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JULY 23, 1955. THE BULLETIN OB' THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA ELEVEN Peron’s Promises Follow Bishops’ Freedom Demand Osservatore Writer Comments On Italy’s New 4-Party Government (N.C.W.C. News Service) BUENOS AIRES, July IB—The promise of a new era of constitu tional freedom in Argentina—with the implication of full respect for the rights of the Catholic Church —has been made by President Juan D. Peron in a speech to Pe- ronist Party congressmen. However, both Opposition polit ical elements and Catholic circles here are apparently waiting for definite assurance that democrat ic rule and true religious ‘freedom is hereafter to prevail. President Peron’s talk to the congressmen took place at Gov ernment House almost a month after the unsuccessful revolt against his regime and little more than a week after he had issued an appeal to opponents for a political truce. Only two days before, apparent ly in response to the President’s truce appeal, the Argentine hier archy had published a joint pas toral letter declaring that the “le gitimate rights and liberties” of the Church must be respected, as well as public and personal rights. Calling for freedom of the press, assembly and radio as a first step to restoring true har mony and order in the nation, the Bishops wrote: “It is necessary to admit the need for restoring indispensable conditions so that a real public opinion, representing the thought of all inhabitants of the country, can freely and fully express it self.” In his talk to the congressmen, President Peron declared that he was stepping down as “chief of -the revolution” to become “the President of all Argentines, friends and foes.” He said the revolution he had inspired and led was over, and added that the time had come for the country to seek a normality it had never en joyed before and to restore free doms his government had taken away from the nation to achieve a “new Argentina.” “My situation has absolutely changed,” he said, “and thus 1 must abolish all the restrictions that we have imposed on the pro cesses and proceedings of our ad versaries due to the necessity of fulfilling our objectives, so that they can act freely within the framework of law with all its guaranteed rights and liberties.” The President, went on to stress that “the aim of our government is to obtain peace in Argentina” and that this is not the moment “to initiate base controversies.” He also said a purge of the Peron- ist Party is necessary because it had become soft, due to being spared the real political opposition and which it must now confront. President Peron’s call for a political truce had meanwhile been answered also by the nation al executive committee of the So cialist Party which declared that “a return to normality in political life is not jeopardized by parties or citizens,” but by “a totalitarian regime that burdens the nation.” The President’s speech promis ing constitutional liberties was preceded as well by the announce ment of the formation of a new Christian Democratic Party. Ac cording to reports, the party is an outgrowth of the Christian Democratic movement which has existed here for some 30 years as a Catholic social and cultural group. It was recalled that a tentative announcement of the formation of the new party last year was one of the chief reasons that led Pres ident Peron to launch his anti- NEWS FROM SACRED HEART WARNER ROBINS, Ga.—Mrs. B. J. Reilly has been elected president of the Altar Guild of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church here. She succeeds Lt. Col. Agnes Hoffman of Robins Air Force Base, who has served the Guild for the past two years. Mrs. Reilly, a native of Day- ton, Ohio, is the wife of Colonel Reilly of Robins AF<3. The couple and their s i x children moved to Warner Robins a few months ago from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska. Other officers named include Mrs. Joe Long, vice president; Mrs. Edwin Wallace, secretary, and Mrs. Roy Powers, treasurer. A memorial Mass for Mrs. Nell Maguelo, wife of Lt. Col. Ameri- co Maguelo of Robins Air Force Base, was said at the Sacred Heart Church here Friday July 8. The Mass was offered by Fath er Thomas Bowdern, S. J.. of Creighton University, Omaha, brother of the late Mrs. Maguelo. Father Bowdern, noted educator and sociologist, gave a brief talk during the Mass. Father Donnelly announced that during the recent renova tion program at the church, a new baldacchino for the altar and other decorations were donated by Col. Maguelo in memory of his wife. Interior of the church was repainted by the church men under the direction of N. M. Bentley of Macon, who donated the paint for the work. Arthur Philastre Services In Atlanta ATLANTA, Ga.