Sir,-1 share the ob vious astonishment expressed in Mr.
Byrne's letter in your current issue. In actual fact I left the Conservative Party precisely be
cause it is not in line with the
Papal Encyclicals on Social and Economic matters. 1 joined the
Liberal Party precisely because on studying its declared and published policy, I found agreement in principle with these great Encyclicals
However last year I wrote to a prominent Liberal. stating I am a Catholic, and that I am astonished that the Liberal Party which never ceases to declare its insistence on social justice. does not appear to differ from the policy of either Tones or Socialists in the glaring injustices of Educational Policy, as practised on Catholic Schools: That we Catholics like all others pay rates which support State Schools and are left with the colossel burden of maintaining our own.
I received the following reply: "I entirely agree with you as to the injustice of Catholics having to sunport State schools through the rates whilst maintaining their own schools as well. As a matter of fact
this point was discussed during the debate on Education at the Liberal
Party Assembly last Easter and many people took a very sympathetic point of view towards the vihole question. We did not how ever at that time succeed in gettiag it embodied in a form that could he
incorporated into the Party's official policy on Education, so I think nothing can be done until the -text Assembly meets in 1955."
I am a Liberal, but I am also a Catholic. Catholic education for Catholic children is vital. it is supreme in importance. It will he interesting therefore from our point of vice as voters, to see to what
extent "the very sympathetic point of view" towards us will pass over into practical application and be declared as part of Liberal published policy.
Gretta McKeogh. 75 South Road.
HaYwards Heath,
Sussex.