The Cross

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Part of The Cross

Title: The Cross
Description: Cross National Catholic Magazine
Official bi-monthly organ of the KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS in the Philippines, K of C, Gen. Luna cor. Sta. Potenciana St. Intramuros, Manila.
Issue Date: Volume III (Issue No.10) September 1948
Publisher: Knights of Columbus
Year: 1948
Language: English
Subject: Catholic Church--Philippines--Periodicals.
Rights
Place of publication: Manila
extracted text: _________ SEPTEMBER. 19 IS_________ EDITORIALS: OUT OF HUMAN HANDS OUR STAND ON THE HUK ISSUE OF SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS .Most Rev. Pedro Santos, D.D. THE SAGA OF BALER As told by Bro. Vincent Sheerer, O.C.D. WHY STUDY TAGALOG? Jose M. Icasiano ANDANTE CANTABILE Short Story by Augusto H. Piedad , OF INTEREST TO WOMEN THE HEART OF A COMMUNIST By Ex-communist Louis F. Budenz ADVICE TO THE LOVELORN BY LILY MARLENE ,ross IN EVERY HOME ~ AND NOW... THESE LOVELY GIFTS FREE! AS A TOKENTOF YOl R ZEALOUS EFFORTS IN SPREADINC; YOUR FAVORITE CATHOLIC MONTHLY "CROSS Send us (.») tlireu one year subscriptions and FREE GIFTS for choose one of the following yourself: (ill T No. 25 SACRED HEART Sterling Silver No. 7102A- Medal & Chain 1125CT 15 THE MO 0 NATIONAL It CATHOLIC MAGAZINE Bldg., Escolta, Manila, Philippines SEPTEMBER, 1918 Vol. Ill No. 10 TABLE OF CONTENTS EDITORIALS: Out Of Human Hands Eugenio Salvador, S.J...................... 4 Our Stand ............................................... 5 ARTICLES: Of Schools. And Schools Bishop Santos ........................... 8 The Saga of Baler Bro. Vincent Sheerer ....................... 10 Why Study Tagalog? Jose M. Icasiano ............................... 17 Of Interest to Women Florence Pfeister ............................... 21 How To Lose Souls Claire Booth Luce ............................. 52 The Four Ps Atty. D. Batacan ............................. 44 The Heart Of A Communist Louis F. Budenz ............................... 47 SHORT STORY: Andante Cantabile Augusto H. Piedad ........................... 37 POETRY: Prayer For Peace Francis Cardinal Spellman ........... 23 Sixteen to Cupid Margarita Ataviado........................... 46 DEPARTMENTS: Thinking With The Cross ................... 31 Heart to Heart .......... Lily Marlene 26 What’s On Your Mind? Brother Edward ............................... 35 Newsmonth ............................................. 53 Movie Reviews ....................................... 57 From the Bookshelves.: XXI .............. 59 Cross Currents of Readers* Views .. 62 Associate Editors Mario T. Gatbonton Augusto H. Piedad Business Manager Raul C. Reyes Board of Editors Antonio Estrada Hermenegildo B. Reyes Nicolas Zafra Enrique F. Lumba Contributing Editors Salvador Ar'aneta Miguel Cuenco Pacita Santos Renato Arevalo THE CROSS is a Catholic publication issued monthly by THE CROSS MAGAZINE with the permission of the ecclesias tical authorities. Contributions to the Cross are welcome, pro vided they are in line policy and standards with the by this magazine. All submitted in duplicate and accompanied return will be made in case of rejection. Subscription rates: One year — local: P4.00 : for eign: {3.00. Printed at Cacho Hermanos, Inc. 672 Legarda, Manila. Registered as second class mall matter at the Manila Post Office. — with our guest editor--------------------------------------OUT OF HUMAN HANDS A subject to be "debatable” must have at least two sides. The subject of the legalization of diverce is not and cannot be debat able. The law against divorce has been promulgated once and for all by the Divine Creator of nature and reaffirmed by Christ: “What God hath joined together let no. man put asunder.” Therefore the question is already settled. There is no alternative. God has taken the matter wholly out of human hands. It would be foolish to “debate” whether the State can or may le galize stealing, or murder, or crime. The law “Thou shall not steal”; “Thou shall not kill”; “Thou shall not tell lies”, etc. precludes any dis cussion or debate. The Law has already decided. In like manner it would appear rather foolish to bring into a debate the subject, of divorce, for there is also the Law: Thou shall not break the marriage bond; or “What God hath joined together let no man put asunder.” Or do we presume ourselves to know more than Almighty God? Or are we wiser than He is? Or do we, out of our heart’s pride and conceit, challenge God and dare question His established order, revise and correct His Laws and dispositions? And this is precisely what men and governments do when by legalizing divorce they attempt to trample under foot God’s preordained Law. Granted that at one time God permitted divorce. What of it? After all God made the bond of marriage. The point is not about God. The point is about man: that no man, no human authority can dis solve marriage and grant divorce. The government did not institute marriage and therefore the government cannot abolish or essentially change it. The mere attempt to do so is tantamount to a crime; it is usurpation of an authority which no human institution possesses. And necessarily this crime, as any other crime, brings its own punishment. For one thing Almighty God cannot remain indifferent as to whether His Laws are being observed or being trampled upon by men, His creatures. —Rev. Eugenio Salvador, S,J. —editorial-------------------------------------------- —— OUR STAND There is no mistaking the issue now. For a time we were willing to hold our tongue and give wellmeaning newsmen and public officials a sporting chance that perhaps the Huks were honest-to-goodness peasants desperately seeking real social reforms. But all the while we had our tongue on our cheek. Not that we didn’t believe in what the peasants have been fighting for all these years—great things, like just distribution of wealth, a living wage for the ‘kasama’, the uplifting of the dignity of Mang Juan and all that this entails. Nay, we might even add that we still believe in many a Huk—just as we believe in men like Kravchenko, or Louis Budenz, or Heyward Broun, or Kasenkina—men whose integrity and idealism made them see things in their real worth — and act ac cordingly. But we have come to believe that the non-communists among the Huks, however great their number, are a mere cog in the wheel as far as running the organization is concerned. We have always known two kinds of Huks: those who are fired with the Utopian idea of ■Communism and those who joined the movement merely to save their skin. We have never doubted the nature of the Huk organization. A mere glance at its setup, its methods and its aims would convince the unbiased that it is Communism in the raw. Thanks to Luis Taruc the issue is now clear — as clear as the flooded rice fields of San Luis on a sunny day. His statement to the press (August 13), his open letter to the Filipino people (August 29), his explanatory letter to a morning daily (Sept. 5), his recent letter to Arsenio Lacson (Sept. 7)—all these point to one fact: Taruc and his men are unscrupulously fighting for the cause of Communism in the Philippines. They are also using all the known communist methods —primarily, inciting revolution. It is the communist creed that the world is going to blow up soon and that a communistic society is the next stage of human life. No passive Jeremias these, they would hasten the explosion by preaching 5 THE CROSS and fomenting revolution. They are convinced that force alone can make private owners give up their possessions for common ownership under governmental administration. Or as Mr. Taruc would have it: “Legal, constitutional, parliamentary methods of struggle alone can not achieve democratic peace!” Tt is needless to repeat here that the iron-hand policy which the government has so far been following only redounds to the good of the Huk cause, verifying beyond cavil theii- accusation of Facism. Communism, as has often been said, is an idea, a cause. Violence will only glamorize it before the exoteric and glorify its gang leaders into heroes and martyrs of the common man. Besides bloodshed is utterly unnecessary. The best way to fight communism is to expose, on the one hand, its diabolic nature by an intensive propaganda among the intelligentsia as well as among the unlettered, and on the other hand, to destroy the causes that breed it by the establishment of a new social order. A recent incident shows how Communism, like the etil that it is, fears the light of exposition. A few months ago the Catechetical Guild of St. Paul, Minnesota, showed in a 48-pages comic book, what Communism would mean to America: one-party rule, the abolition of civil liberties, the suppression of religion, government control of press and radio, and police terror. When the Communists learned of the book their official paper frantically screamed persecution, sputtering epithets: “fascist!” Hit lerite! warmongers! anti-Semitic! anti-democratic! etc.” Moscow stooges called .on (1) the Post Office to bar the book from the mails, (2) the U.S. Attorney General to prosecute the publisher, and (3) the Treasury Department to withdraw tax-exemption privileges granted to its publishers. They even used direct methods intimidating riewsstands! Result? To date, 5,000,000 copies have been sold—currently 300,000 a month are being published, barely enough to supply the demand. Bishop ‘Jeanmard of Lafayette, La., said: “The fact that the Daily Workdr (official communist organ) is doing so much to prevent the spread of IS THIS TOMORROW is proof enough that it is striking home and hurting the cause.” Exposition, however, is but one phase of the fight against the monster of communism now lurking behind our seemingly peaceful SEPTEMBER, 1948 countryside. The government together with all in responsibility should strive to wipe out the injustices, the abuses and all the evils that the communists would harp on—and justly, for many of these evils exist. And needless to point out, the necessary economic and social reforms, often promised but never fulfilled, should be introduced—swiftly. The Filipino peasant and laborer has long groaned under the yoke of eco nomic dependence, being in many cases utterly incapable of acquiring a land and a home he could call his own. It is about time the government and the owning class exerted serious efforts to make the production and distribution of goods serve the masses. The government plan to buy lands and sell them on easy payment terms to the peasants should be carried out without a mo ment’s hesitation. A landowning peasantry forms the real backbone of a truly Christian democracy. The hacendero and the employer, who are in better position than anyone else to solve our economic problems, should help educate their laborers to economic independence. “Unless serious attempts be made,” declared Pius XI, “with all energy and WITHOUT DELAY to put the idea of private ownership into practice, let nobody persuade himself that the peace and tranquility of human society can be effectively defended against the forces of re volution.” To sum up, Communism, though diabolical in nature, thrives and grows because of discontent. Once therefore we have. removed the causes of discontent and exposed the evil of communism, the organ ization, having no more raison d’etre, would die of inanity. FOR COMMUNISTS TOO Someone conceived the idea of starting a new religion which would embrace whatever was good in already existing creeds. He wrote to members of the various sects and to a prominent Catholic priest, asking how he could win followers to his new religion. The priest answered: “You might try having yourself cru■ cified and buried, and on the third day rising again.” OF SCHOOLS AND SCHOOLS By Bishop Pedro Santos, D.D. Excerpts from the “Pastoral Letter on Catholic Schools” by the Most Reverend Bishop Santos of Nueva Caceres, May 15, 1948. We wish to warn our Priests and the laity against a danger so rampant nowadays. It is a fact known to all, that many laymen, mostly Catholics dedicate their energy and resources in putting up schools and colleges, not pre cisely because they care to impart Christian education though they may pretend to do so, but for ma terial gain. They believe, that by branding their schools as non sectarian and by arranging a few classes of religion, they live up to the requirements of the parents and of the Church, and therefore, they have the right to demand from us the official recognition of their schools. From our definition of a Ca tholic school, it is evident that their schools cannot be regarded as Catholic. However, for the sake of clearness and to preclude all room for misinterpretations, We deem it necessary to analyze the word non-sectarian and bring out its true meaning. We wish to note beforehand that, according to the Canon Law (1374-& the quoted Encyclical Letter or Pius XI (A A A., XXII, 77), non-catholic schools may be grouped into four kinds: 1. Schools positively non-catho lic, where doctrines against the catholic faith are taught, doctrines professed by Protestantism of whatever denomination, by Ju daism or by paganism under any form whatsoever; where students attend religious services different from Catholic worship. As exam ples of these schools, we may cite the UNITED INSTITUTE OF ALBAY, SILLIMAN INSTITUTE AND UNIVERSITY OF Dumaguete, Oriental Negros',’ PHILIP PINE CENTRAL COLLEGES of Jaro, Iloilo, and the UNION COL LEGE of Manila. Schools of this type are properly sectarian; under pain of mortal sin, no catholic may knowingly and deliberately attend them nor enroll their chil dren therein. 2. Neutral schools, from which all doctrines and practices of any religion are altogether excluded. They are schools without God, practically atheistic. Up to the present, they were called laical. 3. Mixed Schools, where catho lic doctrine is taught equally |o catholics and non-catholics alike. Religion is not banned but they erroneously sustain that all forms of religion are the same, and that SEPTEMBER, 1948 it makes no difference whatever religion one may embrace. These schools are the standard bearers of religious indifferentism. 