Joseph Zamanski, head of the French Confederation of Trades, has written to show that the recent Encyclical is an invitation especially to Christian employers to meditate upon and give effect to the Pope's words. "It is to us that the Pope is speaking." he said.
" We too must understand," he has written, " we who are often Catholics only in name, who practise a superficial religion, who offer to our neighbours a deplorable duplicity of conscience in regard to labour, industry. etc., giving scandal to the weak and opportunities to the evil. Rich men, remember who you are: simple administrators hound to render an account, men who ought not to gad about and squander goods in the midst of numberless poor ground down by misery through causes for which they are not responsible."
Just Wage
After emphasising once again that a just family wage can never be called charity and that the Pope's social teaching must be given effect through human institutions, for institutions are made for men, the writer congratulated the members of the Confederation on not being among those Catholic employers who have hindered the reading of the Encyclicals nor of those who have opposed the workers' movements, and, he hoped, not of those who have abused their rights of property against the workman, but nevertheless the need for further study of the Encyclical was evident even for them.
The Fishguard and Goodwick District Council are appealing to the military authorities to give preference to local unemployed in taking on workmen for the local armaments factory. It is stated that Irishmen, who are willing to work for 3d. an hour less, are being preferred to local mea.