
judgment, and, therefore, vital to a democracy. The workers who 
till the soil whether they own or operate the land themselves or 
whether they are merely hired workers for the whole year or for 
the season are also important. Recently we had a survey made of 
conditions amongst migrant workers in agriculture by the Presi-
dent's Commission. It brought out some very very disturbing facts 
and pointed out plenty of areas for Christian Social Action, in seeing 
that seasonal work is taken care of. I think that anyone who wish-
es to help the seasonal workers in American agriculture, has a job 
cut out for him if he lives in an area where such people work. Rural 
Education has to be taken care of. We must have the schools and 
the funds to run them. We mus¡>t have the te&chers who are trained. 
We must have those who are vitally interested in seeing that Ameri-
ca's future citizens so many of whom come from the land have an 
opportunity that is comparable to that enjoyed by those in the city. 
And finally we must realize that all over the world there are people 
in rural poverty and it is the special aim of those who would disrupt 
our f ree society to agitate among these rural people and promise 
betterment. And we who have been given so much by God have a 
duty to see that they are helped. 



CHRISTIAN SOCIAL ACTION 
IN ECONOMIC LIFE 

Address Delivered on October 21, 1951 

By the Rev. George G. Higgins, assistant director, Social Action 
department, N.C.W.C. 

Seven or eight years ago one 
of the nation's leading econom-
ists—more conservative than 
radical by American standards 
—wrote an article in which he 
contradicted, in advance, almost 
everything that has been said on 
this current series of broadcasts 
sponsored- by the National Coun-
cil of Catholic Men. 

"As to organized religion," he 
said, "its sociological function is 
always conservative; it sanctions 
whatever social structure and 
customs are effectively establish-
ed, merely striving to get people 
to conform and be content,, and 
to act humanely. The view of 
religion as the opiate of the 
masses is scientifically correct, 
with the addition that it is 
sometimes expected to function 
as a sedative for the classes also. 
Organized religion never has a 
dynamic or progressive . . . 
ethic." 

Just a few months ago an-
other prominent American au-
thor—a lawyer by profession— 
arrived at the same conclusion in 

an otherwise rather interesting 
and accurate study. 

"There can be little doubt," 
he says, by way of criticizing 
organized religion in the United 
States, "but that Christian the-
ology has profoundly influenced 
the attitude of the American 
people on the subject of politics. 

"According to Christian the-
ology," he adds, "the individual 
is saved by repentance and faith 
rather than by works." By which 
he means to suggest that organ-
ized religion in the United 
States has always been a con-
servative or reactionary force. 

One of the purposes—or at 
least one of the results—of this 
series of broadcasts on "The 
Christian in Action—in Econo-
mic Life" has been to demon-
strate that theologically the 
opinion of these two prominent 
authors on the subject of the 
Church and temporal society is 
inaccurate—well-intentioned, if 
you will, but nevertheless inac-
curate. 

The truth of the^ matter is 



68 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

that the Catholic church is in-
tensely interested in progressive 
social action, not f / reasons of 
temporary strategy or tactics as 
her critics sometimes suggest, 
but for reasons which flow logi-
cally and necessarily from her 
fundamental teaching on the na-
ture and destiny of man. It has 
been the purpose of this series 
of broadcasts — which we are 
concluding this morning—to re-
emphasize the importance of 
Catholic social action and, more 
particularly, to indicate in spe-
cific ways how the American 
Catholic layman, as an individu-
al and as a member of religious 
and secular organizations, can 
more effectively promote the 
cause of Christian social recon-
struction. 

The implicit theme of the en-
tire series and the common pre-
mise of all the participants was 
stated rather graphically a few 
years ago by the late Cardinal 
Suhard of Paris in a pastoral 
letter entitled "Growth or De-
cline": 

"To convert the world," the 
Cardinal said, "it is not enough 
to be saints and preach the Gos-
pel. Rather one cannot be a saint 
and live the Gospel we preach 
without spending himself to pro-
vide everyone with the housing, 
employment, food, leisure, edu-

cation, etc.—without which life 
is no longer human. Hence, the 
mission of the Christian is not 
only an apostolate: it is the con-
vergence of three simultaneous 
actions: religious, civic and so-
cial." 

Surely the Cardinal's under-
standing of Catholicism is more 
accurate than the opinion of the 
two American authors quoted at 
the beginning of this broadcast. 
And if it be said, by way of re-
buttal, that some American 
Catholics fa f x> live up to their 
social responsibilities in some or 
all of the areas indicated by the 
Cardinal, we can only suggest 
that this is not an argument 
against Catholic social teaching 
any more than racial prejudice 
or other violations of the demo-
cratic philosophy are an argu-
ment against the Declaration of 
Independence or the Bill of 
Rights. 