4. "Those schools, where catho lic'doctrine is taught separately to catholic students by catholic teachers, but other subjects are taught or may be taught by non catholic teachers to all the stu dents regardless of their different religious beliefs. Under this group may be classified our public schools in the Philippines, where under certain conditions imposed by the Government, all the different re ligious sects and denominations may teach their own doctrine to their followers. According to Pope Pius XI (A.A.A., XXII, 77), this kind of school can hardly be tole rated, but he does not call them by any specific name. In our opinion, the name which more closely fits them is that of latitudinarian schools. What kind of schools are called non-sectarian nowadays? By this term catholics wish perhaps to ex clude the sectarian schools, namely, those professing a false religion, like those classified under group 1. But even then, their so-called non-sectarian schools cannot be properly called Catholic because the best meaning we could give to it is that in their schools nothing is taught contrary to faith and morals (can. 1372) but they can not claim that they positively pro mote Christian education, which Is the main purpose of a catholic school, and which consists, of not only enlightening the mind by religious instruction, but rather in strengthening the will and mould ing the character by the practice of Christian virtues, under the in fluence, the guidance, and the example of educators. But what is worse is that in common modern language the term non-sectarian does not have the same meaning that catholics would fain give to it. Nowadays, they distinguish between schools which profess some sort of religion, ca tholic or non-catholic and those that do not profess any particular religion at all: to the former they give the name of sectarian and they call the later, non-sectarian. According to this distinction, ca tholic schools are included among the sectarian schools,—although it should not be thus, and the nonsectarian schools are all those that We have called neutral mixed and latitudinarian, for, if the school does not profess any par ticular religion, either it accepts no religion whatsoever, like the neu tral schools, or for it all religions are the same, like the mixed schools, or finally, without med dling directly in religious matters, it permits all the different reli gious groups to teach their doc trine to those students that may ask for them, like in the Public and other similar schools, which we have called latitudinarian. THE SAGA OF BALER As told by Brother Vincent Sheerer, O.C.D. It was the 4th of July. The Philippines was commemorating Independence Day. Mass was cele brated in our beautiful little church here at Baler by Father Leo in Thanksgiving for Freedom. After a busy morning I was looking forward to a good nooze in the afternoon, but Father Leo bustled in and asked me if I cared to accompany him with some others in a search for the father of Lope. Lope was a young man of fine character to whom we were greatly attached. It seemed that his father and a friend had gone on a fishing trip the night before and had not returned. A violent rain and wind storm had arisen the previous night and it was feared that they had been blown out to sea. While the morn ing of the 4th was overcast, I thought the storm had passed over. Father Leo ordered an early dinner which we ate hurriedly and sparingly. Lope’s brother, Atta boy, now arrived with those who intended to go with us. There was great excitement among them all. Especially the two brothers who rushed to the rectory with cooked and uncooked rice, and a bottle of water, 4/5 qt. size for their fattier should he be in need. We carried no food for ourselves. At the water’s edge all prepared for boarding the banca; shoes were removed and pants rolled up to drag the banca from the beach to the water. All included the following men and boys: Bitong, 40, Attaboy 22, Pio Imperial 18, Paulino Amatorio 20, Oscar An gara 20, Rudy Valenzuela 18, Igmidio Sindac 18, son of the own er of the banca, Father Leo and myself. The men suggested going North along Baler beach which seemed reasonably calm, but the appear ance of the launch of a local lum berman, caused Father Leo to or der the banca in that direction (south). We circled around it as our banca was quite fast. In the meantime all were shouting in Ta galog and we gathered that a ban ca had been sighted some distance south. There were angry com ments as to why the launch did not pick up the men, but they were already overcrowded And dared not chance stopping in the choppy waters. We went another 30 minutes when it was realized that we could no longer withstand 10 SEPTEMBER, 1948 11 the heavy waves. Fr. Leo kept the two boys bailing out water that a banca customarily takes in. He sounded like a sea captain, and I thought this “front” was the be ginning of a knowledge of real danger. We turned north and went about 100 meters. Suddenly the waves began filling the banca with wa ter. We were being swamped. The two small cans used for bail ing were abandoned and the large can with fresh water was fran tically used once or twice, but it was too late. The boat gradually settled in the sea, not sinking en tirely but entirely submerged. There was a great state of alarm. The motor shut off and all who could swim jumped into the water to propel the banca towards the shore. Rudy handed me the rub ber boat to inflate for Fr. Leo. A self-inflating bottle immediately blew the thing up into a large boat. Fr. Leo sat in it at once. Only four minutes could have elapsed from the time we had been swamped. Attaboy asked me to swim ashore with him, but the waves and rocks seemed too dangerous and I refused. I have never re gretted staying with the banca as there was much to be done in the way of work, both physical and spiritual. Attaboy and Bitong both strong swimmers then took off for a large rock in the hope of reaching shore and spreading the alarm for help. We saw them make for the first rock and then being washed away from it sev eral times, until they at last got a firm grip. Then they lay ex hausted for a couple of minutes. We were all happy and felt they really deserved much credit for their courage and endurance. We were then drifting with the cur rent and wind, but always watch ing to see if the two swimmers had reached shore. Soon however the big waves and the distance hid them from our sight. No one saw them reach the beach. This remained a point of speculation for the next three days. We then watched the hazy sun slowly sink to rest and we spoke hopefully as to how long it would take the two men to get to Ba ler. The waves were getting rougher and it soon became the general opinion that it was now too rough for a boat to attempt to reach us. Silence was now the order for all, so that moisture would not be lost from the mouth. The night went on, each one cuddling close to a companion for warmth. Our teeth were chattering and knees shaking. Once during the night some form of sea life gave us a miserable 16 minutes by stinging our bodies, but thank God there was no recurrence, except inter mittent stings. 12 THE CROSS July 5th, 1948 MONDAY Dawn was most welcome for the night had been tough. We entered Monday in better spirits. Again the warning to use little energy and to keep the mouth shut was given. From now on I am con fused as to the time for our troubles seemed endless. We re mained quite motionless through out the day in the hope that the waves might subside and that per haps we might get our motor go ing. We had attempted more than once to start the motor but it was useless as the waves were wash ing over it at intervals. It is no exaggeration to say that the waves now were 20 to 25 feet high. We became used to it after a time, and our drifting became a boring wait. A lone sea gull hovered near the boat and I asked it to be shot by someone who knew how to handle a gun. But Lope, who owned the rifle, refused for some peculiar reason. Paulino tried to hit it with an oar, but missed as the bird just played with him sweep ing from side to side. I then no ticed what appeared to be a shark fin. So shouting a warning to get all legs and hands in I again called for the gun. Little Pio begged me to be careful shooting a large fish as it might do damage to the boat. The alarm turned out to be unnecessary as the creature was but a large 2 foot in diameter turtle! The next moment we were all jumping to our feet in wild excite ment. We heard and saw a plane making straight for us. We slip ped and fell over each otherjn our anxiety to make ourselves big by standing up. We waved our un dershirts and pants and some were shouting for the pilot to hurry. We were saved! Hope had always been in our hearts. Alas! within one mile of us, the plane veered in towards the land and flew out of sight. At what seemed midday, water was passed around, e?ch taking his tiny share. Uncooked rice was al so offered, but all refused except Fr. Leo and Paulino. I was angry that they were stubborn and re minded them of the need for food to conserve their strength. All afternoon we drifted on, working at the oars the whole time. Fr. Leo helped nobly. We tried to get each boy to spend 5 or 10 minutes at an oar; but try ing to make them move was more exhausting than rowing. As the sun again began to sink we noticed that land was further away and that all efforts at rowing were useless. Each one was offered water. Only an inch now re mained in the bottle and I knew that the following morning we would be scratching. Since our chances looked so slim, Fr. Leo SEPTEMBER, 1948 13 gave all general absolution. For tunately for us we had a priest along. Often Fr. Leo would be heard to say something and when asked what he was saying, he would answer “Oh I am praying.” We have by now lost all hope of rescue and our conversation swung to the possibilities of the next world. In a way, it was thrilling to feel that soon we would be on a new adventure. At this time after having examined my con science I made a general confesRudy too made his confession. For this grace I thank God as this lad was a skeptic and dreaded to approach the confessional. Pio and Igmidio followed suit. Lope was a daily communicant. It had been a terrible night and we were glad tp see the first grey streaks of a new day. July 6th, 1948 TUESDAY For breakfast about 2 table spoons each of water was given out and taken greedily by all. The waves were not so high today, al though they were still nearly 10 ft. We began to work on ideas and schemes to bring us nearer the shore for we were drifting ever farther to sea. The first idea was to try to raise the banca out of the water. Our attempt failed miserably. Then the thought came to make a sail out of the rubber boat by tying it high on a bam boo pole. As we began to tie on the rubber boat, the pole shifted to one side throwing our boat off balance. The banca overturned casting everyone into the water. All had sufficient strength still to turn the banca upright once more. Time dragged on... waves rolled on... we drifted on... I noticed the boys were more restless and for the first time I felt hungry (odd considering my reputation for an enormous ap petite). Having found out that in overturning the rubber boat all our food was lost, my own spirits sank as I had depended on the rice to keep me going. Pio began to cry from hunger. His wailing was pitiful. Personally I suffered no great privation so far, except that my lips and legs were burning. Seeing the boys suffer was heart breaking. They tugged at our arms to help them, calling Bro ther or Father in a pitiful man ner. Igmidio began to say he could no longer hold out. Father Leo too showed signs of weakness and his eyes were getting glassy. I was watching each one for the first signs of delirium. Nothing Fr. Leo said or did at the time made me think he was delirious, but later having observed the three others die, his symptoms were like to theirs — high fever and eventual loss of mind. Whe ther this took place in his case we shall never know. About 4 o’clock land was still 14 THE CROSS as far away as ever and a "last straw” presented itself. Rudy suggested to Fr. Leo to attempt to reach shore by means of the rubber boat. The others quickly agreed. We must have been 40 kilometers from shore. Without much ado Fr. Leo and Rudy set out looking like two eskimoes, paddling furiously and bouncing up and down like a cork on the now 6 foot waves. After about 10 minutes I saw them still within a hundred yards of us; but a lit tle later Paulino standing on the prow of the banca could see them no more. Thus went Fr. Leo be fore the other boys began to die. It was perhaps as well. He loved these boys. Shortly after this Igmidio be came delirious. He constantly searched the banca for something. He tried to hit Oscar with the rif fle but the gun was easily wrested from him and thrown overboard. He looked at us with wide eyes yet seemed not to recognize us. He wrestled and pulled me, sap ping my strength. I let him go as he was harming no one. I cut pieces of rattan used for tying the boat together and gave each a piece to chew on. All refused. I ate a couple of short pieces al though it was bitter. I was pre paring for further ordeals. Darkness came on again and with it the waves in increasing, violence. Igmidio was eating his undershirt torn in small pieces and when I asked him why, he an swered, “this is young coconut.” I said nothing—what could I say? He died about 9 o’clock. Lope ate the same later. I was sad to re member they refused the rice when offered. Because it was dark I did not like to dispose of Igmidio’s body until morning. Pio and Lope now were very delirious. Always a quiet boy, Lope became ferocious.* He began to hit me on the face. This yent on for sometime until thinking it wouldn’t stop I return ed the blow—not too hard to do any damage but sufficient to hurt. The blow brought him to his senses and became docile once more. Pio however took the bolo and tried to slice Paulino, but it was wrest ed from him and thrown into the sea. July 7th 1948 WEDNESDAY The morning of Wednesday came casting its grey light over the dreary wreckage. The sea was now calmer and the actions of the boys more subdued. Paulino and Oscar sat huddled in the prow. At my end a dead body floated and two very sick boys rested dear me. The first act of the day was to pray over the bruised body of our friend Igmidio. All joined in as best they knew how, and Lthen committed his body to the ocean and it floated away.. SEPTEMBER, 1948 15 A little later Pio died quietly without a struggle. Again we prayed for his soul and dropped him into the sea, and he, too, float ed away slowly. We were sad to see our companions go in this way. Yet the sight of death did not alarm us, and we expected it to be but a matter of hours before we too would join those already gone. Lope was now almost entirely gone. His eyes were blood-shot and he just stared vacantly ahead. We expected him to die any mo ment. By now the sun was shin ing and new hope caused by its warmth rose in our hearts. Yet we talked together of the short time left for each of us with a coolness that surprises me now. Since we had 24 hours we tried again to make for the shore. The wind seemed favorable. We start ed to paddle but soon gave up from weakness. Then we decided to make a raft and abandon the banca. It seemed easier now since there were only three of us. Lope was not being counted as we were sure he had only a short while to live. Once more we untied the bamboo poles from the banca and put them all on one side. We were working coolly and without haste. We soon had the raft tied to gether and had torn paddles from the banca for our attempt. Then someone said, “What about Lope?” His question was never answer ed... Out of the sky swooped an American plane and the hum of its motors was the sweetest music to our ears. We cried for joy and happiness. Hope of living had long since gone. This sudden change in our fortune was almost too much. We floundered back in to the banca and I started slapping Lope’s face trying to make him realize that we were saved. Poor Lope just stared blankly. The plane dived as a bird spotting its prey. Alarmed we were thrown off balance and once more the .ban ca turned upside down with Lope half under. I swam to grab him. I dragged him up and sat on the upturned banca. A large lifeboat floated about 25 meters off and Oscar immediately swam for it. It was drifting away fast and Os car was so exhausted when he reached it, he lay down on the boat unable to move. Seeing the situation I turned Lope over to Paulino and made for the lifeboat. When I reached it I was too weak to climb on board and called for Oscar, but he was already asleep. He finally woke up and gave me a hand. By now Paulino was very far away. I was shouting for him to be quick as I thought I could start the motor soon, but I was mis taken. Paulino began to swim and I marvelled at his endurance. In between loosening a nut holding the parachute I stood up to cheer 16 THE CROSS him on. When he came close I saw the reason for his strength — he was wearing a “May West” life belt dropped by the army. As he entered the boat he told me, “Lope died even as I held him and while the planes dropped 2 life jackets.” We struggled to pull in the pa rachutes. Oscar was absolutely immobile, and any amount of'urg ing him was useless. He was on solid ground and no longer cared where we drifted. The work was slow. In between drinking all the water that was handed to me and waving in gratitude to the several planes flying above us we finally tried to start the motor. This proved impossible as one motor was flooded from the jolt and the other had a defective magneto, as we learned later. We ate the rations with the greatest relish. I did not cease to drink water consuming at least a bucketfull in the afternoon. I had put on