Mgr. Downey Calls For United Vote Against Conservatives TORIES' THREAT TO VOLUNTARY SCHOOLS
A threat to the existence of Catholic Schools hds been made by the Conservative Party in Liverpool whose slogan for the forthcoming municipal elections is " No money for sectarian schools."
The Archbishop of Liverpool has himself given the Catholics of the city a lead in their fight for their schools, and in a letter read in all churches of the Archdiocese last Sunday he called upon them to sink their party political opinions and to vote only for those candidates promising support for Catholic schools.
" It is essential that at the forthcoming municipal elections our Catholic voters shall realise the gravity of the issue involved in the question of building grants towards the reorganisation of those of our schools which come under the Liverpool authority."
ALL OTHER IMPORTANT TOWNS GAVE FULL GRANT
Every important local education authority in the country which has been approached by the voluntary bodies regarding reorganisation has, on educational grounds, made the maximum offer of 75 per cent. grant, and this is also the official attitude of the Labour Party in this city.
The Conservative Party has through its leader declared for a policy of no grant whatever to voluntary schools. This is tantamount to a threat to the very existence of our schools.
" In view of the seriousness of the case and the exceptional circumstances surrounding it, I appeal to the Catholics of this city, on this occasion, because of the peculiar peril with which we are faced, to put the interests of their schools, for which they have made so many sacrifices in the past, above all other interests, and at the November elections to register their votes without fail against any candidate who supports the official policy of the Conservative Party of this city."
Spend, Spend, Spend I Catholics. received a rude shock on Thursday evening when at the opening of the Liverpool Conservative Municipal
campaign Sir Thomas White, giving a party lead on the school question stated, after a general denunciation of the Socialists' policy regarding spending: "On this question of grants to the Roman Catholic school authorities the same spirit prevails —the same desire to spend, spend, spend.
" Emphatically I say that this is not the time to add to the citizens burdens. I contend that citizens cannot stand the strain of carrying even the minimum amount, let alone the maximum, and I am therefore asking the electors to give the Conservative Party an overwhelming mandate for a policy of no grant to the voluntary schools."
One-Sixteenth of a Penny
A fortnight ago Mgr. Downey sent a letter to the councillors (reported in the Catholic Herald) explaining that the increased burden on the rates caused by the maximum grant would be one-sixteenth of a penny; and that the allocation of the smaller grant would probably mean the wrecking of the whole scheme.
" No grant whatsoever " would cause chaos, and is even unjustifiable from the point of view of humane education. It is difficult to imagine how the Conservatives have twisted the facts to satisfy themselves.