,iverpool C.S.G. on Trade Unions
Fr011i Our Staff Reporter LIVERPOOL " If anyone were to say that the Catholic Church 'as more advanced two thousand years ago than everidge is to-day people would be surprised, yet in the arable of the vineyard Christ goes much further than everidge," declared Mr. Bernard Sullivan, member of le London County Council, and a prominent trade nion official, speaking on "The Church and 'Trade rnions," under the auspices of the Catholic Social 4zild, at Liverpool on Sunday last. The attendance vas a war-time record for a C.S.G. meeting.
Deploring the fact that Cathoes did not play their part in
tIblie life, the speaker suggested tat the clergy often attached too much nportance to the mystical aspect of le Gospels and not sufficient to theii ractical aspeet. lk wanted to hear tore from the pulpit about what Our .ord meant when he talked to working ien. Catholics seemed to live two ves—one on Sundays and another the tat of the week.
CHRISTIANS v. EXTREMISTS Mr. Sullivan took the view that our tiahops and al chbishops would have to sake Catholic workers their soundingaiard. if they wanted to have any inluenoe in world affairs. • If we are prevent a drift into another war in wenty or thirty years we will have La ake an inieiest 10 world affairs," he .dded.
"Catholic workers must pull their oil weight in their trade unions in oder to prevent the organisations fallhg into ate hands of extremists who Like their orders from someone else. We are not seeking to control the trade union movement for ulterior motives."
Speaking of Stale control, Mr. Sullivan said there must be independent reganisations to challenge the State when necessary. Twenty years hence, if Catholics and the workers generally did not do iceday the things they could do, they would rind themselves bound hand and foot by legislation.
The Popes urged the workers to be members of their trade unions,_and Mr. Sullivan wished the clergy would drive that home from the pulpit. Catholics had got to take an intelligent interest in the trade union movement.
STATE'S TASK
The State's joliwas not to run industry but to see that it was equitably run. In this respect the speaker was sorry the Catholic press had not given more attention to the plan put forward by the miners for control of the mines.,
Referring to the World Trade Union Congress. Mr. Sullivan said that the delegates included many leading Catholics, and the Pope would be represented at the Peace Conference In the Catholic 'workers.
CATHOLICS' OBLIGATIONS •
Mr. F. J. Doolin, vim-president of the Catholic Social Guild, in thanking Mr. Sullivan for his address, said that it could not be too strongly emphasised that unless the affairs of trade unions and trade unionism were based on Christian principles the workers would struggle in vain for a full life. That was why every Catholic trade unionist sheuld take a greater interest in his union.
Membership of a trade union ant only conferred certain benefits. but also the obligation of contributring a share to the welfare of the members as a whole.
" We want no ghetto Catholic workers in this country," he said. " We must be part of the struggle for economic protection while fighting. against materialism.
"A movement is getting under way to band Catholic trade unionists together for the purpose of making them trade union-conscious, and, therefore, better trade unionists. The Church says: `IL is better that two should he together than one; for they have the advantage of their society. If one fall he shall be supported by the other. Woe to him that is alone. for when he falleth he hath none to lift him up.' Let not the lesson be lost on us."