water proof clothes which had been neatly stacked in the boat. We inflated the rubber mattresses and also a large raft on the bow and then changed into dry clothing for the night. We ate again, although food being a little spicy was agony for the mouth. July 8th 1948 THURSDAY About 2 o’clock in the morning of July 8th I woke up but found my self unable to move due to the stiffness of my limbs and back. It was raining. So I filled all the empty ration cans as we expected to float a couple more days until the motor was fixed or we were towed in. When morning came we began to feel warm in the clothe?, but worked on until the plane returned. Another big plane besides the sea plane hovered around with another life boat evidently looking for our already lost friends. We worked on the motor until the plane land ed and picked us up. All on board were Americans. A doctor was with them but became so sick be cause of rolling he was in a worse condition than we. Tjie faces of those Americans were really a grand sight — they looked to me like all my family, cousins, rela tives, friends—rolled into one. All were smiling and tenderly put us to bed and was it a relief to just stop trying to figure things out. We took off for Manila and here I am today recuperating in the Philippine General Hospital. I am not complaining that this had to be written, for God has more work for me to do and I hope to do better next time. God’s ways are not out ways — His Will be done. He has taken to Himself those whom He would — May they rtst in His peace, now that they have reached the safe shores of eternity and the harbor of eternal bliss. Praise be to Lord Jesus Christ now and Forever. Amen. WHY STUDY TAGALOG? By Jose M. Icasiano Instructions, I think, should be offered instructors in National Language on the purpose of teach ing Tagalog. Some shots of sanity should be given our system of Tagalog instruction. Anywhere we meet high school students in our entire country, we are con fronted with complaints. Why must we study Tagalog? How can we learn Tagalog the way we study it?. Students are despe rately curious and teachers are in despair for answers. But although teachers are in the thickest London fog of ignor ance, they must never be discov ered to be at a loss for .answers. Sc they reply: We study the Na tional Language because it is a prescribed subject; and we use thft Balarila because it is the prescribed text. Simple and ob vious, you dumb: the teachers are careful to suggest in the tone of their answers. Once upon a time a student was asked by his teach er why he was studying Physics. The ward replied: I study Physics because if I didn’t, I’d flunk. Sim ple and obvious, but it did not sa tisfy the teacher. How can we expect reasoning high school stu dents to be satisfied with similar answers? The Purpose of Studying Tagalog We don’t study Tagalog in or der to correct our grammar. Grammatical correctness can be a reason for Americans studying English. Uneducated Americans use slang which often violates the grammar of polite society. Tagalogs don’t fall into the same error. Unschooled Tagalogs who hail from the fields speak as gram matical if not better, Tagalog as Tagalog professors born and bred in Manila. Non-Tagalogs on the other hand really learn their Ta galog from Tagalog Movies and songs, from the Liwayway, the Bagong Buhay or Filipinas, from their visits to Manila, from their contacts with Tagalogs who have settled in their region. We study the Balarila so that we may have a working grammar in Tagalog. We are now an in dependent nation. One of the signs of nationalism is a love for one’s own language. Our love for our own language will eventually lead us to use it in education also. 17 THE CROSS lb Time should come when our clas ses will be conducted in the Na tional Language. For this purpose our textbooks must be written in Tagalog. We are just starting with the grammar, which is but proper. We study Tagalog to learn pub lic speaking, to improve our style in writing, to acquaint ourselves with the Tagalog literature. Even Tagalog-speaking students can learn something, if not very much, from lessons and exercises in pub lic speaking, in beauty of style in writing, which are learned only thru actual practice in public speaking and thru actual writing. The study of Tagalog grammar helps us in the mastery of Eng lish and other grammars. Human communication everywhere has similar, if not identical, pattern. There are students who learn for the first time the true meaning of the different parts of speech and their functions from their study of the Balarila. Our study of Tagalog should make us proficient in translating English and other languages to Tagalog. Expert translators will find themselves in greater and greater demand as our national language is adopted by the various offices of the government and by education, commerce and social life. The wealth of learning and literature in English can enrich the greater part of Filipino life only thru Tagalog translations. It is not our purpose in study ing Tagalog to eliminate foreign words from our vocabulary. All languages including English and Spanish have developed by assi milation of foreign words. Lan guage does not consist in words but in the mentality of a people and their peculiar mode of ex pression. Simple Tagalization of Spanish or English words does not affect the substantial purity of our language. Finally, our main reason for studying Tagalog must spring from patriotism. We study Ta galog to discover its various per fections. Familiarity breeds con tempt. Our familiarity with our language makes us blind to its beauty. There are Filipinos who," after they have learned to speak English or Spanish, think, that Tagalog is a less noble language and are sometimes even ashamed of their mother tongue. This at titude cannot rise but from ignor ance. Tagalog language has ad vantage over either English or Spanish in consistency, flexibility, variety, primitiveness and melody. As a system of communication and an expression of art, Tagalog lafrguage is peerless. Our Tagalog SEPTEMBER, 1948 19 period is our opportunity to pause and study the supreme attributes! of our own tongue. Thus we shall learn to love and admire our lan guage and become more patriotic. The System of Teaching Tagalog We must find a way to separate the Tagalog from the non-Tagalog. The latter must use a grammar written in a language they already know, such as English. It is un wise to force high school students to learn the Balarila if they don’t know Tagalog unless the purpose were to make them grammarians; but if the purpose were to make them learn the Tagalog language through the Balarila, this would be downright foolishness, since then we would be presupposing they already possess what we would aim' to impart to them, namely the knowledge of Tagalog. The “Florante at Laura” and other “tula” must not be over used. There is a national ten dency to read or deliver “tula” in a decidedly wrong manner. This sentimentalism and effemin acy would become more grave with repetition. Written compositions for those who already know Tagalog must be given often. The purpose of these exercises is to perfect the style of writing in Tagalog. Ta galog in high school will find out that they can write better in Ta galog than in English. Not only that they don’t commit gramma tical errors but their style is more natural and better in their Taga log composition. By developing Tagalog writers among those who study high school and those who go to college, we shall be able to raise the standard of our present Tagalog literature. It is a very serious duty of our Tagalog teach ers to develop Tagalog writers among his charges: This is the only means we can use to insure the blooming of our Tagalog lite rature, nay, to prevent its with ering. Practice in translation from English to Tagalog should oc cupy most of the Tagalog stu dents’ time. Exercises in turn ing English to Tagalog have twofold significance. They are the more proper form of train ing for the mastery of Tagalog. And they will develop good translators of English among students. Translators will be come in greater and greater de mand as we employ our National language in more and more as pects of- our life, as we should. Translations of English literary and scientific works to Tagalog will enrich our Filipino life. It is only through translations that English literature and writing can affect the bulk of our people. 20 THE CROSS Students must be trained in Tagalog elocution and public speaking. Pieces for delivery should be speeches rather than poems. Good speeches in Eng lish can be translated to Tagalog. Since the principles and rules of public speaking are the same in all languages, this training will also help students in English oratory. The present Balarila should be simplified. We are studying Tagalog to become good Tagalog speakers and writers and not to become grammarians. To facili tate its mastery the Tagalog grammar must indeed be based or modeled on grammar of the Romance languages, but the similarity must not be unduly ex tended to the sacrifice of truth and of the peculiar mentality of our national language. Most important of all, our aim in teaching Tagalog, hence also the method we must use, is to show the perfections of our lan guage. The teacher must com pare Tagalog with English, Spanish, and if he also can, with Latin, Greek and other great languages of the world, to prove that Tagalog is not below these tongues and in certain aspects even superior to them. To teach Tagalog so as to im part the knowledge of the phil osophy and mechanism of human communication. Since Tagalog language has so many primitive aspects, it manifests clearly the origin of language communica tion of mankind. Foreign words commonly used in daily speech and writing of Tagalog should not be avoided. Teachers must learn to justify the assimilation or proper Tagalization of foreign words. To teach Tagalog then so that students will realize its beauty, its various perfections, its many peculiarities which put it above the average and on the same rung with the best language of man. To show that ignorance and not learning is the cause of Anglo—or Hispano-mania. WOMEN PREACHERS Once Samuel Johnson was asked what he thought about women preaching. He replied that a woman preaching was like a dog, walking on his hind legs. They do not do it well but one is surprised to find that they do it at all. Of Interest By Florence Pfeister In that period between the time that father is your ideal man and your own son becomes the apple of your eye comes to love with all its debatable ramifications. There are many imitations, such as flirt ation, lure, the chase and catch which go into most games. Is it love or vanity? The person who think life not worth living has never loved. It is wounded vanity that bitterly wishes to end it all. True love can happen more than once, although such a momentous matter does not occur frequently, as in the Hollywood manner. Love at different times in life will, no doubt, be different but can be just as complete and happy as a first love. Real love, even if unre turned, is more nourising than destructive: it gives out more than it uses up because it tends to make the lover unselfish. Women are more concerned with love than men, not because their hearts are physically different but because their natural sphere in life is more concerned with the family, children, the home. The lives of men are just as much molded by love, only it is easier for them to put aside the cloying details of domesticity when there is trouble and seek outside con tacts; but of all the empty escapes To Women MEN! this is the most farcical. Usually if hubby were as suave at home as he is outside and wifey were as sweet to him as to a new man they could become re-enchanted. The wife always has the ad vantage. Old memories and melo dies stir the heart more than new; and even though they’d die rather than admit it, men are more sentimental than women. From the woman’s standpoint, the happiness or hurt she expe riences through her dealings with men depends largely on how much she considers the rules by which men live or whether she has tried to force them to follow her way; Most men are simple and direct as a child and surprisingly im mature emotionally; they react immediately to the “pleasureand-pain principle,” especially in their contacts with women. Men are not very analytical about women. Often the most, brilliant man apparently shuts off his mind when in the presence of women and reacts as a child who is sampling things in an old-fash ioned grocery store. He finds some of the candy, some pickles, some dry but good crunchy crack ers, and so on down the aisle. The most tremendous injustices wo men suffer at the hands of men 21 22 THE CROSS are not injustices at all from the man’s standpoint. How can there be an injustice without violation of reasoning? The man’s mind was never involved in the matter so, therefore, he has not been un just! To be sure, my dear, mental companionship is entirely possible between a man and woman and is always a strong bond between them; but do not depend upon it too much, for the way a man feels, where his contact with a woman is concerned, is far more essential than the way he thinks. Like a child, a man demands physical and mental comfort or he will be cranky and unreasonable. Women will torture themselves in body and mind to gain an end, but not a man! That is why the preservation of a marriage or a love affair is mostly up to the woman. If you can soothe his ego, amuse him, and keep his mind en tertained with an image of him self that makes him fairly purr with satisfaction, you can keep his love forever. In many cases it isn’t just, and is done at great sacrifice, but it is material for a happy marriage, at least as far as the man is concerned. The wo man who can keep a man’s mind on himself rather than on her will never lose him. Hypocrisy and in sincerity have no place in charm nor in building happiness, but, re member, every man has some qualities for which he is praise worthy. Make the most of them. You will never appeal to a man for long unless he can excel in something. A man likes a woman who is just a little below him in physical strength but he has no use for a whiny killjoy. If it kills you, be cheerful and happy in. his presence, because a man reacts to happiness like a fly to sugar. Never expect a man to fit into your moods. You must fit into his. Sorry, but that’s the way it is, mostly. On the other hand, never stoop to being a doormat, for heaven help you if you let a man see you with your spirit broken. Never forget that men are far more conventional at heart than women and you gain nothing by breaking through the barriers to sin, no matter how loudly he talks beforehand. Why should women always be the ones to do the pleasing and placating? Because both men and women get more out of that ar rangement, dear, than any other, as witness experiments over thou sands of years. Catholics go to church to worship, Protestants frequently to hear an eloquent sermon... There is real democracy in a Catholic congre gation. Rev. Madison C. Peters (Baptist) PRAYER FOR PEACE By Francis Cardinal Spellman O Sacred Heart of Jesus! We adore Thee, We love Thee, We praise Thee. In this hour of dreadful need We implore Thee, dear Jesus — save us! Crimsoned war clouds gather once again about us To rain down ruin, blood and death. Save us or we perish from the earth; Save us by Thy love for mankind, By Thy love for Thy Church, By Thy love for souls, Save us, for we cannot save ourselves! By Thy pierced heart, save us! Make our hearts one with Thine, That our will may be Thy will, And Thy Divine love, our love, That we may make reparation for the sins of the world, Thus to av^rt the wreath of Thy justice Upon a wilful, sinful world, A world that has defied Thy laws, Mocked Thy love, And taken unto itself strange gods. By Thy Sacred Wounds, O Jesus, save us! Heal Thou the wounds of a world now dying, A world crucified on its cross of sin, 23 24 THE