SER.-In my opinion, there is everything to be said for Catholic groupings in industry, provided they work overtly and make it perfectly plain that their activities and purposes are spiritual.
In one Glasgow factory, where prejudice used to be very strong, there is a flourishing Catholic group, which has its own noticeboard in the works, and which meets for Mass and lectures on social questions on Saturday mornings without raising the slightest objection or suspicion. Non-Catholies are invited to attend.
As regards industrial action itself, however, I favour the principle that Catholics and rightminded non-Catholics should work together, not in watertight compartments, and I do not believe in subterranean Catholic pressure groups.
By far the best way for the Church's teaching to be brought to bear on our national life is for good Catholic trade unionists to train themselves to the point where they can become thoroughly efficient candidates for office. Let them get elected on their own merits.
If questioned about their Catholicism. they should point out that, in social matters. there is an enormous field of identical outlook as between Catholics, Protestants, and many unbelievers; the reason being that the Church's teaching, based as it is on natural law, is nothing more than common sense.
/tarnish MeWhirter
London, S.W.I.
SIR,-What is the point of categorically denying a Catholic "white collar plot" in the Civil Service 'when some Catholic actionists have long been advocating just such policies? The fact that some members of the Catholic Church in England think it commendable to "ape the Communists" is well known and indisputable. It would be more useful to examine this state of mind than to issue blanket denials.
Julian David
Binsted, Arundel.