—Funeral serv ices for Mr. Arthur L. Philastre were held July 9th at the Sacred Heart Church, Rev. Father James M. Cummings, S. M. officiating. Survivors are his wife; a son, Paul Philastre. Church campaign. The new party described itself in a manifesto as “a political par ty with a doctrinary basis.” While disclaiming any intention of dis placing any of the existing par ties, it said: “We do not believe good leadership to be the exclu sive patrimony of what is known as the Opposition in this country. Some mew developments have taken place meanwhile which are viewed as further evidence that the Peron regime is actively seeking a reconciliation with the Church. One of these developments was the announcement that the new Minister of Education has ordered the book by the late Eva Peron, “The Reason for My Life,” to be withdrawn as a compulsory text book in Argentine schools. Another was the government’s decision to resume salary pay ments to some Catholic clergymen. About 900 of Argentina’s 16,000 Catholic clergy have been receiv ing subsidies from the govern ment, but the payments had been delayed or discontinued during the past two or three months. A third development was the decision of the National Court of Appeals here reversing the action of a lower court which had re fused bail to three Catholic priests arrested in May on charges of dis tributing leaflets attacking the Peron regime. The priests were Fathers Lujan Rafael Fontanella, Ignacio Riasol and Olivio Martina, all of the Church of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. It was reported also that au thorities had announced the re lease of Jorge A. Criado Alonso, president of the University Cath olic Action Society, who had been imprisoned since last March. The author of the following article is the former editor of II Quotidiano, Rome Catholic Ac tion Daily, and is noiu a member of the editorial staff of Osserva tore. Romano, Vatican City news paper. By Federico Allesandrini (Written for N.C.W.C. News Service) Antonio Segni, 64-year-old na tive of Sardinia, has formed a new Italian government. His cabinet includes representatives of the parties of the Christian Democrats, the Social Democrats and the Liberals. The Republican Party, while assuring the new government its full support re grettably has preferred to stay outside it. Structurally, the new govern ment is very similar to the last one headed by Mario Scelba and is based on the same parlimen- tary majority. Within the Christian Demo cratic Party, Segni represents those placing particular empha sis on social issues and it must be said he represents them in the noblest fashion. As the author of Italy’s agrarian reform legis lation, he began the work by expropriating his own holdings. Among his cabinet coleagues there are others sharing his viewpoint, but the cabinet also includes those tending rightward. If one wished to be funny it might be said the new govern ment is cross-eyed from looking in opposite directions. But in reality the new ministerial team is based on a clearly worked out program which should prevent misunderstandings and differ ences. A recent Cabinet crisis thus served to bring about that “cla rification” within and between parties which had been much discussed since the end of 1954 and which could no longer be postponed. But it might be asked why such clarification could not be achievement of having given Italy a political stability entire ly unforeseen after the 1953 elec tions. This stability was the prin cipal reason for the slowdown and regression of Italian Com munism. Then why change? In politics, personalities, ambitions, states of mind tending in one direction or another have decisive impor tance. In an ideal society this should not be the case. But where is an ideal society? It is a fact that at a certain moment concord among Italy’s democra tic parties and particularly with in the Ghi’istian Democrats could not longer be maintained in a government headed by Scelba. Reasons for this perhaps were not entirely praiseworthy but at any rate they could not be eli minated. If furthermore appeared there was an absence of a complete understanding between Italy’s new President Giovanni Gronchi and Scelba. In view of such a si tuation a change was deemed advisable, substituting Scelba with a person who, because of undisputed personal prestige, could obtain