CROSS By wounds of anarchy and atheism, Wounds of despotism and slavery, Wounds of fear, glut and greed, Wounds of disease, desolation and death. Pour into the soul of this sick and stricken world The oil and wine of Thy mercy and truth. By Thy thorn-crowned head, O Jesus, save us! Make the light of Thy holy mind Shine into the minds of men, Dispelling distrust and deceit, Inspiring them with purposes of Thy will, That by common council and consent, Men may build through Thee Enduring and universal peace, A peace which man alone cannot find, The peace which God alone can give. O Blessed Prince of Peace, Who rulest by love and love alone, We consecrate ourselves to Thy Sacred H.eart. With faith and hope and love, We follow Thee, O Jesus, And Thy Vicar on earth, our Holy Father, who warns That the future belongs to those who love And nat to those who hate! Reign Thou, O Jesus, in the Kingdom of Thy love. And grant that through Thy Church, Men mty learn to live, In happiness and liberty and peace. Amen. (Two hundred days indulgence granted‘for each recital of the prayer) BE CLEAR, BE BRIEF, BE GONE! The young curate was enthusiastic about the sermon he was about to preach. “I have a good introduction and a good ending and these ought to make a good sermon.” “Yes” drily answered the pastor, “if they come close enough together.” How To Lose Souls By Claire Booth Luce Let me tell you a story about a priest. I never know or saw him. But his spirit and his po wer I can testify to. He is probably dead, God rest his soul. I learned about him from a colleague of mine in Congress. A year ago when it began to be rumored I was taking instructions, this Congressman, an able and de cent fellow, though Often strange ly irascible, took me aside one day in the cloak room. He had been born, he said a Catholic. Did I know what I was doing? Did I know what a strain Catholicism would be on my reason? In the end he told me his story. He was bitter with an old bit terness that you could see had festered and poisoned the conduits of his soul. He had been a very . poor boy, an only son, who in his early teens had to earn a living for his widowed mother, whom he adored. When he was fifteen, they moved to a strange town, where he thought he might do better. She died rather suddenly. (I believe that his grief must have been very intense, for he began to cry now, forty years later.) He wanted her to have a fine funeral. He went to the priest. Then his voice shook with anger remembering that visit to the rec tory. The priest was probably curt and casual. He told the boy that the money he had was in sufficient to give her the kind of funeral the boy's broken heart had set itself on. The boy argued. The priest argued back. The boy shouted at the priest. The priest shouted at the boy. The boy ran away, frightened and sobbing with rage. But since his mother, that dearest lady of his life, had to be buried, that priest had to do it. The pitiful, scrimpy fune ral at which he was the only mourner, was a double agony for the boy. For not only his mother was being buried, but his faith. When he left the church that day, he left forever. H^ married out of the Church, and brought up two children in his wife’s faith. Though he said they really have no faith at the moment. How many other souls that priest may have lost to the Church we cannot guess. I know of four. And if that Congressman had been able to convince me out of the bit terness of his angry heart, there would have been five. All because of a few words, no doubt magni fied by the anguished brain of a boy, and since that time magni fied even more in years of cumula tive bitterness. But in any case, they were words that could not have been Christlike. 25 HEART TO HEART Advice to the lovelorn by Lily Marlene Dear Miss Marlene, I love a man. I have known him about 7 months now. Both of us are high school students of Catholic schools. All the time I thought by his actions that he loved me although he did not profess his love to me. But I found out that he loves a girl I know from the same school where I study. Before the girl loved him, now she doesn’t anymore. Even though 1 knew that he does not love me, I still insist on loving him. Please help me and tell me what to do. Sincerely yours, A TEENAGER Bear Teen-Ager: Since you are both in your teens and still in high-school, I would say—take it easy. He isn’t the only nice boy in the world, and both you and he are likely to change your minds quite a number of times before you finally get married. So why don’t you give yourself a chance—have fun and nice times with a lot of friends. Don’t limit yourself to one person alone. Time enough for that later on. Youth is the time for gay times, friendly companionships, a wide social life. It will never come back, so make the most of it. II Sta. Barbara, Iloilo Dear Miss Marlene, I have a true friend whose friendship I value much, as I deem that only death can separate us. We have shared each other's joys and sorrows always. But she had a beau who recently had the heart to leave her. Now Bhe is in torment, having no appetite, just thinking of her problem. Being a true friend, I sympathised with her and advised her not to 26 SEPTEMBER, 1948 27 converse anymore with the man. Since that time her conduct towards me has changed. I did not mean to stop her if she really loves him. 1 meant to console her. But she is very different now to me. Well, am I right in what I did, being true and devoted to her? Shall I continue being a true friend to her? Sincerely, (Miss) P. C. H. Dear Miss P. C. H.: Give your friend time to get over it. Young people generally feel that once they have fallen in love, heaven and earth may pass away— but not their love. But Time will teach her otherwise. As. to her ap parent coldness towards you, it’s strange, but most of us resent a slur against the one we love, no matter how unworthy they may be. So per haps it would be best if you desist from proffering your advises, which obviously are not welcome. Instead try to distract her. Take her around with other friends. Act as if nothing has really changed. Help to keep her busy and don’t give her time to brood. Ill D.ear Miss Marlene, When I was still a kid, I had a childhood sweetheart with whom I was very much in love. She was our next door neighbor. When the war broke out we were separated. Since then I never heard from her. Last month I just found out where she lives. I was hesitant to talk to her (she didn’t recognize me). We have grown up together, so after these eight years, I wonder it she’ll still remember my face (especially a handsome one like mine I!) Lily, what do you think 1 should do-, forget all about the whole thing or produce a reunion? If you suggest reunion, what do you think is the best way to approach her? (Remember, after eight years I may have rivals!) Very, very sincerely yours, Lovelorn Danny P.S. I sincerely hope your advice comes from the bottomest basement of your golden heart. LJ). THE CROSS Dear Lovelorn Danny: Eight years is certainly a long time. You have changed, and so has she. You’re both grown up now, with different problems, different friends, different tastes. It won’t be easy to pick up where you left off eight long years ago, especially since you were only kids then. But if you think it’s a good idea, then go ahead. She may not have recognized you, but she will certainly remember you. And if you'had grown up together and had been such close friends, she will most like ly want to see you and find out what has happened to you. So why don’t you drop by at her house for a friendly visit? IV Dear Miss Marlene, I've known a girl for approximately 6 years. Ever since I first saw her I was quite attracted to her. I was U years old then and she must have been 12. At present I am 21 and I’m still holding high the torch. I had been taking her out quite often andt everything was going on smoothly and I thought I had a chance, that is, until she made her debut. After that she seemed to be attracted to society and society folks, which is definitely not my world. I think she is a social climber. Now I want to know definitely where I stand with her, because I think that she (at present) does not feel towards me like she did in the past... I am minus social prestige... I’m just a square peg in a round hole as far as society is concerned. What shall I do? How can I know where I stand? I can’t tell her my feelings because I be lieve that a person should not tell of his love to his loved one if he has nothing to offer her, and I evidently have nothing to offer her. Hopefully yours, J.A. Dear J. A.: You are only 21, and as you say, you still have nothing to 'Of fer the girl you love. So don’t be in such a desperate rush. Time gen erally has a way of solving things as only it can. Naturally since she has made her debut, she has more social en gagements than she had before. But that does not mean that she should have no time for you anymore. If such is the case, then 'cer tainly she cares more for her parties and dances than she does for SEPTEMBER, 1948 29 you, and that should leave you no doubt as to where you stand with her. Which is just as well.. Because the two of you would never agree as to your friends, your amusements, your standards of value. And for a successful and happy marriage, a certain degree of similarity in social backgrounds, interests, tastes, and friendships is essential. V Dear Miss Marlene, We have taken a vow in the church to love each other forever. Both of us wish to keep our love a secret until we finish our career. Lately last month our parents having a hint of our love affair, scolded us and forbade us to contact each other. It was very bitter, so we decided to meet twice a week for only 10 minutes in the school. My parents (girl’s) are very strict and I am not allowed to go out without a very satisfactory excuse. How can we maintain our love? Both of us are young at the age of 18 19. We fear that we might have changeable minds, or if not, repent in the future. Spiritually speaking, both of us are offering a rosary everyday to our Blessed Virgin Mother for the intention of keeping our love stable forever. One thing more, is it bad for us to meet secretly in school even for ten minutes? Is it bad to keep our love affair a secret until we finish our career? But if we expose our 'iove, for sure one of us will be sent to the province. Your8 in Mary, Two Legionaries of Mary Dear Legionaries of Mary: Since you are both quite young, your parents have reasons for dis couraging you from taking your “love affair” so seriously. It is rather foolish and impractical to become engaged when the prospect of mar riage is so many years away. So be very special friends if your wish, but not to the exclusion of everybody else. All this business of furtive meetings and secret love affairs is not very healthy, in more ways, than one. Perhaps as good friends your parents will allow you to see each other in your own homes. And when you are older and closer to a posi tion when you can get married, you can plan definitely for your future with less anxiety and more certainty. Keep up with your devotions to Our Lady, you could not have en trusted your problem in'better hands. The best thing for you to do, 30 THE CROSS however, would be to consult a good confessor to whom you explain everything and go regularly for guidance. VI Naga, Camarines Sur August 29, 1948 Dear Miss Marlene, Being of the belief that your advices will help to guide me right, I am sending you a picture of the reluctance I have, in returning to the institution where I graduated the secondary course. At present I am taking A.A. in a different college. Its teaching is satisfactory. But because it does not teach religion, I want to trans fer in the above mentioned school. What makes me reluctant is this: When I was in that school, I had a co-intem who was very good to me and I simply had to treat her the same. She was too submissive to me that I may term her to be very obedient. In the course of school days, our friendship which was pure friendship, was thought of by many, as a friendship blonded with malice. We suffered lots of teasing before and we will suffer it again if I transfer, because she is still studying there. Will you please teach me what to do? Here’s hoping for your kindness and I am expressing too my gra titude and thanks in advance. Your8, Poor Flower Dear Poor Flower: I can’t see why these “teasings” should prevent you from transfer ring to a better school. So long as'you maintain your friendship above board, never mind what some malicious busybody thinks about it. How ever it would help matters if you associate with everybody and go around with a group. To The Lovelorn: Lily Marlene is developing quite a problem herself. Due to the huge pile of letters that flood her daily mail and to the limited space accorded to her column, her big heart aches at being unable to answer the problems of all her friends as quickly as they might desire. The Editors THINKING WITH THE CROSS Cross featurettes “NEW LOOK” FOR OLD At the expense of being con sidered a cantankerous old crab, we are passing over to the girls a few thoughts, inspired by a qual ity magazine, on the “new look”. In the first place the “new look” seems to imply much larger figures than usual on the price tags. You gaze in astonishment at evening frocks done a la Va lera, perhaps, lavishly estimated as to worth at something over two hundred pesos. There was a time when that would be sufficient de posit for a house. Then the new look mean the “re-conditioning” of a girl’s entire wardrobe. Last year’s model’s are useless. A beautiful racket, isn’t it? And, at the present juncture, a criminal one. The new skirts hang in the fullest possible flares; you could make two of last year’s frock’s out of one of this year’s. Yet at this moment there are in Europe men and women without clothing to cover them, let alone to keep them warm; there are, ac cording to Red Cross reports, mo thers who are forced by what is gracefully referred to as the world shortage of materials to use news papers for their babies’ napkins! And we in the Philippines and the United States, the most fortunate countries in the world today, can fling away thousands of yards of material on useless and unneces sary changes. There’s another angle to this fashion business, with all its sub sidies—cosmetics, beauty treat ments, all the incidentals that go to make the perfectly-turned out woman. The whole world today is an incentive to sin. The woman with a family must of necessity restrict her personal expenditure, yet she receives no kudos for her sacrifice or for her work. The glamor girl is the acme of perfec tion. Every woman likes to think that she looks attractive, and most of them are convinced that they look their best only when they are in step with fashion. What, after all, is the real new look of today? It’s not so new now—men and women and chil dren have been wearing it for about ten years; but it’s a look of hunger, misery and fear. It is 81 32 THE CROSS a look bom of suffering, of death, of resignation under the slow tor ture of fear and hunger that in the end makes death welcome. It’s a look that was supposed to be wiped out from the faces of the people of the world — except, of course, from the conquered, who deserved it—by the victory which we celebrated with tempestuous and slightly hysterical gaiety; it’s a look that, throughout half Europe, has been intensified. THE COMMUNIST’S TEN COMMANDMENTS The Communist Youth head quarters at Nowossbirsk, Soviet Russia, have published the follow ing Ten Commandments for its members: 1. Never forget that the clergy is the declared enemy of the State and of Communism. 2. Try to convert your friends to Communism. Do not forget that Stalin, who gave to the Russian people its new constitution, is the leader of the anti-gods not only in the Soviet Union but throughout the world. 3. Try to persuade, but do not force, your friends to stop going to church. 4. Watch out for spies; de nounce sabotage. 5. Spread atheistic literature among the people. 