This series of broadcasts will 
have been successful if it con-
vinces even one additional Cath-

ol ic or one additional non-Catho-
lic that "one cannot be a saint 
and live the Gospel we preach 
without spending himself to pro-
vide everyone with the housing, 
employment, food, leisure, educa-
tion, etc.—without which life is 
no longer human." The series 
will have been successful, in oth-



IN ECONOMIC LIFE 69 

er words, if it persuades even -
one of its listeners to go into ac-
tion in economic life, guided by 
Christian principles and moti-
vated by the love of God and 
neighbor. 

I t goes without saying, of 
course, that the emphasis on 
action in this series of broad-
casts does not mean that its 
sponsors or its participants fail 
to recognize the primary import-
ance of prayer and meditation. 
These are taken for granted as 
absolutely indispensable, with 
the understanding, however, that 
while they are the first duty or 
the first responsibility of the 
Christian, they are not his only 
duty or his only responsibility. 

The importance of social ac-
tion—with the emphasis on ac-
tion—was stated pointedly many 
years ago by the saintly Pope 
Pius X, recently declared Bless-
ed by Holy Mother the Church. 

"Certain timid souls, though 
good living," said Pius X, "are 
so attached to their habitual 
quiet and so afraid of ev-
ery innovation that they be-
lieve that it is quite suf-
ficient to pray. But these 
good people, who I would call 
optimists, will wait in vain for 
society to re-Christianize itself 
simply by the prayers of the 

- good . . . I t is necessary to join 
prayers with action." 

Let these words of Blessed 
Pius X be the justification, 
therefore,—if one be needed— 
for concentrating during these 
past two months on social action 
as distinguished from prayer 
and meditation, however necess-
ary and however indispensable 
prayer and meditation may be in 
the life of the Christian layman. 

This series of broadcasts on 
"The Christian in Action—in 
Economic Life" has been con-
cerned with labor-management 
relations, race relations, welfare 
legislation, rural life, and other 
related problems in the field of 
social reconstruction. In conclud-
ing the series this morning, we 
don't intend to go over the 
ground already covered by the 
preceding speakers. Rather let 
us concentrate this morning on 
two points which were implicit, 
of course, in all of the preceding 
broadcasts but probably ought to 
be emphasized again in conclus-
ion: 1) the importance of the 
layman in Christian social ac-
tion; and 2) the necessity of 
action now—not ten years hence, 
but now. 

We often hear it said that the 
Church needs more lay apostles 
because there is a shortage of 
priests in almost every diocese 



70 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

in the world. This is an accurate 
statement as fa r as it goes. It is 
just as accurate, however, and 
just as necessary to emphasize 
today that the Church needs 
more lay apostles because there 
are certain things that only the 
layman has the competence to 
do—regardless of the number 
of priests at any given time or 
place. 

Take the case of social recon-
struction with which this series 
of broadcasts has been primarily 
concerned. Please God that we 
may have an increase in voca-
tions to the priesthood, but even 
if we had 400,000 priests in the 
United States instead of 40,000, 
these 400,000 priests would not 
—because they could not— bring 
about a reconstruction of the so-
cial order on their own initia-
tive. They could not because they 
are not "competent" to do so. 
They are not "competent" to do 
so because they are not directly 
engaged in the activities of the 
marketplace. Their "competence" 
in the field of social action—and 
their "duty," as Pope Pius re-
minds us—is "to search diligent-
ly for . . . lay apostles both of 
workers and of employers, to 
select them with prudence, and 
to train and instruct them prop-
erly." 

Strictly speaking, therefore, 

social reconstruction is directly 
the responsibility of the layman 
and only indirectly the responsi-
bility of the priest. An American 
theologian develops this conclus-
ion as follows: 

" . . . the laity are called in a 
peculiar way to take the initi-
ative in social reform . . . Au-
thority does not and cannot in-
itiate such reforms. It is the 
function of authority to super-
vise and regulate, to point out 
excesses and dangers and to en-
courage the down-trodden to 
hope and to struggle for a bet-
ter day. Social reforms, if they 
are to be effective and lasting, 
must come from below: they can-
not be imposed from above. It is 
the vocation of the laity to take 
this initiative, with the aid and 
blessing of God." 

Coupled with this general 
principle of lay responsibility in 
the field of social action is the 
more specific principle of "spe-
cialization"—a big word which is 
defined very briefly and in very 
simple terms by Pope Pius XI in 
his encyclical "On Reconstruct-
ing the Social Order." 

