Suggested Catholic Press Association

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 46, 17 November 1904, Page 2

Suggested Catholic Press Association

We are rather sorry that the practical realisation of another important project that was brought before the Congress— the establishment o! a Catholic newspaper association for the protection of Catholic readers and the general public against t/he absurd and lying statements wired out to colonial papers by the ' cable crammers '—has been for the present postponed. The scheme was brought before the Congress in a very com-

plete form by Father Cleary, who presented a detailed report and read what our exchanges describe as ;.wo able papers on ' Secular and Catholic Journalism ' and the • Australasian Catholic Press Association.' The practical consideration of the matter was referred to a special committee of members interested in Catholic journalism and they ultimately suggested that while a need existed tor the rectification of cable and other fallacious reports concerning Catholic and Irish matters, the formation of an associated effort should be dufeired. Undoubtedly the initial fiifficulty connected with such an undertaking would be considerable, and it was perhaps too much to hope that such a large and far-reaching scheme should take tangible shape at its very first presentation. At the same time we must confess that the reasons advanced in favor of delay do not strike us as being very adequate. It was pointed out by the representative of the Sydney ' Freeman ' lAat, while his proprietary were in complete sympathy with Father Cleary 's idea, they had already entered into arrangements, independently of any organisation, for the refutation of cabled and other calumnies. We are quite sure that the arrangements made by our esteemed con. temporary will be productive of a> very great amount of good, but it is obvious that a correction made at the instance of a single paper cannot possibly carry the weight that would attach to a statement made by a recognised official organisation representing the whole of the Catholic press of the colonies. It was further stated that the Catholic newspapers would heartily cooperate with the newly-formed Catholic Truth Society. That, of course, would be taken for granted, but manifold as are the activities of that excellent society a little reflection will show that the programme for the proposed association includes a class of work that cannot possibly be overtaken by the C.T.S. In acknowledging a very hearty vote of thanks from the committee for the keen interest and the sustained and energetic action he had taken in the mutter Father Cleary expressed the hope that his project would yet be put into practice, and the present writer cordially re-echoes the hope