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OCTOBER 16, 1954.
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
SEVEN
CONGRATULATIONS
ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL
H A P EV I L L E, GA.
— EVERYTHING IN STEEL —
BREMEN STEEL CO.
ALF 8551
ATLANTA, GA.
329 DECATUR ST.
Greetings To
St. John’s Parochial School
Ef apeville
COMMERCIAL * INDUSTRIAL * POWER WIRING
FLUORESCENT LIGHTING
McLendon Electric Co., Inc.
ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
200 Alexander St., N. W. -jc Atlanta, Ga.
Cy„ 598!
CONGRATULATIONS
TO EVERYONE WHO HAD A PART
IN THE BUILDING OF
ST. JOHN’S PAROCHIAL SCHOOL
Citizens Bank Of Hapeville
With BEST WISHES From
BROWN & GRIST, INC
ALUMINUM AWNING WINDOW WALLS
Listening to the radio and read
ing the reports of the number
of people who participated in
the Georgia Primary, one won
ders how many of our Georgia
Catholic women exercise the
privilege and responsibility of
voting. “The Moult re Observer”
says a silent voice is no voice at
all in a democracy where ma
jority rules. Actually less than
fifty percent of the qualified
voters participated in the Geor
gia primary on the basis of the
unofficial count. A small per
centage of the qualified voters
may have been ill or away from
the state. But on the whole, there
can be only one reason why a
half million voters stayed away
from the polls. They were not
sufficiently interested in the pro
cesses of government to take a
stand.
Election of public officials has
always been mighty important.
In our trying time, it is more im
portant than ever that we give
careful study to candidates for
office and pick the man we hon
estly think will serve the best
interest of our community. Kow
many of you - our Catholic Wo
men - were VOICELESS when
others were casting their vote?
How many?
Another spot in which our City
Women have failed is the matter
of Jury Duty. Celestin Sibley in
the Atlanta Journal asks: “Now
that they’ve won the right to
serve on juries, do Georgia Wo
men really want it?”
Not much, says clerks of Su
perior Courts throughout the
State. They’re begging off jury
service by the thousands! Para
doxically, city women are the
most reluctant to serve. In the
rural sections where jury lists
are smaller and men jurors hard
to come by, particularly when
work on the far is pressing,
country women are responding
for jury duty with goodwill.
We must take on responsibili
ty! Jury duty like voting are so
(important we cannot afford to
;be voiceless. Our Georgia women
'are shy, but they must forget
their shyness when called: on to
serve their State. Do not let it
be said of our Catholic women
that we do not choose to serve.
There are Statewide Constitu
tional amendments to be voted on
November second which should
receive prayerful consideration.
1. HOME RULE, This amend
ment would repeal the present
home rule provision of the con
stitution and substitute a. new
article. The new article would
expressly authorize the General
Assembly to provide by law for
the self government of munici
palities, and to this end the Gen
eral Assembly might delegate
its powers so that matters per
taining to municipalities may be
delt with without the necessity
of action by the General Assem
bly. This amendment should be
read in detail. The above is
merely a quote.
2. ANNUAL SESSION FOR
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,
This amendment provides that
the General Assembly meet each
year. The annual regular session
shall not exceed 40 days. The ex
isting provision directs the Gen
eral Assembly to meet Biennial
ly. The existing provision limits
the total number of days that
the General Assembly may re
main in session to 70 days for a
two year period. This amend
ment would increase that time
limit to 80 days for a two year
period.
3. TAX EXEMPTION FOR
CHURCH PROPERTY, This a-
mendment provides' that the
General Assembly may exempt
from taxation all property owned
,by religious groups that is used
only for residential purposes and
from which no income is deriv
ed. This amendment is permis
sive only, and actual exemption,
would require enabling legis
lation by the General Assembly,
4. PRIVATE SCHOOL A-
MENDMENT, Of all the mention
ed amendments this is . truly ser
ious. Consider it well, then make
your own decision. This amend
ment reads as follows: “Notwith
standing any other provision of
this Constitution the General As
sembly may by law provide for
grants of State, county or mu
nicipal funds to citizens of the
State for educational purposes,
in discharge of all obligations of
the State to provide adequate
education for its citizens.”
Those who favor the private
school amendment have given,
no adequate answer to many vit
al questions on this subject. If
it passes it will give unlimited
power to Legislature—overrid
ing the Georgia Constitution. It
will make schools privte — a-
bolishing the public schools. It
will not guarantee segregation -
whether constitutional or not. It
will hurt our teachers—by jeop
ardizing the system. It will hurt
our children.
May we suggest you read ev
erything available on this amend
ment and then vote as you see
fit.
5. FIREMEN'S PENSION SYS
TEM, This amendment would au
thorize the Genera] Assembly,
counties, and municipalities to
levy taxes for the purpose of pay
ing pensions under a firemen’s
pension system.
6. SLUM CLEARANCE AND
REDEVELOPMENT, This a-
mendment provides that the Gen
eral Assembly may permit a city,
town or housing authority to un
dertake slum clearance and rede
velopment work as a government
function undertaken for public
purposes. The powers of taxa
tion and eminent domain may be
used to further such undertak
ings and public funds may be ex=
pended fhr such projects.
7. CHANGE OF TAX LIMITA
TION FOR EDUCATION, This
emendment provides that a coun
ty may remove or increase the
fifteen mill limitation on taxa
tion for education. This would re
quire certain procedure too de
tailed to list here but will no
doubt- be given in detail in the
newspapers.
The above has been gleaned
from the October 1954 issue of the
Georgia Voter. Each amendment
requires careful study. We wish
in no way to influence your
thinking, but do think. (Legisla
ture Committee DCCW).
Robert Rudie
In Concert At
Sacred Heart
BELMONT, N. C. — Robert
Rudie, internationally known,
violinist, concertmaster and as
sistant conductor of the Okla
homa City Symphany, appeared
at the Sacred Heart Junior Coll
ege and Academy in Belmont.
North Carolin, on October ninth
at eight p. m.
Mr. Rudie, whose artistry with
the violin and cello has won him,
two invitations for attendance
at the International Casals Fes
tival in Parades, France, has
heightened his fame with achie
vements in several facets of the
musical world.
The New York State Pharma
ceutical Association announced
it is starting a campaign against
the sale of “obscene literature
and objectionable crime maga
zines intended for juveniles.”