LITERATURE TO-DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 137, 12 June 1941, Page 8

LITERATURE TO-DAY

INFLUENCE ON READERS

"A VERY REAL PERIL"

"The peril from evil literature is a very real one, especially for the young and impressionable," said the Rev Bro. Stephen, 8.A.. of Sacred Heart College, speaking at' the Catholic Men's luncheon to-day, when Mr. J. P. O'Connor presided over about 100 members and guests.

'Do not forget that one of the chief aims of the terrible modern attack against God and Christianity is the corruption of youth and one of the chief weapons in that camuaign is evil literature." continued Brother Stephen. You have seen it at work in Germany and in Russia and knowits results, but it is also at work here and in every countrv. Books are published to sefl and. unfortunately, there are only too many publishers who will print .anything if there is money in it. They act on the motto ascribed to a figure in the pictune industry some years ago: 'If the public want dirt, well give 'em dirt' "I could go into any ordinary library in town here and pick you an armful of books which you would ' not dare leave lying on your table at home. Do not forget that there is a wide range of books published m> which smut is considered smart blasphemy a commonplace, and dirt no degradation. And the printed criticisms of these books are, to say the least, unreliable.

"To overcome this situation we must apply the principles of our Catholic faith to our own and our children's reading. Let us cultivate the power of seeing the best in life: let us have before us the finest things. Heading the right things wi3l help us to understand the pattern of l»e. with its joys and sorrows, its shadows of pain illuminated and transfigured with the lisiht of faith/ , '