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PAGE 4 GEORGIA BULLETIN THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 1964
^ Archdiocese of Atlanta
GEORGIA BULLETIN
IfiViNO OtOtOIAS 71 NOUTHHN COUNTIK
Official Organ of the Archdiocese of Atlanta
Published Every Week at the Decatur DeKalb News
PUBLISHER - Archbishop Paul J. Hallinan
MANAGING EDITOR Gerard E. Sherry
CONSULTING EDITOR Rev. R. Donald Kiernan
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Rev. Leonard F. X. Mayhew
2699 Peachtree N.E,
P.O. Box 11667
Northside Station
Atlanta 5, Ga.
Jrfember of the Catholic Press Association
and Subscriber to N.C.W.C. News Service n S A SS 00
Telephone 231-1281 Canada wloo
Foreign $6.50
Second Class Permit at Atlanta. Ga.
Redistributing Rights
Senator Richard B. Russell’s
proposal that Negroes be re
located throughout the country so
that each state would have
an equal ratio is deplorable. This
because it ignores the root prob
lem involved in civil rights--the
refusal of the white majority to
accept the Negro as a fellow citi
zen endowed with all the rights
and responsibilities of an
American,
Transferring Negroes to Ver
mont or North Dakota will not
guarantee their voting rights;
their acceptance by white pro
prietors in public accomoda
tions; or their opportunities
in so-called integrated school
systems. The reason why a Fed
eral civil rights law is necess
ary is because discrimination
against the Negro is rampant in
all parts of the country. And not
enough whites will voluntarily
grant the Negro his inalienable
rights, so tritely attributed to
our Constitution.
It is time for Senator Russell,
and all Southern legislators, to
discourage outmoded and ungod
ly theories of racial pride. It
is in the South that the Negro
suffers most. It is in the South
that he is most frequently jail
ed for no other reason than that
of protesting denial of his rights;
it is in the South that he is
mostly deprived of his freedom
as a human person. Hence, it
is we of the South who must face
up to the task of restoring the
Negro to his rightful place as
a fellow citizen. We cannot rid
ourselves of the problem by try
ing to reduce his numbers here.
If we followed Senator Rus
sell’s logic, we might then pro
pose to redistribute through
out the country any minority
which troubles our consciences
or disturbs our peace. Today, it
is Negroes! Tomorrow it might
be Catholics, Jews, or Protest
ant minorities! Where does this
type of thinking stop?
GERARD E. SHERRY
Death Penalty?
Jack Ruby has been found guilty
of slaying the alleged assassin
of President John F. Kennedy. He
was tried and convicted by a jury
of his peers--a right that he de
nied Lee Oswald, the alleged as
sassin.
There are some who think that
Jack Ruby is a hero--this be
cause he did away with a so-
called communist--and the only
good reds are the dead ones. But
Jack Ruby’s crime is above poli
tics. Before millions of television
viewers he appointed himself the
executioner of a man who, even
in his grave, is yet to be de
clared the official assassin of
our late President. And presum
ing that Lee Oswald was the man
behind the rifle, he was still en
titled to his day in court. This is
the American way, and the way of
justice.
Having said all this, we still
believe that the death sentence
recommended by the Dallas jury
is hardly fitting in the circum
stances, and the times in which
we live. Admitting that the death
penalty is part of the law does not
preclude us from deploring it
as a barbaric custom unbecom
ing of twentieth century commu
nity standards and ideals.
Jack Ruby had no right to take
Lee Oswald s life. None of us can
take the law into his own hands.
Once we do this, we dislodge the
first stones ot our democratic
foundations and sow the seeds
of anarchy. Jack Ruby, if his ap
peals are denied, should be pun
ished. But is the death penalty
the answer?
GERARD E. SHERRY
Catholic
The job of the editorial writer
is to be a gadfly. Unless his edi
torials take a stand, annoy some
people and sting others, he fre
quently feels that he has accom
plished nothing.
Occasionally however the gad
fly smiles instead of bites and
brings words of consolation in
stead of epithets of rebuke. Oc
casionally instead of pointing the
finger of blame he extends a hand
of peace. Occasionally he calms
people down instead of riling them
up.
It is in such a ironic spirit
that these lines are written. We
address it to the Johnsons, the
Goldwaters, the Rockefellers, the
Nixons and all the other Presi
dential candidates, announced and
unannounced. We ask that its
message be relayed to the cam
paign managers, the supporters,
the men in the smoke-filled
rooms who make the ticket. We
bring them a simple message,
but a message that will soothe
their brows and pacify their ul
cers: Don’t worry about putting
a Catholic on the ticket.
It is our honest conviction
that to the average Catholic it
couldn’t matter less w hether a
Shriver, a Kennedy, a Wagner
or a Brown are chosen for the
second place rather thananother
candidate who eats meat on Fri
day. While the political pundits
worry about which Catholic
should be the Democratic Vice-
Presidential candidate and whe
ther any prominent Catholic can
be found to balance the Repub
lican ticket, few ask the Catho
lic people if it really matters.