6. Every good Komsomol is also a militant atheist. He must know how to shoot and be expert in mi litary discipline. 7. Work eagerly to prevent any religious element you may notice from influencing your neighbors. 8. Every atheist must be a good Tchekist. Watching the security of the State is the duty of every anti-god. 9. Support the atheist movement by financial gifts that will spe cially aid the propaganda of for eign organizations, obliged through circumstances to work in secret. 10. If you are not a convinced atheist you will not be a good Com munist and a faithful eitizen of the Soviet State. Atheism is per manently linked with Communism and the two ideals are the basis of the Soviet power in Communist NATIONALIZATION Certain politicians, in an at tempt to solve our labor problems, recently exerted all efforts to na tionalize labor in our troubled country. It might interest them to know that the Church is not opposed to the idea. Nay, presup posing their good intentions, it is imperative that they think with the Church on a subject delicate as this. The evils attendant to excessive nationalization are such that, if our leaders didn’t get the "right dope’’ on the matter, the resulting state of affairs will be worse than the first. SEPTEMBER, 1948 33 The essence of the social teach ing of the Church on nationaliza tion, as expounded by the author itative Roman review, Civilta Cattolica, can be summed up in six propositions, as follows: 1. The Church does not condemn nationalization as such, but con demns only its excesses. 2. The nationalization of indus try is in certain cases not only permissible but opportune. 3. In general it is proper for the State to nationalize certain indus tries, particularly those which, in the hands of private capitalism, would constitute a means of ex ploitation or which would be con trary to the common good. 4. Nationalization is not the only nor the primary means which the State has at its disposal for giving collective property a social function and placing it at the ser vice of the common good. 5. Excessive nationalization runs the danger of accentuating, instead of mitigating, the mechanical character of life and work in com mon. 6. The issue is not only of re gulating the production and dis tribution of wealth, but alstf of guaranteeing the dignity and in dependence of the human person against all oppression, both poli tical and economic, whether it comes from private capitalism or the State.' Pope Pius XII in his letter to the French Semaine Sociale em phasized particularly point five above. FOR NCAA ENTHUSIASTS Of all the able men the late Fr. Flanagan has gathered around him to help his boys of BOYS TOWN, none has given his job more enthusiasm, patience and skill than stocky, blue-eyed, softspoken Kenneth Corcoran. He is the athletic director of Boys Town, coaching basketball, track and football, and runs the intramural sports program. Corky is a practical psychol ogist, trying to stir the desire for decency and sportsmanship that lies in every boy. Between halves in a losing, bitterly fought basket ball game once, one lad came up beligerently to Corcoran. “They’re using their knees and elbows, Corky; they’re using every thing."—“So what?’ asked the coach softly.—“Why, we’re losing the game!”—“So what?”—“Well, why can’t we use everything, too?”—"What for?”—“Maybe we could win!” “So what?" said the black-haired coach again. “Do you want to win that way?” The boy looked blank a minute. Finally, “Well, no; maybe not." And he went out to play a clean, hard game—which Boys Town won. Corcoran is convinced, however, that you can’t “teach" sportsman ship. “It must be learned by the boy as he plays with others. 34 THE CROSS Gradually he learns to resent un fair tactics, to have a regard for others. Furthermore,” he adds, “boys who learn that it’s unsports manlike to cheat in basketball seldom cheat in exams.” JUDGING IMMORALITY In 1940 Judge McGeehan of the New York Supreme Court penned the decision which ousted Bert rand Russell from the Chair of Philosophy of the College of the City of New York. A synopsis of this document may prove inte resting and useful. "One requisite of a teacher is good moral character. Teachers must not only impart classroom instruction, but must teach by ex ample. An applicant for profes sorship must have a strong and delicate sense of moral values. Although Mr. Russell might teach none of the evils contained in his books, his appointment vio lates a canon of pedagogy, name ly, that the personality of the teacher has more to do with form ing students than many syllo gisms. Academic freedom does not mean academic license. It is free dom to do good and not to teach evil. Academic freedom cannot teach that abduction is lawful nor that adultery is attractive apd good for the community. There are norms and criteria of truth that have been recognized by the founding fathers. A man whose life runs counter to these doctrines, who teaches and practices immo rality and who encourages and vows violations of the Penal Code of the State of New York is not fit to teach in any school of the land. The appointment of Di'.- Russell is an insult to the people of the city of New York. This court holds that the act of the board of higher education of the city, in appointing Dr. Russell is in ef fect establishing a chair of inde cency, and in so doing has acted arbitrarily, capriciously and in di rect violation of the public health, safety and morals of the people. The appointment is revoked.” EYES FRONT When Marshall Petain was a colonel, his general wrote him asking for the names of some officers who attended Mass in their uniforms at a civilian church; for this, said the gen eral, was against Army regulations. Colonel Petain answered: “My Dear General: It is true that some officers of my regiment attend Mass in their uni forms, and their colonel is one of them. As, however, he al ways sits in front, he does not know the names of those behind him.” WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND? by Brother Edward 114. My boy desires to commu nicate daily, but sometimes he seems careless and without devo tion; should I let him go only a few mornings after each Com munion? Mrs. P. P. A. No mother should hinder her child from receiving our Lord every day. It is wrong to expect the children to have the serious ness of grown people. All Com munions received in the state of grace are fruitful. Hence the children should be encouraged to go daily, and patiently helped to make their ' Communions better and better. 115. If I am in doubt whether I have lost the state of grace or not, my I receive Holy Commun ion without going to Confession? T. G. M. A. Yes. Confession is absolutely necessary only when a person is conscious of having committed mortal sin since the last Confes sion. 116. Why must women have their heads covered in church? A. Pelaez A. Because such is the Church’s custom, founded on St. Paul’s di rections to the Corinthians. (I Cor. XI) 117. What is to be thought of a Catholic girl who was married re cently before a Justice? M. Malvai1 A. She is living in sin and is not married at all. To be absolved she must have the marriage rec tified. 117. Will all the sins of those who are saved be revealed to the world at the general judgement? F. C. A. The Church has issued no de finition on this point. It is the general teaching of theologians that all sins will be made known. This will not cause any pain or embarassment to the saints. We can see this from the cases of St. Peter and St. Mary Magdalene. 118. Why do people strike their breast when the bell rings at Mass? D. F. A. As a sign of sorrow for sin. 119. Should the sign of the cross 35 36 THE CROSS be made at the altar-rail before reeciving Holy Communion? S. E. A. When the priest gives the blessing saying “Indulgentiam, etc.,” it is usual to make the sign of the cross, but it is not neces sary. 120. Is it necessary to genuflect after rising to leave the altar rail? S. E. A. No. When many receive it is better not to do so. 121. How does the priest conse crate the small Hosts at Mass? D. A. A. When he says the words of consecration, holding the large Host in his hands, he intends to consecrate all the Hosts that are on the linen cloth (called the cor poral). 122. Please explain the fast be fore Holy Communion. D. A. A. No food of any kind, solid or liquid, may be taken from mid night on, before receiving Holy Communion. In danger of death Holy Communion may be received by one who is not fasting. By special privilege persons who have been seriously ill for a month are allowed to receive at stated inter vals, even after taking, some li quid foods. The confessor is the judge in such cases. 123. Should one continue to take medicine while praying for relief from illness? H. H. A. ' Certainly. God wishes us to use the natural means to obtain a recovery. He often bestows His grace in that way. 124. When the nine First Friday Communions are interrupted by illness or some other good excuse must the series be begui? again? Mauricio Amaca A. Yes. Our Lord made the great promise to Blessed Margaret Mary for those who would receive on the First Fridays of nine con secutive months.- No one is au thorized to say that Communion on Saturday or Sunday will be just as effective. 126. A and B are married. Is A’s brother related to B’s brother? L. Baltazar. A. No. N.B. Our space will not allow us to answer all questions or to an swer as promptly as inquirers de sire. If it’s anything Catholic, ask Brother Edward. The Cross Magazine ANDANTE CANTABILE By Augusto H. Piedad (Any similarity between one of the characters in this love story and some Ateneo graduates is quite intentional,—quite. The Eds.) I would not know if I should bo writing this. The bare facts are simple and easy to put down on paper, but the hitch is that I do not know if I can adequately fill in the — shall we say — psy chological interstices? My ances tors have all been tillers of the soil who have habitually set more on the sunlight playing on fresh green leaves newly sprouted from the earth than the speculations of Aristotle. It is no wonder therefore that I should feel a lit tle out of my depth when I write about personalities — and highly complex personalities at that. I give this as a short preface lest the reader be unduly severe with me when somewhere along the line the story seems to waver, to be a bit shaky perhaps, or even downright silly. That is why I say that I would not know, really, if I should be writing this. The beginning was usual enough. She met him at a gather ing of mutual friends. And from the moment that their eyes met, they must have felt the fullness of God’s goodness that has bles sed the universe from all etern ity. I was there too and in a way shared something of their new found joy. Outwardly there was precious little that I could put my finger on. She did not look at him throughout the evening more than was necessary. Or should I say that she did not look at him as much as would be ordinary? For his part he seem ed thoroughly unconcerned. Bored, would be the better term to <use. But he has always been bored. Was it that this night, he was more than usually bored? Anyway, there it was. Something more than mere attraction pos sessed them from the very start. And I was all for the beauty of it. She is a lovely girl. One of those ethereal things compounded of warm Malayan skies and lush tropic meadows—with a dash of the fine-textured lotus of Chinese valleys. A sweet, obliging girl. 37 38 THE CROSS Friends always take pleasure in asking her to play a little some thing at those times when she is with them and a piano is at hand. And she plays with the gentle ease of someone who quietly tries her best, in her own small way, to give a measure of innocent entertainment to her friends. Yet, — here is where I begin to tread water — can I say that she is completely sweet tempered and obliging? Is there not some suggestion of stubborn firmness in the line of her finely molded chin? I would not know for sure. He is one of those athletic fel lows graduated from one of the city’s boys’ colleges. Beyond that I am not prepared to delineate with any degree of as surance. He is charming enough, kind enough, generous enough. But then, I never could be entirely sympathetic with him. There are things about him that I sim ply can not understand. Some times I am certain he is a tho roughgoing realist. At other times, I am equally sure he is an unmitigated idealist. I do not rightly know what they study in the Bachelor of Arts course but it must be things singularly pro found that it is much too big for them. So much 60 that an odd ness of temperament that mys tifies people is produced in its graduates. Irritates people too. For one thing, these AB’s are much too critical of everything: They think it their duty to split hairs at the drop of a hat be cause they know all the answers. To be sure, they do not come outright and say so. Only in some rare instances does the thing make itself evident — then only in some subtle way. An unwonted silence perhaps during a lively exchange of opinion dr a delicate expression in their eyes, a nuance in their spoken words. And this is all the more’So with the, fellow I am writing about. I could not be sporting to give his true name here, so let us call him E. For the same reason, let us call her simply as C and thereby conclude my limping at tempts at word painting. The day after the party in which they met, he mentioned to me quite casually that Miss C’s playing was definitely prosaic but that she was nice. That was all. I tried my best to draw him out, but he would not be drawn. My clumsy efforts must have been to blame for I should say that I found the term "nice” much too tame a word to use to describe her and must have ex hibited a rather unseemly irrita SEPTEMBER, 1948 39 tion that offended his finer sen sibilities. I took it then as a gentie hint that he did not wel come discussion of the subject and I henceforth studiously avoided it in his presence. I was engrossed at the time with the accounting problems of my commerce classes, it being near the final examinations for the year, and I had not the op portunity to see my friend often. He was already working then, more or less, in his father’s firm, and I thought that he was too busy to see me too. As for her, I saw her often here and there, but had not the time for a lengthy talk with her. She was always with some friends who, I thought, would not take kindly to my monopol izing her attentions for any time. I often wondered then, how it was with her and E. It ocourred to me once that her friends of the same sex might know more about it than even C herself would suspect or even admit to herself so I cultivated some of her more intimate companions and awkardly—as is usual with me—tried to gather some infor mation as to how she and he were progressing. It proved a blind alley in spite of all my efforts. Those girl companions of hers must have been extraordinarily loyal to her or unnaturally reserved, or both. Anyway, I could not get a shred of information after two months of sedulous toil and I gave it up as a bad job. All I received for my pains was the candid remark of Clara, one of the said com panions, and my cousin, to the effect that I was being a "bloom-' ing drip”, whatever that means. I contented myself with my own observations after that. It was at a concert that I saw them both for the second time in the same gathering I was in. I must admit that they made a good looking couple and I was not without a feeling of envy for him that he should be so well built and she so lovely beside him. Her mother was with them, but early in the evening before the start of the overture, she mixed in with a group of chat tering middle-aged wives and the two young people were more or less left to themselves. I sat in a back row all by myself and tried desperately to enjoy Beeth oven. The orchestra played well, I must say. They produced a well rounded sound in the low tones thht blended into a sonorous’ background for the lilt of the violins. Very