ROMAN CHURCH AND LABOUR

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25608, 24 September 1948, Page 7

ROMAN CHURCH AND LABOUR

RECONCILING VIEWS ON SOCIALISM

POSITION OF AUSTRALIAN PARTY MEMBERS

(From C. R. MENTIPLAY. Special Correspondent of the N.Z.P.A.)

SYDNEY, September 23. Whether individual Roman Catholics can reconcile the Socialistic objectives of the Australian Labour Party with their own consciences, and so remain a power in the party, is now a major topic of discussion in State and Federal Parliamentary circles.

In a recent article in the “Sydney Morning Herald.” Mr Brian Doyle, associate editor of the “Catholic Weekly,” official organ of the Roman Catholic Church in the archdiocese of Sydney, pointed out the disparity between the Church’s view that the Socialisation of the means of production, distribution, and exchange “has a. Marxist basis, and is repugnant to Christian social principles,” and the avowed socialisa-

tion objective of the Australian Labour Party. He-gave instances of Labour members who were virtually fellow travellers of the Communists, and of known Communists appointed to Government bodies or sent to overseas conferences under Government auspices. Saying that “the present situation affecting /the Catholic membership of th® Labour Party is the most serious that has arisen in the history of the party, in which Catholic influence has been well-nigh definitive,” Mr Doyle revealed that proposals were being canvassed in some Roman Catholic circles for “an independent political party based on Christian principles.” The extreme importance of ( the Roman Catholic point of view on the Australian Labour Party is shown by the fact that of the 37 officers and members of the New South Wales Labour Partv executive, at least 22 are Roman Catholics. The proportion of Roman Catholics is about as high in the New South Wales Parliamentary Labour Party, and in the Cabinet there are at least eight Roman Catholics in a team of 15.

An examination of the views expressed by prominent citizens reveals that.by no means all Roman Catholics feel as Mr Doyle does, but that he has strong support from certain sections of the Labour movement. “We believe that a transfer of allegiance as suggested might be a new turning on the up grade.” writes Mr Sidney Bird, a former secretary of the Labour Party and cast president of the Miners’ Federation. Mr E. Windeyer. K.C. said: “If it could be a step towards the formation of a new. truly democratic party, uncontrolled by the domination of power-usurping union officials or merely self-seeking politicians, then it need not be unfruitful in practical politics.” Another writer in the “Sydney Morning Herald" referred to “the absurd spectacle of Communists and Roman Catholics crowding together under the one banner of Labour,” and suggested that sincerity in these circumstances would be imnossible, considering that the two sections were diametrically opposed on general grounds.

Prominent Labour men have expressed the fear that if the party yields to Church pressure and deserts its Socialistic aims, its more militant supporters will drift towards the Communists. They are not blind, however, to the prospect of immediate political extinction for the party if Roman Catholic support were lost.