"The first and immediate apos-
tle to the workers," he says, 
"ought to be workers: the apos-
tles to those who follow indus-
try and trade ought to be from 
among them themselves," 



IN ECONOMIC LIFE 71 

Why? Why this emphasis on 
specialization in the field of 
Catholic social action? Because, 
if we may quote Cardinal Su-
hard again, "Christian truth 
cannot be imposed from without 
by the prestige of those who 
teach it nor even by its objective 
rigor alone: it presents itself as 
a testimony. Now the presence, 
not only physical but spiritual, 
which presupposes the commun-
ity of life, is essential to the wit-
ness. The meaning of this prin-
ciple, often superficially under-
stood, is a profound one: 'the 
apostolate of like by like. '" 

This is not to say that the 
"apostolate of like by like"—of 
worker to worker and employer 
to employer—is the only answer 
or the total answer to the social 
problem. 

The layman has all sorts of 
other obligations in the field of 
social reform, not the least of 
these being the obligation to par-
ticipate actively in politics and 
in public affairs in general. He 
has an obligation to foster good 
legislation and to interest him-
self in its administration. 

But if social legislation is 
necessary, it is not a panacea. It 
should not be looked upon as a 
substitute for the greatest pos-
sible measure of economic self-
government through the organ-

ized cooperation of voluntary 
economic associations. 

More than that, legislation it-
self should be consciously aimed 
at the encouragement of indus-
trial self-government through an 
organized system of industry 
councils. 

"Firs t and foremost," says 
Pope Pius XI, "the state and 
every good citizen ought to look 
to and strive towards this end: 
that the conflict between the hos-
tile classes be abolished and har-
monious cooperation of the in-
dustries and professions be en-
couraged and promoted. The so-
cial policy of the state, therefore, 
must devote itself to the re-
establishment of the industries 
and professions"—to the estab-
lishment, that is, of a system of 
industry councils. 

In any discussion of the lay 
apostolate in social action it 
would seem altogether appropri-
ate, therefore, to center attention 
principally, though not exclus-
ively, of course, on the all-im-
portant responsibility of the lay-
man, be he worker or employer, 
farmer or professional man, to 
work through his own economic 
organization towards the re-es-
tablishment of a better economic 
order. This is the major empha-
sis of the social encyclicals, as 
we have already indicated, and it 



72 THE CHRISTIAN IN ACTION [—IN ECONOMIC RELATIONS 

is likewise the major emphasis 
of the official statements of the 
American Bishops. 

But whether our emphasis at 
any given time be centered on 
economic self-government, or on 
federal and state welfare legis-
lation, or on community plan-
ning at the local level (they all 
go together in a well-rounded 
program of social action), the 
responsibility is always primari-
ly the layman's. 

How effectively is the Amer-
ican Catholic layman fulfilling 
this responsibility? Father John 
LaFarge, S.J., asked this ques-
tion of himself in a recent analy-
sis of the impact of Catholicism 
upon the life of the United 
States. His answer is rather en-
couraging : 

"Catholic social action, in its 
different manifestations, has 
made perhaps the most marked 
impression upon the non-Catho-
lic world of any form of Cath-
olic activity during the last few 
years, chiefly because it grapples 
directly with problems in which 
non-Catholics are already deeply 
interested. Examples of this 
would be the interest displayed 
in Catholic concern with the 
population problem and the re-
fugees, the Church's splendid re-
lief program for Europe and thé 
East, Catholic discussions of so-

cial security and other social-
welfare questions; the Catholic 
interest in the cooperation of la-
bor and management and the 
problems of organized laDor; and 
the Catholic stand on interracial 
justice." 

These are encouraging words, 
indeed, but lest we be tempted to 
give way to complacency, Fa-
ther LaFarge hastens to add 
that "nothing is less apt to get 
us a hearing in this country than 
to wait for non-Catholics to take 
all the risks, with the hope 
that we may some day ride into 
popularity on the crest of a 
friendly wave." The implication 
is—or seems to be—that we are 
sometimes too timid, too hesitant 
about initiating necessary mea-
sures of social reform. 

Be that as it may, now is the 
time for lay action. Humanly 
speaking, we can almost say that 
it is now or .never—so serious is 
the breakdown of social morality 
in the world at large. Our own 
country, to be sure, is temporar-
ily more favorably situated than 
some of the other nations of the 
world. All the more reason, then 
for our taking the initiative and 
setting an example to the rest 
of mankind. 

May we be the first to respond 
to the challenge of Our Holy Fa-



IN ECONOMIC LIFE 73 

ther who has reminded us of the 
terrifying urgency of more in-
tensive lay action. 

"And since the priest," he 
says, "can reach neither every-
body nor everything, and as his 
work is not always able to meet 
adequately all needs, those who 
serve in the Catholic Action 
ranks must offer the aid of their 
own experience and activity. No 

one must be idle and lazy in the 
face of so many evils and dan-
gers while those in the other 
camp strive to destroy the very 
basis of Catholic religion and 
Christian worship. Let it nev-
er come to pass that 'the chil-
dren of this world are wiser than 
the children of light' (Luke 16: 
8 ) ; let it never be that the latter 
are less active than the former." 



103 STATIONS CARRYING THE HOUR OF FAITH 
In 36 State*, Hi* District of Columbia, Canada, and Hawaii 

Alabama- _Anniston_ 
Godsen 
Mobila~ 

Arkansas 
California 

» -S F Montgomery-
Fort Smith.. 

—Eureka.-
Lo* Angeles-
Socramento-
Son Dlego-

Colorodo-

* San Franclsco-
Stockton 
Visalla 

-Denver 
Pueblo. 

Connecticut- .New Haven.. 

..WHMA 
-WGNH 
..WMOB 
-WAPX 
KFSA 
KHUM 

..KECA 
...KFBK 
.. KFMB 
...KGO 

KWG 
KTKC 

... KVOD 
—KGHF 
...WELI 

WM.AI 

_ _ _ — . . WBSR 

'"inois.. Chicogo-
Peoria - -
Rock Island 
Springfield 

WLS 
WIRL 
WHBF 
WCBX 

Indiana Anderson.. 

Idaho 

Evansville 
Fort Wayne _ 
Terre Houte_ 

_ Bolse- 
Idaho Falls 
Pocatello 

<an ia s 

.Burlington 
Davenport 
Dubuque — 
Sioux City 

.Coffeyvllle. 
Wichita 

"Kentucky. 
Wichita Falls 

.Lexington  
Louisville 

• oulsiana New Orleans — 
^aine Bangor — 

Lewistown 
Mnrvlrmá »"-y"-«»""-" . ..WARK 
Massachusetts——— Boston 

Hyannis.. 

Michigan.. 

Wor ehester.. 
Pittsfield. 

.Detroit 
Jackson 

Minnesota.. 

Miselsslppl-

Missourl-

-Minneapolis-St. Paul.. 
Kochesrer ___. 

.Gulf port 
Vicksburg 

.Kansas aty 
St. Louis 
Springfield — 

_Omaha Nebraska 
Nevada Las Vegas 

Reno 
New Mexico - Albuquergue-

Gallup 
Santa Fe  
Los Vegas—— 

District of Columbia.Washington 
e'orlda Pensacola 
r«orgla Augusta WGAC 

Savannah WDAR* 

; WHBU 
WJPS 
wowo 
WTHI 

I KGEM 
; KIFI 

KEIO 
1 KBUR 

Sí woe 
WKBB 

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.....KGAF 

: KFBI 
^ KFDX 

WLAP 
WINN 

_.. WDSU* 
WGUY 
WLAM 

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-WORC 
-WBEC 
. WXYZ* 

WIBM 
WTCN 

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New Y o r k _ 
Roswell.. 

-A lbany 

North Carolina 
North Dakota 
Ohio 

Endicott 
Glen Falls , 
J ames town . _ 
M a s s e n a 
New York . 
Rochester 
Troy (5rh Sunday on ly ) . . . . 
Ut ica 
Raleigh 1 

. . . . . . .Fargo 

. . . . C a n t o n 
C ' eve l and ... 

-KSWS 
. W X K W * 
_WFNE 
-.WGLN 

W J T N 
W N S A 
wjz 

. .WARC 
WTRY 
WRUN 

. WNAO 
KFGO 
WHBC 
WJW 

Oklahoma.. . A r d m o r e KVSO 

Oregon.. 

Pennsylvania 

Tenness-
T e x a s . 

Vermont 
Washington-

McAlester_. 
Shawnee 

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Portland 

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t r i e 
•^ornsfrurg 
° i t t s b u r g h 

Wisconsin. 

Canada -
Hawai i— 

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wi lkes Barre W'LK 

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T e . n r k a n a — "KCMC 
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Seattle 1 ...._„ 
Spokone .'... KGA 
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• Delayed Broadcast 
(fUvisad, March. 1940) 



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