enjoyable, but as 40 THE CROSS I said, I had to make an effort to concentrate on the music. I heard only enough to be able to comment on it halfheartedly af ter. Miss C seemed pleased to see me and invited me to join them for a late snack. "Now that we have heard it, we would like to hear E tear the whole evening to pieces,” she said after we had seated our selves at a table. "Could you detect any unwanted noises from the instruments?" she asked me with a twinkle in her ex quisite doe's eyes. It seems that E is eternally fussing about some extraneous sounds incidental to the bowing of some of the musicians. "I went specially to Mr. Valencia to see to it that nothing but pure music would come from the or chestra,” she continued. This put E off to a good start He talked brilliantly to us all but interspersed his conversation with some pointed criticisms of the performance, specially of a modern piece that had been play ed last. A Schoenberg I think it was. “The whole object of this art form is to produce something beautiful through the medium of inarticulate sound. And no matter how cleverly orchestrated, how novel the harmonic syBtem, how intriguing the rhythmic pattern, it, nevertheless, must be judged solely upon the answer to one question — is it beautiful?” "Discords are perfectly legiti mate as a means to creating a desirable effect, but to sustain it to such an extent as to leave the whole opus unresolved is gross distortion of all the tenets of art.” All quite true, no doubt, but too technical for me. I like mu sic and am deeply moved by it, but I have never had the patience to wade through scholarly books on the matter. He had some other choice re marks which I forget now but there was one that was particu larly deep. I remember this in stance only because she looked up to him then and I caught a glimpse of the softness of the light in her eyes. I was most uncomfortable, as if I had seen something I should not have. That was when I knew that she and he were progressing quite well indeed. I passed the examinations to lerably well and to my intense gratification found a position with a well-known firm right after commencement. This took my mind off my social activities for a while and if I ever saw the two at, all for a period of several SEPTEMBER, 1948 41 months, it was just a matter of giving a nod and passing on. Friends, however, who had more leisure in their hands were more or less certain at the end of this period that the two were going to be married. It was but the logical conclu sion, of course, and I could not complain. There was some talk of her mother looking up one of the town’s architects to design a suitable dwelling of modest di mensions but with all the trimings. I am much too down to earth sometimes and I must con fess that I did toy with the idea of approaching this architect with a view to securing the con tract for the plumbing of the house, our company, incidentally, carrying a whole line of the latest in that department. I never got around to it, how ever. Somehow, one thing or an other prevented my going. It was late in March, just two months before the wedding, as rumor would have it, that E dropped in to see me late one evening with a rather distraught air. He always exudes an at mosphere of pessimism, of course, which I attribute to almost con tinuous brooding on world prob lems, but this night, he was looking unusually peaked and I told him about it. “It’s the weather," he said. “It’s the limit isn’t it?” Although it is not his custom to visit me at such an hour, still, I saw nothing strange in it. He is an old friend of the family, I .mean, and we can go in and out of each other’s house as often or as seldom as we please and be unnoticed. He asked me what I was doing and I told him I was going over some new catalogues for our new electrical department. “Electrification! You would electrify everything,” he exploded. “You would have us press a but ton to open a door. What is wrong with giving it a push as we have been doing all these centuries? Why go to the intricacies of miles of wiring just to open a kitchen door?" I wanted to point out to him that one company sells a sizable amount of electrical wiring at.a neat profit, but I could not com pete with his eloquence — or his vehemence. “Why can’t we go back to the simple life? We have made ours so complicated that we are in a daze. Have you ever stopped to. think how many people die of heart failure nowadays?” With that he slid down the chair and: stared moodily at the ceiling. I may not have the psychic depth that he has but I could sense that there was something 42 THE CROSS more than his customary vapor ings this night. “It’s all for the best, though,” he continued after a while. “These complications are but a manifestation of our unconscious strivings for something better.” “What was that again,?” I asked him. “Nothing,” he sighed. “No thing whatever.” I used to imagine that I was the only one baffled, but now I know better, and have felt no little amount of satisfaction in the thought that even his own family, on occasion, have ex pressed themselves as totally puzzled by him sometimes. He talked some more, jumping from one subject to another. I do not remember them now. And then he rose to go. I was glad to bid him goodnight and went back to some estimates on a house proposed on Dakota Street and promptly forgot him. I would have liked to have asked him how C was but, well, I too have my moments of extreme re serve. It was not after some days had passed that I learned the full significance of his visit that night. I got it from one of my former classmates who sells auto mobiles in the Port Area. "Did you hear about E and C?” he asked breathlessly. “No,” I answered. What about them?” I asked guardedly. “Finis,” he exclaimed with a conclusive sweep to his hand. “What do you mean, finis,” I inquired, trying to be calm. “You heard that they were engaged, of course.” “I have heard rumors,” I fenced. “Well, it's true they were en gaged. But now it’s all over. Broken. No more. In other words — the end.” “Sure?” “Dead sure.” “When was this?” I asked, re membering that nigljt that E had dropped in looking like salted fish. “Three days ago. Pretty sud den too.” “Why?” “Heard they had an argument about something”’ I wanted to know what the argument was but then a fat man had come up and the sales man could no longer attend to me. He mumbled something about a prospective sale and was off with the prospective customer. That very evening I found the complete answer to my unasked question without even lifting a finger. I was at my cousin’s house and Clara was trying out a piece on the piano. She could not get a passage right despite repeated attempts. In th? end she stamped her foot petulantly, SEPTEMBER, 1948 43 giving it up. “Liszt is too difficult,” she complained, “Too many grace notes,” “Don’t be a blooming drip,” I said, whatever that means. She lifted a flowerpot to throw at me. “Alright,” I said, “alright. But what in heaven’s name are grace notes?” With the resignation of a teacher trying her best to be patient with a dull-whitted pupil, she took the music sheet from the piano and shoved it under my nose. It was entitled, “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2." "See the tiny dots with the tails there?” I nodded. “They are grace notes. They are supposed to be played as rapidly as possible before the real note whose time is duly appor tioned in the measure comes in. Makes it hard to play.” “Ah!" I exclaimed. “I wish I were Leopold Sto kowski,” she continued. “In his transcriptions he sometimes takes his own time playing these notes.” “Is that good or bad,” I ven tured to ask. “Depends on who you are. E says that it is sacrilegious. C says it’s quite permissible.” “You mean they had an argu ment about those ... tiny dots?” I exclaimed, sitting up. “It started the argument, any way,” she explained. “How’s that.” “The real argument came when E questioned the propriety of Stokowski’s taking certain liber ties with a composer’s score.” “And she stood her ground?" “Sure thing. How do you think their engagement was broken?” “You mean he . . . ?” “Sure thing,” Clara said. “Can you beat that?” I could not speak. No. By no stretch of my imagination could I beat that. It is impossible. I met C some time later and stra&ied my eyes trying to con firm my earlier observation about the hint of stubborn firmness in the fine line of her chin. I still am not so sure it is visually perceptible, but certainly, the girl has spirit hidden in her loveliness. I ought to know for I married her for it. HEAVY OBLIGATION St. Francis of Assisi once did some business with a farmer. The farmer eyed him keenly, then said: “Is this really Father ‘Francis of whom everyone is speaking?” “Well, then, take care to be as good as men think you, for many people have placed their trust in you,” THE FOUR P‘S By Atty. Delfin El. Batacan Legal Adviser, Manila Police Department Let’s start with the first. What should be the relation between the PUBLIC and the POLICE? What should be the attitude of police officers towards the gen eral public and, vice-versa, that of the general public towards the police? On the part of the POLICE, for example, every patrolman knows that his mission, first and last, is to protect and safeguard the community. As a guardian of the law he belongs to an organ ization established and maintain ed by the State not as a repres sive agency but rather as a pre ventive force, whose objective is not to assure the arrest of crim inals. The true police officer en deavors by his every act and deed to make all law-abiding ci tizens feel that he is their friend and protector, and that his pre sence in their neighborhood should give them a feeling of relief and a sense of security. A patrolman who fall short of these expectations has no business be ing in the force. The taxpaying public has a right to denounce him to the authorities concerned. SUSPICIOUS PUBLIC The PUBLIC, on the ether. hand, must be schooled in the idea that the patrolman is a re presentative of tlie law. That he is not an enemy whose sworn purpose in covering his beat is to spy on the daily activities of peaceful residents. It seems a bold and sweeping statement to make but it is a sad commentary on the present state of affairs in Manila that this relation of trust and confidence between the police and the public has deteriorated to its zero point. It seems that nowadays the police think every individual is a potential law breaker and the individual thinks every pciiceman is in cahoots with crooks or is a crook himself. Cold indifference, lack of civic spirit caused by that general feeling of contempt and mistrust for the police—these can be laid at the door of the public. Do you know how many murders and hold-up cases have gone un solved, and how many murders and gangsters roam our city streets unpunished? The answer is legion. Police inefficiency? 44 SEPTEMBER, 1948 45 Partly, perhaps, yes. But blame it mere on public indifference and lack of civic woke up and realize its obligations to itself if it must help itself. POLICE-BAITING Now for the relation between the POLICE and the PRESS. In its battle against the forces of evil, in its crusade against the ever-rising tide or lawlessness and criminality, the police should find a ready, willing and able ally in the PRESS. Basking in the full glory of its newly won free dom, our post-liberation press can certainly swing the full weight of its might on the side of the forces of law and order. Hand in hand with the efforts <f the police the tremendous power of the printed word can bring the underworld characters and wrongdoers to their senses. Mutual trust and confidence should likewise exist between the ponce and the press. Added to that, however, the attitude of the press must be one of cooperation, sympathetic understanding, ready helpfulness. One of the missions of the Press is to check and re form evils in existing social con ditions. The bitterest criticism by the press, if constructive, should be welcomed. Insulting remarks, defamatory comments, scurrilous attacks, unnecessary harshness against the represen tatives of law and order—these I believe, are not legitimate wea pons of the Press to correct the errors of any government office or agency. Instead of raising the level of police efficiency such unwholesome practice will ac complish nothing more than of fend members of the force of the whole police organization. LIKE OIL AND WATER How about the politicians? Politics and the Police? They simply don’t mix. They shouldn’t mix. Both the public and the press will agree with me when I say that the police should declare an uncompromising policy of “OFF LIMITS” to politics and politic.ans. Lest I be branded a confirmed ideolist, I will admit that under our system of govern ment the police cannot be totally divorced from politics. That the police department has to depend on the magnanimity of the Mun icipal Board for its annual expen ditures is, for instance, an easy excuse for allowing city hall po liticos to stick their fingers in the police pie. Every effort should therefore be exerted to prevent the police from being enmeshed in politics, to save it from servility and not subjected to the capricious whima and desires of self-seeking politicians. 46 THE CROSS The danger becomes all the more alarming if politics were allowed to interfere not only in the appointments of police offi cers but also in the internal act ivities, details and assignments of police personnel. Who s h c u 1 d compose the Vice Squad? Who should be chosen to raid an opium den? Who should be assigned to l-.ab the big-shcts in a local Monte Carlo? Who should keep sur veillance over a certain ware house? Imagine what disastrous effects, what a colossal farce, we would make out of the city’s law enfcrcement agency if these things, were subjected to the manipulations and schemes of politicians! Politics should keep out, and stay out, of every police force in the Philippines if we must restore the enforcement of law and order to that high plane where every taxpayer has a light to expect it should be. SIXTEEN TO CUPID by Margarita Ataviado Not yet, sweet Cupi’d! Stay that laughing aim Of golden, pain-tipped arrow at my heart. Not yet, dear child, let no one seek to claim My heart today. Put down that impish dart! I will not love. I want to play awhile With sunbeams, rainbows and the silver rain. To savor all of childhood’s failing smile, Why must you take it now and give me pain? But you must come again. For you I’ll wait When roses bloom and soft warm lilies blow, And in your hands the knowing smile of fate Anti I, with joy (for then I’ll want you so), Shall watch and wait until your hand should tire, And laughing, you will take your aim and fire! THE HEART OF A COMMUNIST By Louis Budenz IF THE zeal of the lay Catholic 1 will match the fanaticism of the Communist, then the earth will bloom with renewed faith and love of God. In this present hour, the Catholic is called upon to have this zeal, for he possesses the truth which Communism apes, distorts and seeks to destroy. It is not without reason that Fa ther Edward Leen has termed the urge toward “internationalism” is suing from Moscow as “pseudo Catholicism.” Communism aims to be universal by seeking domination over all men, who should be mem bers of the Mystical Body of Christ. It claims a certitude based on fatalism to replace the certitude based on faith, which mankind largely lost when it turned its baclj upon Catholic truth, If the Catholic will match the fanaticism of the Communist with his own fervent devotion to the Sacred Heart, then the heart of many a Communist will be reach ed, touched and turned to Christ. Here are some episodes which illustrate how completely the man in allegiance to Moscow gives him self over to the cause he regards as “the good,” when it is in real ity the “diabolical propaganda” described by Pius XI in his Ency clical on Atheistic Communism. Among the well-remembered scenes of my own Communist past is a rain-soaked Fall evening at Camp Beacon on