Our experience is that if they
did, not only would most Catho
lics be unconcerned about the
chances of their co-religionists,
they would hardly even know
which were Catholics and which
were not.
Everyone would subscribe to
the theory that religion shouldn’t
matter, that a man's qualifica
tions alone should be considered,
ST. LOUIS REVIEW
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Perspective
GEORGIA PINES
CENSORSHIP
Prior Restraint
Is Essential
BY GERARD E. SHERRY
I was discussing movie censorship the other
day with a couple of friends and they seemed to
think that the Church was unfair in its demands
for so-called "prior restraint"
It was pointed out to them that great care was
exercised before moral objections were placed by
Church officials
against any parti
cular movie. There
are some films which
have a decidedly low
moral tone through
out and tend to mini
mize the moral obli
gations of all princi
ple characters.
In some instances, films treat in terms of mor
bid sensationalism such things as sex and
narcotic addiction. And in so doing they fail to
avoid the harmful implications relative to tills
moral and sociological problem. In addition many
of these type films have suggestive costuming,
dialogue and situations.
In this problem, as in any other concerning the
censorship of movies, the primary question is one
of "prior restraint". Shall we stop the film be
ing shown to the public until objectionable material
has been deleted or shall we wait until such mater
ial has been allowed to sow seeds of decaying in
fluences among our people, especially the young?
Its as simple as that. What’s more, the only
people opposing "prior restraint" on movie
showing are those with vested interest in the
movie industry—and the secular liberals.
REAPINGS
AT
RANDOM
Roosevelt
BY REV. R. DONALD KIERNAN
I feel like a country deacon in the "Amen"
corner when I second the fine article in last
week’s BULLETIN which Father Mayhew wrote
about the Warm Springs Foundation. Sometimes
its possible to get so wrapped up in the beauties
of north Georgia that one would forget that there
are other places in Georgia just as interesting
and Just as beautiful.
1 don’t think that there is tf more breath taking
spot in all of Georgia than the scenery as one
looks down on Ida Cason Calla
way Gardens. This view, near
the Warm Springs Foundation
would rival any spot in all of the
south.
I UNDERSTAND that Warm
Springs existed long before FDR
"discovered" it. He became in
terested in Warm Springs about
1925 after he had made a trip to
the Georgia spa. It helped him so much that often
he left his desk as Governor of New York and
visited the spot.
After he became President, FDR initiated the
Presidential Balls which were held along about the
later part of January every year. The purpose of
the dance held in almost every city and town of
the nation was to raise funds and increase the
facilities at Warm Springs.
MR. ROOSEVELT appointed a native of Taunton,
Massachusetts, Mr. Basil O'Connor as the head of
the Foundation and immediately plans were for
mulated to attack the dread disease popularly
known as Infantile paralysis .
Roosevelt himself purchased a piece of property
near the Foundation and it was here that he died.
An interesting thing about this property was the
fact that when he received his first month’s elec
tric light bill, he immediately began plans to start
the Rural Electric Membership Cooperation. 1
don't know how true this story is, but Roosevelt
was credited with exclaiming that he could light
up the White House in Washington, cheaper than
he could light his little cottage in Warm Springs.
MOST PEOPLE think that the roads throughout
Country
the Foundation property were never paved in or
der to keep out sightseers and possibly hot-rods,
but even to this day the roads are still dirt
throughout the Foundation property - exactly the
way the President wanted them.
The drive from the main highway up through
the pines to the Chapel was always a serene
view. The Chapel, used by Protestants, Catho
lics and Jews is in the form of a cross. Pews
are located only at the entrance, opposite the Al
tar. The remainder of the church is empty in
order to allow the patients to be wheeled in in
their chairs or beds. There are no steps in any of
the buildings at Warm Springs, ramps lead from
one elevation to the other.
In the Chapel one pew is marked with a plac-
que which designates the pew used by President
Roosevelt whenever he visited the Foundation.
THE STORY goes around that his secretary,
Mrs. Tully, became so concerned about the
priest’s poor collections that she practically
"forced" the Secret Service men, newspaper
men and aids to the chief executive to "tithe"
whenever they attended Mass.
Since FDR could not use his legs, he had a
specially-equipped car which could be manuvered
by hand. The car is on display at the little White
House to this day. Old timers say that it was a
common occurence to see him driving over the
dirt roads on the Foundation property.
1 SUPPOSE the one singular thing which brought
fame to the little town was the signing of a Treaty
with Canada in a railroad car at a siding near
Warm Springs. Doubtlessly earth shaking and im
portant developments were decided in this locale.
A place where the late President found peace and
contentment and relief from a crippling disease.
Georgians were proud to have the late President
look upon this place as his second home. There
was great Joy in all the towns from Toccoa,
through Gainesville, and Atlanta as his special
railroad car used to roar down the track four
or five times a year, on its way to Warm Springs.
