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f r f 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 ■; ■* ; *\ ' '_ >•*• • •.J? • :'_.d ■ jV? ' of d ••••• .:■■■ . • •• .: ••• ‘ S' V : //y:$ y" />•.-' ■'■■TifM - • ■ v - Vf;.~ *■ • 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."