the Hudson. It was then termed Camp Nitgedigat, the Yiddish name (I was told) for “without worry,” sans souci. One of the best known of the Com munist camps, it was used at the end of the summer, season for the secretly conducted “National Training School” of the “Party." I had come up one night to de liver three lectures the next day on “The Communist as a Journal ist,” and looked in on an evening session under “Pop” Mendel, the sage and director of this school. This session was devoted to Marx ism-Leninism, one of the major courses which ran for several weeks. A blond-haired young man was reading and commenting on the work, “On the Significance of Militant Materialism” from Vol ume XI of Lenin’s Selected works. With earnestness, he read aloud the words of Lenin: “It is the absolute duty (of the Communist) to enlist alj adherents of consist ent and militant materialism” in their work. Any organ of the Communists, Lenin went on to de clare, “should carry an untiring atheistic propaganda and an un tiring atheistic fight." It should wage war against the “graduated 47 48 THE CROSS flunkeys of clericalism/' so to “rouse the millions from their re ligious torpor.” The young man explained that their discussion that evening would only open the way for the serious study of Lenin's works. These ad ditional studies would prepare them all to wage “unceasing war” upon any attempt of religious be lief to regain ground among the people. * Further, he told how the battle for atheism had to be conducted initially through “indirection” among the masses. The worker in the union, or any man that would be first approached, should not be driven away from “the Party” by talk of atheism in the beginning. He should be won, as Lenin had said elsewhere, by “ex posing the reactionary character of religion step by step." The thirty to forty men and wo men in the meeting place worked feverishly on their notes as the young man made his report. They scribbled faster during the discus sion period and during the “sum mary” made by the director. To the advance of atheism and the destruction of belief in God, they were devoting themselves with “re ligious fervor.” To the employ ment of trickery and deceit to car ry through this objective they brought an intensity which should have been given to the service of the truth. These were carefully chosen "comrades,” being prepared for a place as the elite of the party. But similar fanaticism, approaching that of the Mohammedans in their attack against Europe in the six teenth century, also characterized those who had not advanced so far in the organization ranks. Communism has evoked this “re ligious fervor” because of its mes sianic promise of an earthly para dise, where man shall reach per fection here below and all diffi culties shall cease. It stresses “the inevitability of Socialism,” the winning of this earthly para dise through merging the Social ist State into the Coipmunist So ciety — just as the followers of Mohammed pointed to the certain victory of the Prophet’s cause. It affirms the validity of the mate rialistic conception of history as an unquestionable dogma. The Communist becomes imbued with the fatalistic concept that his cause is bound to triumph, that the history of the world as inter preted by Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin — “the four master scien tists” — will be completed in the universal triumph of atheistic Communism. When the crude and. cruel Frank enstein — the law of terror ajid the horrors df the Soviet dictator ship — come to his attention, he seeks to explain them away by pointing to his messianic goal. Since the wide extent of slavery brought about by Marxism-Lenin SEPTEMBER, 1948 49 ism cannot be denied by him, he tries to drown out such realities with the Marxist-Leninist assur ance that “violence is the midwife of progress.” The greater the pro gress toward the goal, therefore, he argues to himself, the greater will be the violence against those who oppose it. THE extension of slave labor 1 throughout Soviet Russia — now exposed so devastatingly in “Forced Labor in Soviet Russia” by David J. Dallin and Boris I. Nicolaevsky — was well known to the leaders of the American Com munist Party in the early forties. That fifteen to twenty million souls were imprisoned in these camps under the most barbarous conditions was made clear to the Communist leaders here in conspi ratorial instructions received from Moscow. Formerly the Kremlin had urged its followers everywhere to defend these camps under the pretense that they were engaged in “reform” of the “convict world.” “The Soviet Union never punishes; it always reforms” was the slogan handed to the adherents of the Soviet cause, just as it ironically appears over some of these horror camps. But later on, as evidence mounted that these places of torture were expanding in number and population — and had become an integral part of the Soviet economy — the Communists here were ordered to remain silent about them. Every trained Com munist knew what that meant, that these barbarous institutions could not be defended. And yet, the leading Commu nists here, in meetings which 1 have attended, sought at that very time to discover new ways to de ceive the American people as to the true nature of the Soviet dic tatorship. They strove feverishly to make popular the cry, “The So viet Union is the highest stage of democracy.” They worked with the international Communist appa ratus to bring over here the writ ings of the “Red Dean of Canter bury,” Hewlett Johnson. In a word, the Communists de voted themselves to the spreading of material favorable to Soviet Russia — which they knew to be revolutionary — because they per suaded themselves with fanatical fatalism that this would lead to "the better world of the Commu nist Society.” Does not such energy in the cause of the “Big Lie” call for a new zeal on the part of Catholics for the Eternal Truth? It is the same fanaticism which causes Communists to man scream ing picket lines on behalf of the Soviet dictatorship night after night. It is this driving force which makes thoustfhds of them walk up flight after flight of stairs in Harlem and elsewhere, going into the homes of the poor people, to advance the election of favorite candidates. It is this drive 50 THE CROSS which urges them on to study long after their regular working hours each day the writings of MarxismLeninism and the "strategy” of deceit. DACK of all this activity, if one could look into the heart of the Communist, there would often be discovered the depth of despair. Having surrendered himself to the will of the Kremlin instead of to the will of God, he comes to re alize in any chance hour of reflec tion that he has become a spiri tual and intellectual slave. The secularism of the world all about him has driven him to this ultramaterialistic viewpoint — and that has led him to a negation of him self as a personality. In lucid moments he recognizes that in his effort to wipe out social injustices, he has come to perpetrate worse injustices. The drama of life will end for him really in death, in defeat. That experience was my own, but God had blessed me with a knowledge of Catholic morality, an anchor which I could grasp when I came to see myself in the mir ror of truth. But this despair causes many men and women, upon leaving the Party in disillu sionment, to sink into a state of permanent defeat. The secularist world, intruding itself into every nook and cranny of their lives, gives them no new grounds for hope. AS Managing Editor of the Daily Worker for five years, and as a member of the National Com mittee of the Communist Party for many more years, I came to deal with the “personal problems of the comrades.” In conversa tions with these men and women, who had entered the Communist movement so full of hope in what was to be achieved, I found dis gust with life, sorrow and fear. They lived a divided life, one in which as human beings they could not readily abandon hope, and yet one in which they could realize that purely materialistic aims end ed in dissatisfaction and defeat. Hence, their “solution” became a continued feverish forwarding of that one “hope” to which they held — the Communist cause which had already betrayed them. If the Catholic could look into the heart of the “average" Com munist, as so many leading Com munists get to do, he would under stand much better the treasure that he possesses in his Catholic Faith. To that Faith he would give a fervor far outstripping the fervor of the Communist. Having had the philosophy of hatred fill his thoughts in place of a philosophy of Christian love, the follower of Moscow feeds more and more on the roots of bitterness within himself. The man is a lost soul in every meaning of the word, even to the point where he testi fies falsely against himself to sa SEPTEMBER, 1948 51 tisfy the demands of the dictator ship. That is why the ex-Communist, Arthur Koestler, in his drama of the Soviet leader in dis grace, can only etch out a picture of degradation and negation. This is the final road of the se cularist and of that secularism which has increasingly driven God from public life, until it abolishes the knowledge of God within the “private” soul. THE young man whom I had heard at Camp Nitgedigat I met a few years later. He was a typical case. His wife, who had known something of Catholicism in her youth, was the sad wreck of what she had formerly been. The young man himself had be come hardened, to hide from him self the void that existed in his soul. They were unhappy in a bitter sense, but would not fully admit it — which was perhaps the worst feature of all, as it closed their eyes to the cause of their sadness. They had no real inte rior peace. Out on the West Coast only re cently, I heard from former Com munists a tragic tale of the wreck age of personalities among young people who in the State university had been, caught in the Commu nist net. Over against these forces and fruits of evil, there is, happily, the “generous enthusiasm for God on the part of countless souls” to which Pius, XI referred in his En cyclical on "The Sacred Heart and World Distress” in 1932. His Holi ness reminded us once more of the urgency for prayer, penance and the practise of Catholic Action, speaking directly of “the more equitable distribution of wealth” advocated in Quadragesimo Anno. “Let the Faithful hasten in large numbers to the Eucharistic Board,” that Encyclical declared. “Let them pour out to the Merciful Heart that has known all the griefs of the human heart, the fullness of their sorrow, the steadfastness of their faith, the trust of their hope, the ardor of their charity.” The very existence of the Com munist, then, calls for Catholic zeal to bring men to God, to cure the ills of our society. The current spirit of secularism here steps in to disarm Catholics in this effort, to make them hesitant, to press them to surrender to the idea that God should be kept in the closet and should not be recognized in the councils of this world. The overcoming of this secular ist paralysis, new zeal on the part of the Catholic layman, can affect the Communist himself. Have we not noted the conversion to the Catholic Faith of the News Editor of the London Daily Worker? Have we not seen a Soviet officer learn humility and faith at the altar of Our Lady of Czestocho wa, among the believing Poles, causing him to flee the spiritual desert of the Red Army? They need not be the last! BOYS AND YOUNG MEN —Join — Don Bosco's Boys Association And Enjoy The Powerful Protection And Help Of The Great Modern Friend Of The Youth, SAINT JOHN BOSCO Ask your parish Priest or director of school for more information , about Don Bosco’s Boys Association. READ___ THE BOOKLET “TO MY FILIPINO NEWSMONTH^; -. £' ;v t >? '' L -s* -,’' * NATIONAL FRONT PROBE TARUC Activities of Rep. Luis Taruc and two or three other members of Congress will be among those to be probed by the Committee on Un-Filipino Activities of the house of representatives. The special committee is charged with con ducting an intensive investigation of activities of both Filipinos and foreigners within the Philippines that are subversive in nature. With an appropriation of F50.000 it has the power to issue subpoena for appearance of any person it may call upon. POLICY ON JAP TRADE The policy of controlled trade with Japan, to last only until the peace treaty on Japan is concluded, was formally adopted August 17 by the Philippine government. After the peace treaty the Phil ippine government will adopt a new and permanent trade policy with regard to Japan. President Quirino told the council of state that the country “is now full of non-essential and luxury goods” and articles of this category should no longer be imported from Japan. The import control board has been duly instructed on reg ulating, limiting and restricting trade with Japan. LADY GERTRUDE Damage to crops and other property running to millions of pesos was reported as Gertrude, a slow moving typhoon, cut a wide swath of destruction across north central Luzon Sept. 1. Torrential rains which accompanied the storm caused widespread flood which wrought havoc on standing palay, other crops, roads, bridges and other property. COMMANDEERING RICE Commandeering of rice by the PRATRA in cooperation with local governments is in full swing In at least four provinces and two cities. These places have taken steps to stop the outflow of rice as the critical shortage threatened even rice-producing areas with hunger. To prevent the smuggling out and hoarding of this commo dity, the governor in these prov inces have ordered commandeering of all stocks. Aside from Manila where confiscation of hoarded rice has been going on for some time now, only Baguio among the cities has thus far resorted to cammandeering. RATION SYSTEM Effective August 23 the NARIC 53 54 THE CROSS began distributing rice in places where it has representatives, while the PRATRA acted as dis tributors in all other provinces. This new system did away with the current practice of selling rice in the provinces through elective officials, an arrangement which has been severely criticized fol lowing reports of anomalies com mitted by some municipal officials. HIBOK-HIBOK About 45,000 inhabitants of Camiguin island were ordered to evacuate as Mt. Hibok-hibok blew the top off its second crater, spouted flame and telescoped two gigantic pillars of smoke 15,000 feet over an area of 25 miles. Dormant since 1924 Mt. Hibokhibok became active August 31. The Social Welfare Commission headed by Mrs. Asuncion reported that the evacuees problem was under control. "No panic, no serious disease, no starvation,, though supply not sufficient." To fix responsibilities and avoid con fusion eight evacuation centers were established in Misamis Orien tal and divided among Red Cross, PRATRA and Social Welfare Commission. AMNESTY FAILS In a lettey to President Quirlnc, Huk Supremo Luis Taruc accused the President of having failed to live up to the agreement and of having passed the burden of achieving peace in Central Luzon to the peasants. Taruc cited the President’s decision to revive trade with Japan, his failure to define his stand on the abrogation of the Bell trade act and the removal of US troops and bases from the Philippines among other things, as “failing to achieve-the condi tions necessary for democratic peace." Informed of the open Taruc’s open letter, read before 12,000 workers in Plaza Miranda, President Quirino sent back a curt reply: “No comment.” FR. TAMAYO DIES Rev. Serapio Tamayo, former rector of the University of Sto. Tomas died August 26 at the convent of the Dominican Order at Ocana, near Toledo, Spain. Father Tamayo was rector of UST for 12 years. He was known as the "educator of the late Pre sident Manuel L. Quezon”, the late president having studied un der him in 1898 at the San de Letran College. He first came to the Philippines in 1890, and during his 48 years here was greatly Ins trumental in the expansion and modernization of UST. He was 82 years old at the time of his death. HUGE SUM