YOUTH OR EXPERIENCE?

Ste,—You have to be in the Army, along with " the boys," to realise how futile the efforts of Milford Junior and his " Youth " movenients tally are.
If the average soldier can be said to represent the youth of to-day, then Gerry Sherry and his " mike " and the most eager and enthusiastic " YOuth Rally " are but voices in the wilderness. Because, generally speaking, the youth of to-day don't care one iota about religion.
One Sunday morning in the barrack room I idly took a verbatim note of a " church parade" discussion, and II read like a newspaper humorist's column at its most satirical—only it wasn't very humorous. They were—it is at least somewhat consoling to report —not Catholics. It is doubtful in fact whether any of them had any religion whatever. Certainly not one had the guts to take any stand against the general derision levelled at the Church and their own clergy. Yet every one was a " jolly good sort," and despite a rough exterior possessed of many good points not always evident in folks leading a more sheltered existence. THE CATHOLIC HERALD reports of youth rallies make this young " old sweat " smile a little sadly, and Milford Junior's ingenuous bursts of sound and fury—what do they signify? Nothing, 1 maintain, without an equally vigorous campaign by the maturer exponents of our faith—who could imitate to some advantage the methods of Our youngsters, and oe better purpose.
Having survived two years of army life, I can only urge the older folk to wake up before it 'is too late.
J. C. BARNARD.
All Young People Needed SIR,—It Was Very gratifying to read Gerry Sherry's letter in this week's Caromec HERALD because it affords me an opportunity for stressing the points I have tried to put.fol ward.
But at the outset let me assure your correspondent that I am not a " pessimist "—if I was l Rhould not still he interested in the welfare of our Catholic youth after being closely connected with the work for nearly twenty years.
The main point is that unless the Catholic Youth Movement is organised upon lines that can be accepted throughout the country, then as a force they cannot expect to early much weight with the secular organisations.
There will be no room for spasmodic organisations here and there, just where it happens that the efforts for youth prove successful. All the dioceses will have to agree to have a cut and clear plan by which their parishes are linked together, with every borough and county area strongly affiliated to their Local Youth Committee.
With regard to the Societies already in existence, they are all needed, but at the moment the necessity is to get all our Catholic Youth into the parish youth organisation and then, I repeat, to strengthen their Faith, endeavour to get them to join one or other of these special societies.
At no time was the loyalty of the clergy or laity criticised, on the contrary, unless they are given a definite lead they cannot he expected to assist the National Organisation.
Finally, I would point out that these are purely constitutional suggestions, each parish has its own methods, dependent entirely on environment and local conditions. The most essential factor is that every Catholic boy and girl between the ages of 14 and 21 must be E member of a National Catholic Youth Organisation that is strong enough to obtain all the amenities for them that are enjoyed by their nonCatholic friends.
DONROS.