unanimous support by the Christian Democrats and other democratic parties. This man is Antonio Segni. The unexpectedly short dura tion of the Cabinet crisis demon strates the excellence of the choice. It is under such circum stances that for the first time in the history of unified Italy a Sardinian Premier heads the Government, succeeding Sicilian- born Scelba. Another and even more impor tant aspect is the regeneration of the four-party coalition gov ernment formed by Italy’s demo cratic center bloc. Sinee January, 1954, the rightist and leftist ex tremists fought bitterly against this governmental formula. Both rightist and leftists coun seled the Christian Democrats to form a one-party government consisting solely of Christian Democrats. Such a government would have lacked a parliamen tary majority but both rightist and leftists hinted the Christian Democrats could count on the benevolent attitude of their “friends.” “May God protect you from your friends,” says an Italian proverb. A one-party govern ment would be prisoner of its “friends.” To exist it would soon er or later have to turn to the right or left, in the latter case having to depend upon the spuri ous goodwill of Pietro Nenni, a leftist Socialist tied like a Sia mese twin to the Communist boss, Togliatti. Because the Christian Demo cratic Party is a center party comprising sometimes conflicting currents and tendencies, it would be illusory to think the party as a whole could yield to the right or left. Hence a one-party gov ernment would have meant a weakening of executive power. It would also be liable to split the Christian Democrats, who have always been the most se cure base of Italian democracy. The formation of a four-party government under Segni shows the one-party temptation has been rejected. The majority formed by the center parties continues to govern. Seen from this point, rightist, and above all leftist, opposition have lost a battle. In order to derive new and fruitful developments from this victory, it is necessary that the Segni Cabinet receive the sincere and unconditional sup port by all parties of the parlia mentary majority. Although little is of record concerning St. Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin, devotion to her is widespread throughout the world. Possibly, today, her two most famous shrines are at Auray, in Brittany, and Beaupre, in Canada. Although Scripture makes no mention of SS. Joachim and Anne, since the earliest days of the Church they have been venerated as the parents of the Blessed Mother. GEORGIA STATE COUNCIL KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS Rev. Vincenl P. Brennan, S. M., State Chaplain, Atlanta, Ga. Henry C. Taylor, State Deputy, Atlanta, Ga. Joseph F. Kunze. Pest State Deputy, Columbus, Ga, George W. Hughey, State Secretary, Albany, Ga. William O'Dowd, State Treasurer, Augusta. Ga. R. H. Casson, State Advocate, Macon, Ga. V. J. Ryan, State Warden, Savannah, Ga. Ed. P. Daly. District Deputy, First District James J. O'Shea. District Deputy, Second District Patrick R. Mulherin, District Deputy, Third District ATLANTA COUNCIL NO. 660 LOUIS C. BAUGNON Grand Knight HENRY C. TAYLOR Financial Secretary Council Meeting 1st and 3rd Wednesdays at 8 P. M. at the Council House, 1200 Peachtree Street, N. E. Club House open every evening at the above address SAVANNAH COUNCIL NO. 631 PETER SCHUSTER Grand Knight Joseph m. McDonough Financial Secretary 3 Liberty Street West Savannah, Ga. BISHOP GROSS COUNCIL NO. 1019 PHILIP J. BATASTINI Grand Knight JOE F. KUNZE Financial Secretary Meets 1st and 3rd Mondays 8 P. M-. 802 Broadway K. C. Hall Columbus, Ga, PATRICK WALSH COUNCIL 677 JAMES O. BENNETT Grand Kniaht FRANK EGBERT Financial Secretary Meets 2nd and 4th Monday Visiting Brothers Welcome 2575 Henry St., Augusta, Ga. MACON COUNCIL NO. 925 JOSEPH P. CASSIDY Grand Knight ROBERT J. HINSON Financial Secretary 2986 Houston Ave. Meets the First and Third Tuesdays at 8:15 P. M. 541 New Street, Macon, Ga. HENRY THOMAS ROSS COUNCIL NO. 1939 R. J. CLANCEY, Grand Knight JOHN H. STILES, Financial Secretary Meets Fourth Tuesday at Xavier Hall' Brunswick. Ga. ALBANY COUNCIL NO. 3607 JOHN R. ROSS, Grand Knight CLARENCE R. SHOEMAKER, Financial Secretary Council Meets Second and Fourth Monday at 8:30 P. M. 400 N. Jefferson Street SAINT JOSEPH’S INFIRMARY SCHOOL OF NURSING ’ ATLANTA, GEORGIA Approved by the Georgia State Board of Nurse Examin ers and the National Nursing Accrediting Services. CLASSES ADMITTED IN JUNE For Information apply to Director, School of Nursing ALPINE 4681 — EXTENSION 224