Page 4, 16th May 1958
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Rebel in Revolt
PATHETICALLY the story of Pat Dooley whose death and cremation the "Daily Worker" reported last February, continues to unfold itself. First, in this column I told how Pat had been a leading member of the Connolly Association and of the Communist Party. I hazarded the guess that he must surely once have been a Catholic.
Then. from a reader, I heard of his early piety and his devotion to St. Anthony of Padua. Now I learn that Pat was no longer a Communist Party member when he died. After working in Communist East Europe for some years he returned to Britain sick and bitterly disillusioned by the terror, anti-Semitism and crimes against the working class which he had witnessed there.
In some letters which "Labour Review" has now published. he told how he had come to despise the British Communist Party leaders because they knew the evils which existed long before they were high-lighted by the Hungarian People's Rising. yet failed to speak out against them.
But Pat remained a dissident Marxist and is now claimed as an ally by the Trotskyists.
Here, it seams to me, is an Irish-Catholic tragedy the lesson of which should be taken to heart.
As a footnote I should perhaps add that Mick Weaver, seventeen years a Communist and now the Party's candidate in the St. Helen's Parliamentary By-election, was born in Co. Mayo, Ireland.
New party
0N a recent three day visit to Ireland, into which seven lectures were packed, I had very little time to check upon the aims and policies of the new party An Poblacht Criostuil (Christian Republic) which had just reached Waterford.
I thought, however, that it was of sufficient news interest to warrant a comment on such information as I had been able to gather from new and enthusiastic members. From its central council in Limerick I now have a more reliable version of its aims which in fairness I should put on record.
The aims and ideals of this Irish Christian party, as published on its membership card are: "1. To change the present political structure from contentious government to a form of Government based on Christian Principles and Social Justice,
"2. To foster a resurgence of true patriotism by stimulating interest in public and social administration through the study and application of Christian Social Principles.
"3. To prepare candidates for local and national office who will apply these principles for the common good.
"4. To oppose all subversive influences into our Christian and National Heritage.
"5. To work towards a planned economy aimed at the full development of the country's resources with self-sufficiency and the repopulation of the country as primary considerations."
Violence
I AM happy to be able to report that, commenting on my earlier reference to the Party's opposition to the Border, the central council of Pohlacht Criostuil tell me that "Christian Republic certainly rejects violence ... our policy is . . : that the use of force can be justified only when used by ,lawful government. . . One of the reasons for the founding of Christian Republic was to provide an outlet for our young men other than that offered by the present political alignments."
Explaining the Party's policy the central council say: "Christian Republic was founded to translate the directives of the Christian Social Reform into reality."
It proposes to extend and inaugurate industrial enterprises based on co-partnership and to work for the extension of ownership in agriculture as well as in industry.
With one point made by the central council few Catholics will quarrel. It is that the evils of unemployment and emigration which inflict Ireland today can be remedied only by the comprehensive application of Christian social principles.
City of God
FROM the Civitas Dei—City of
God—which is the. Vatican pavilion at the Brussels World Fair, the Sword of the Spirit in London has received a cry for help.
"Hundreds of thousands of visitors these days come here and are going to the Soviet pavilion, admiring and gasping at the tremendous show," the librarian wrote: -We, over here in our little library, have practically nothing to counter the gratuitous propaganda efforts of the Soviets, "A Russian lady. a convert, brought us today a single copy of your pamphlet `God and the Russians'.* We would ask you: please send us some hundreds of that pamphlet! We will put it on display and sell as many as we can. if necessary give it free to visitors from behind the Iron Curtain."
Off by the next post, direct from the printers, went 1,250 copies of this excellent pamphlet. It was not the sort of appeal to which any Catholic organisation could turn a deaf ear.
But just where the selling price of approximately £50 Is as going to come from Margaret Feeny. the Sword's secretary, just did not know. She is hoping that donations may be sent to her at 128 Sloane Street, London, S.W.1, to cover the cost of that first gift parcel and to make it possible for others to quickly follow.
*Price 9d. per copy.
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