People literally lined the railroad track back in
April of 1945 as a train took him north for the
last time. Everyone knew that the colorful chapter
in Warm Spring’s history had suddenly come to a
close.
The movie industry has a right to protect its
investment, but it also has the duty to protect the
general public from immoral influences. If this
was taken into consideration by those responsible
for the production of films, there would be little
necessity for "prior restraint" or censorship in
general. We live however in a society where a
fast buck is considered more important than
morality. Hence, if the movie industry won't do it,
we have to look to the law to protect ourselves,
and our children.
The objecting secular liberals take their stand,
not on the basis of morality but on the shop-worn
cliche of "freedom in a democracy". They con
fuse liberty with license and suggest that every
one should do what they like, how they like, and
when they like. To them, "an occasion of sin" is
of little consequence. Even the young should be
allowed to show maturity—even if they are unable
to understand it.
It is to be hoped that "prior restraint" will be
understood for what it is— an insurance against the
spread of evil influences through the media of
films. Surely, it’s not too much to ask.
In his encyclical, Miranda Prorsus—which
means remarkable inventions, Pope Pius Xll dealt
with the subject of immorality in movies as well
as the moral dangers inherent in TV and radio.
The Pope struck at those who opposed censorship
and said that "prior restraint" by competent
civil and governmental authority was necessary.
The Pope said that while he felt it was useful
for the movie industry to police itself, it was in
adequate. Something more was necessary.
The Pope urged every nation to form commis
sions to police movies and classify them as good
or evil. And he warned theatre owners thatdisplay
of scandalous posters to attract patrons, contri
buted to the corruption of public morals.
A more up to date comment on this whole subject
appears in the text of the COMMUNICATIONS
MEDIA CONSTITUTION promulgated by Pope Paul
VI at the close of the second session of the Vatican
Council. It says:
IN CATHOLIC PRESS
Journalistic
REV. LEONARD F.X. MAYHEW
Narcissus, in Greek mythology, became so
enamored of his own reflection in a fountain that it
led him to his death. By the peculiar (to say the
least) path he took to his sad end, he bequeathed
his name to neurotic self-absorption and morbid
fascination with one’s own person.
Catholic Journalism in these latter days repeat
edly runs the risk of narcissism, a fate that could
once and for all neutralize its effectiveness. It
needs to be added immediately, however, that the
risk is a necessary one. The aim of the myr.ad
essays in self-examination and
criticism which appear in Cath
olic papers is not only worth
while. It is essential. Catholic
Journalism, especially on a dio
cesan level, is still in its adole
scence. It is still very much
involved in forming an aware
ness of its mission and compe
tence. For one example, the
recognition of Catholic Journa-
Narcissism
lism as a "lay" (as distinct from clerical) activi
ty is only beginning to dawn. Coupled with the
many-sided spirit of "aggiornamento" in the
Church at large, this thrust toward maturity with
in the Catholic press dictates a great deal of pub
lic self-examination.
IN COMMON with all newspapers, the diocesan
paper has two faces which teed to be harmonized
and balanced, while leaving each its own freedom
and autonomy. Obviously, its first function is to
present the news which has relevance to Catholic
readers. In our fast-moving world, this is a more
complicated task than it might seem. A great
many things happen every week. Speeches are
made, treaties are signed or broken, laws are
passed, wars begin or end. In a thousand different
ways, the Church is affected by the continuous
flow of events and ideas. Those who direct Catho
lic journals must decide on a representative selec
tion of news items to be presented. Sometimes,
the Intrinsic importance of an event will make the
decision for itself. More usually, the intelligence
and imagination 'of an editor must decide the
CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
"The second question deals with the relationship
between the rights, as they are called, of art and
the norms of morality. Since the mounting con
troversies in this area are frequently take thou
rise from false teachings about exiles and esthe
tics, the Council proclaims that all must hold to
the absolute primacy of the objective moral order,
that is, this order by itself surpasses and fitting
ly coordinates all other spheres of human affairs
—the arts not excepted—even though they be en
dowed with notable dignity. For man who is en
dowed by God with the gift of reason and summoned
to pursue a lofty destiny is alone affected by the
moral order in his entire being. And likewise, if
a man resolutely and faithfully upholds this order,
he will be brought to the attainment of complete
perfection and happiness.
"Finally, the narration, description or portray
al of moral evil even through the media of social
communication, can indeed serve to bring about
a deeper knowledge and study of humanity and,
with the aid of appropriately heightened dramatic
effects, can reveal and glorify the grand dimen
sions of truth and goodness. Nevertheless, such
presentations ought always to be subject to moral
restraint, lest they work to the harm rather than
the benefit of souls, particularly when there is
question of treating matters whlcn deserve reve
rent handling or which, given the baneful effect of
original sin in men, could quite readily arouse
base desires in them."