DUE P.I. A total of 1*110,000,000 as war damages on hospitals, schools, and other government buildings, wijl be turned over by the US to the Philippines under the war dam age agreement formally signed by the two governments. It was dis closed that the US-PI war damage commission is ready to release SEPTEMBER, 1948 55 nearly 1*7,000,000. A total of 1*42,000,000 will be made to the PI before June 30, 1949. REPARATIONS The Philippines has received enough machine tools from Japan as reparations to serve as the backbone of the nation’s industria lization program if the equipments are put into proper use. Strewn about in Engineer island are 125 Jap machine tools geared for ac tion or humming with work and 3,091 crates of other reparation machineries. With these machines the NDC, which is in charge of industrial development projects, has already started a paper and pulp installation in Mandaluyong and nail factory at Pureza com pound. LABOR BOARD President Quirino has appointed a labor-management advisory board to assist him in the formulation of labor policies and the preven tion or settlement of labor-man agement disputes. It was pointed out that the four labor members of the nine-man board were pre cisely the men recommended by labor organizations while the four management members were drawn out of a panel of ten names sug gested by the Philippine chamber of commerce. Appointed chair man of the new board is Judge Rafael Corpus. KNIGHTED In a ceremony seldom seen any where in Philippines, six promi nent Filipinos were elevated to papal knights of the Order of St. Sylvester for outstanding work In Catholie action. The scene was laid amid a solemn atmosphere at the private chapel of Msgr. Mi chael J. O’Doherty in Mandalu yong. The archbishop made the elevation and the presentation of awards in behalf of His Holiness the Pope. The new pontifical knights are Salvador Araneta, Gabriel* A. Daza, Gabriel La O, Juan F. Nakpil, Dr. Luis Santos, and Charles (Chick) Parsons. Paulino Miranda was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Sylvester, while Mrs. Sal vador Araneta, Eusebio Gutierrez and Fernando E. V. Sison received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross. INTERNATIONAL FRONT BABE RUTH DIES Babe Ruth, baseball’s home run “king” died August 16 after an illness of more than two years from cancer of the throat. A half hour before the 53-year old hero of the national game died, Father Thomas Kaufman arrived and ad ministered the last sacraments. While Francis Cardinal Spellman presided over the requiem mass In the soaring gothic beauty of St. Patrick’s, a throng estimated to number more than 75,000 persons lined the streets adjacent to the Cathedral, jammed with another 6,000 mourners. Even the rain that fell intermittently could not 56 THE CROSS dispel the quiet, grieving masses of people who once cheered the babe to the echo. FORCE—ONLY ANSWER Hundreds of weaving human columns, chanting the Communist Internationale as they marched, converged on Lustgarten Square recently for what leaders termed as the greatest communist de monstration in Berlin’s history. Even children Inarched in the demonstration. Reason was the slogan: “Anybody who doesn’t march is a Nazi”. The Soviet propaganda chief declared that “at the instigation of AngloAmericans there is a hard fight between the working class and reaction.” He added: “I know I am not speaking diplomatically but events of the last few days have shown that force is the only answer to the United States and Britain.” FOUR SUNS TO A DOLLAR The Chinese government will soon issue a new currency to be pegged • to the American dollar. Called the “sun”, the new cur rency will be exchanged for the present inflated nationalist cur rency at the rate of one new “sun” for each 3,000,000 (M) Chinese currency. The rate of exchange between the new dollar will be set at four suns to one dollar — bringing the new issue in line with the current black market rate of 12,000,000 (M) CNAC to each American dollar. SO SORRY Despite record peace-time pro duction and increased prices of iron and steel in the United States, the demand—both domes tic and z foreign—continues to out strip the supply. All this, ac cording to officials in the state and commerce department, adds up to the fact that the Philip pines is not going to get more steel products than it is getting now for some time, thus making it difficult for her to start major rehabilitation and economic pro jects, among them the hydro electric project. The'- Philippine government hopes to develop Philippine industries, including steel and petroleum. KICKED OUT The United States stripped Jacob Lomakin of authority as Soviet Consul general in New York and ordered him to get out of the country for “abuse” of position and "gross violation” of decent standards of official con duct. It was the heaviest diplo matic blow the United States has made against Russia since the two countries established re lations in 1933, It was the fifst time the United States demanded the recall of a high Soviet di plomat. The consul general in New York is the highest soviet official in America next to/*the Ambassador. Motion Picture Guide UNOBJECTIONABLE FOR GENERAL PATRONAGE Big Town Scandal, Carson City Raiders, Easter Parade, Melody Time, Trapped by Boston Blackie. Adventures in Silverado, Adven tures of Robin Hood, The (ReIssue), Albuquerque, Angels Alley, Berlin Express, Big Punch, The; Bill and Coo, Blondie’s Big Moment, Blondie’s Reward, Bold Frontiersman, The; Boy Who Stoped Niagara, The; California Firebrand, Campus Sleuth, Chal lenge, The; Code of the West, Dangerous Years, Dead Don’t Dream, The; Design for Death, Docks of New Orleans, Dude Goes West, The; Enchanted Valley, Fighting Father Dunne, Fighting 69th, The (Rc-Issue), Fort Apa che, Four Faces West (formerly They Passed This Way), French Leave, Fugitive, The; Fury at Furnace Creek, Gallant Legion, The; Gay Ranchero, The; Give My Regards to Broadway, Good News, Green Grass of Wyoming, Guns of Hate,' Hawk of Powder River, The; Heart of Virginia, If You Knew Sussie, Inside Story, The; I Remember Mama, Iron Curtain, The; Jiggs and Maggie in Society, Joe Palooka, in Fight ing Mad, Kings of The Olympics, Liebe Nach Notem (German), Lit tle Ballerina, Te; Madonna of the Desert, Miracle of the Bells, The; Monsieur Vincent (French), My Wild Irish Rose, Night Song, Noose Hangs High, Oklahoma Badlands, Oklahoma Blues, Old Los Angeles, Olympic Cavalcade, On An Island With You, Overland Trails, Phantom Valley, Prairie Outlaws, Prince of Thieves, The; Relentless, Return of the Badmen, Return of the Whistler, The; Road to Rio, Scudda-Hoo, Scudda-Hay, Search, The; Shaggy, Six Gun Law, Slippy McGee, Smart Politics, Song of Idaho, Song of the Drifter, Speed to Spare, Tale of the Navajos, Tarzan and the Mermaids, Tender Years, The; Tenth Avenue Angel, 13 Lead Soldiers, Tioga Kid, The; T-Men, Tornado Range, Trail of the Mounties, Under Ca lifornia Stars, Western Heritage, Western Terror, West of Son ora, Where the North Begins, Whirlwind Raiders, Winners Cir cle, Who Killed Doc Robin, Wreck of the Hesperus, The; You Were Meant for Me. UNOBJECTIONABLE FOR ADULTS Assigned to Danger, Close-Up, 57 58 THE CROSS Escape, Time of Your Life, The; Adventures of Cassanova, Alias a Gentleman, Angry God, The; Another Part of the Forest, April Showers, Argyle Secrets, The; Arizona Ranger, Beauty and the Beast (French), B. F.’s Daughter, Big City, Big Clock, The; Big Fix, The; Bishop’s Wife, Black Bart, Black Narcissus, Blonde Ice, Crossed Trails, Body and Soul, Bride Goes Wild, The; Brothers, The; Caged Fury, Captain Boy cott, Captain from Castile, Cass Timberlane, Cobra Strikes, The; Counterfeiters, The; Daer Mur derer, Devil’s Cargo, Double Life, A; Emperor Waltz, The; Fabulous Joe, Farrebique (French), For You I Die, Fuller Brush Man, The; Half Past Midnight, Hatter’s Castle, Heading for Heaven, Hen ry the Fifth, Here Comes Trouble, High Wall, The; Holiday Camp, Homecoming, Ideal Husband, An; I Walk Alone, I Wouldn’t Be in Your Shoes, Killer McCoy, Let’s Live Again, Life With Father, Lightnin’ in the Forest, Lost One, The (La Traviata), Main Street Kid, Man from Texas, Maria Ilona (German), Mary Lou, Mat ing of Millie, Meet Me at Dawn, Miracle in Harlem, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Mr. Reckless, Money Madness, Mourn ing Becomes Electra, Naked City, The; October Man, Open Secret, Opernball (German), Panhandle^ Paradine Case, The; Pearl, The; Piccadilly Incident, Pirate, The; Port Said, Raw Deal, River Lady, Road to the Big House, Saigon, Sainted Sisters, The; Showtime, Silver River, Sitting Pretty, Sleep My Love, Smugglers, The; So This Is New York, So Well Remem bered, Spaete Liebe (German), Springtime, State of,.the Union, Summer Holiday, Take My Life, To Live in Peace (Italian), To the Ends of the Earth, Treasure of Sierra Madre, The; Tycoon, Unconquered, Up in Central Park, Voice of the Turtle, The; Water Front at Midnight, Whispering City, Will It Happen Again? Winter Meeting, Woman from Tangier, Woman in White, The; Woman’s Vengeance, A; Your Red Wagon. THEY HAVE THEIR REWARD In St. Vincent de Paul’s work we have the main lines of modern charity organization with an important difference. There were no paid workers, and so every sou collected was expended on the poor instead of (as today) from the fifth to a third of the amount collected being diverted to the officials. —Theodore Maynard. By William Thomas Walsh (Macmillan) If ever a spiritual book and the message it carries have been as charged with significance and ur gency as the top news in today’s paper, it is this book. Or perhaps I ought not to say “this book,” but rather the whole beautiful and disturbing fact the book tells of. The hook itself is important only as it serves as the channel to convey that fact. The fact itself is well-known, though not blazoned even on Catholic consciousness as it ought to be. It is the fact of the ap paritions of Our Lady to three little Portugese children at Fa tima in 1917. Now, as with all the apparitions of Our Lady to her children, there is serenity and beauty here, a tenderness and a maternal love that shines through the story of the three children and which is reflected in the book as well. But even more important, these apparitions are a tocsin call to action. For Our Lady, takes her place in them as one ' at the very cen ter of today’s international pol itical and moral crises. Briefly she has laid certain obligations on mankind, especially on her children. If they are obeyed, there will be peace, Russia will be con verted, there will emerge truly the one world the United Nations are fumbling to make viable. If they are not obeyed, every nation of the world will feel the scourge of commtfnism. And let it not be thought that these are merely pious admonitions: Fatima has been declared authentic by the Pope, its message is approved by the Church. This, then, is the tremendously important fact Dr. Walsh tells about in his book. Beneath that cosmic significance is the poig nant and appealing story of the three children, who were callei’ 59 60 THE CROSS upon by Providence to offer their little selves to lives of prayer and penance as an example of the prayer and penance Our Lady asks from the rest of us. Dr. Walsh went to Portugal last year and interviewed all who had intimate connections with the children and with the six appari tions. One of the three seers is still alive, a nun, called in religion Sister Dores. In addition, as he remarks in his Preface, he has re lied on diaries, letters and, above all, on the accounts of Fatima written by earlier and, for all in tents, official chroniclers. The particular charm of Dr. Walsh's book is the simplicity with which he tells the story of the children and the great events centered around them. He includes many of the simple little hymns they sang, words of the games they played, homely details of their family life. But once again, may I return to the importance of the message of the book? Dr. Walsh himself puts it this way: “I came home from Portugal profoundly convinced that nothing is so important as making known what the Mother of God asked in these apparitions of 1917, which for some reason have been so neglected, so distorted, so misun derstood. The future of our civil ization, our liberties, our very ex istence may depend upon the ac ceptance of her commands.” And what has happened? Even in Portugal, blessed by the visit ations of Our Lady, “only 4,000,000 out of almost 8,000,000 Por tugese pretend to be Catholic in any sense of the word... In large cities there is bitter anti-clerical ism, and much communistic ac tivity." There has been, of course, a tremendous outpouring of piety and devotion, as well, as the hundreds of thousands who flock to Fatima to witness. And for the Catholic world at large? Fatima is not known well enough; the commands of Our Lady are unheard or, where heard, ignored too largely. If Dr. Walsh’s fine and moving book, serves to spread knowledge and love of Fa tima, it will have done exactly what he desires. Indeed, in so far as it succeeds, it will be not only (as I hope) a Catholic best-sel ler; it will also be an instrument in the salvation of society. OUR LADY OF LIGHT By Chanoine C. Barthas and Pere G. de Fonseca, S.J., Bruce. Our Lady of Light, like Wil liam Thomas Walsh’s Our Lady of Fatima, is based largely on accounts of Fatima written by earlier and, for all intents, of ficial chroniclers.” At the Pre face by the General Editor, Rev. Joseph Husslein, S.J., states: “The basis of the present vol ume is the authoritative work is sued by the Portugese Jesuit, SEPTEMBER, 1948 61 Gonzaga de Fonseca, professor of the Biblical Institute at Rome, and adapted in a French transla tion by Canon Barthas. The lat ter book has met with high com mendations and won the special approbation of the Holy See.” The book is hardly subject to a review. Suffice it to say that if the more popularized version of the story by Dr. Walsh deserves wide diffusion, this volume de serves even more, for it is in large part the more complete mat erial from which the facts of Our Lady of Fatima were drawn. The completeness of the treatment may be judged from the divisions of the book: The Apparitions, The Pilgrimage, The Seers, The Mi racles, and the Documentary Part, which contains the cross-question ing of the three children by the representative of the administra tor of the patriarchate of Lisbon, the collective Pastoral of the Por tugese bishops, the Message of the Pope, consecrating the Church and the world to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Oct. 31, 1942, and, finally, various Fatima prayThis is a more important book than Dr. Walsh’s because it is more primary. It is not, however, so readable. Readers of Dr. Walsh’s should go on to this more complete study. H.C.G. ONE REGRET When Fr. Grassi was a missionary among the Indians of the Northwest, he had an old pony of which he was quite fond. In fact, to show favors to the horse was equivalent to gaining approval of the old priest. At length the horse died. Then one night when the priest put up at the home of a non Catholic farmer who had always been kind to him, the farmer thought to have some fun and facetiously remarked: “Father, it’s too bad that the old pony died; but there’s one thing con soling about it—you certainly must have administered unto him the last sacraments of your church.” “No, Jimmie,” the Father replied, “I could not give him the last sacraments, and that is the only thing that grieves me. The poor beast died a Protestant.” THAT HUK STORY Guagua, Pamp. August 5, 1948 Dear Editor, I admire your courage in pre senting the real situation in Cen tral Luzon. Mr. “Justo de los Santos” certainly knows what he’s talking about. I live here in Pampanga myself and 1 can vouch for every statement made by the writer. It’8 a pity *your magazine is not more widespread. The article is the first of its kind ever printed in the islands. Keep it up. More power to you. Sincerely, T. Lupus FINAL WORD FEU August 19, 1948 Dear Editor, