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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 15 TWO VIEWS ON THE “OPEN SHOP.” (Continued from Page 8.) and, it enforces, in the domain of morals, the precept laid down by the Master that we “must render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.’’ II THE CHURCH AND THE LATEST “OPEN-SHOP” DRIVE. (From America, November 20, 1920.) Those acquainted with the inner factors at work beneath the present industrial situation have long been aware of the systematic efforts that would soon be made at the destruction of trade unionism itself under the covert of the “open shop’’ plea. The real issue at stake now is not the question merely of the open or closed shop, but of the existence of trade unions themselves. On this issue the Church can not be neutral. The following is the definite statement given out in a special dispatch to The New York Herald by the social department of the Catholic Bish ops’ Welfare Council: *V r - American employers is becoming so strong that it threatens not only the welfare of the wage- earners, but" the whole structure of industrial peace and order. Employers sometimes favor the “open-shop’’ because they do not want to be limited in the employment of men to union members. But the present drive is not of that kind. The evidence shows that in its organized form it is not merely against the closed shop, but against unionism itself, and particularly against collective bargaining. Of what avail is it for workers to be permitted by their employers to become members of unions if the employers will not deal with the unions? The workers might as well join golf clubs as labor unions if the present “open-shop” campaign is successful. The open-shop” drive masks under such names as “the American plan,” and hides be hind the pretense of American freedom. Yet its real purpose is to destroy all effective labor unions, and thus subject the working people to the complete domination of the employers. Should it succeed in the measure that its pro ponents hope, it will thrust far into the ranks of the underpaid, the body of American working people. There is great danger that the whole nation will be harmed by this campaign of a few groups of strong employers. To aim now at putting into greater subjection the workers in industry is blind and foolhardy. The radical movements and dis turbances in Europe ought to hold a lesson for the employers of America. And the voice of the American people ought to be raised in the en deavor to drive this lesson home. The Church does not approve of every labor union, and there are some against which she expressly warns her children, much less does she approve of all the actions of trade unionists, but her attitude towards labor unionism itself, under the existing social system, is one of undeviating support and protection. This support she will try to make practical in every way that justice and charity suggest. CLERICAL LIFE; SOME OF ITS SERIOUS AND HUMOROUS SIDES. (Continued from Page 5.) and other things necessary for the Holy Sacrifice, but at that time there were very few, if any. 1 well re member the day I arrived in my new parish, I went down to the church, as it was Saturday, to see if there were any confessions to be heard. An old lady was putting out the vestments for the next day, and I noticed that she was placing white vestments on the press, when the day following was a feast of the Apostles, and the color, of course, was red. I said to her: “The color for tomorrow is red.” “Red?” she replied, “Well, all I’ve got to say is that white is the only color we’ve here, and they were good enough for Father D., God rest his soul, and they must be good enough for you.” I wore white on the feast of Sts. Simon and Jude. I had fallen heir to an un finished church, rather heavily burdened by debt, and had a congregation of between 400 and 500, every one of whom was in moderate circumstances. Most of the men were employed as section men on the railroad, and a number of the girls were employed in the cotton and woolen mills. In a short time our stock of vestments increased, and gradually we secured everything needed for the church. The people, though poor, were very generous, and within three years we paid most of the debt, furnished the church and had the happiness of seeing it dedicated. Bishop Gibbons, then of Richmond, and now Cardinal and Archbishop of Baltimore, came on and preached on the occasion. However, as I remember the occasion, it seems to me that my housekeeper was the most prominent figure after the two Bishops. From the point of view of dress she was simply resplendent. Of course, I can’t describe what she wore. What man, except a feminine man milliner or modiste could? She per mitted me to direct the exclusively church ceremo nies, but all else was under her exclusive control. The next day I complimented her on the success of her efforts, and she said that things went well in the church, she thought, but one of the boys had let some candle grease fall on the new carpet. Of course, there is always a fly in the ointment. For some time I had other missions to attend, and so I went one day to a sale and bought a horse. He was a beautiful animal to behold and very gentle, but he had some serious complaint, pleura pneumonia, heart trouble, neuralgia, corns, bunions or chronic cholera morbus. I am not an expert, so I can’t tell. He was a lovely beast to contemplate as he grazed in the fields, but as a means of travel, I regret to say he was not a success. I purchased another who was not a physical beauty, but was guaranteed sound. He was, but he had been the property of a peddler, and every time on the road that a woman raised her voice he seemed to recognize a possible customer, and he would stop and look back at me and almost wink. It took many months and much effort to break him of this habit.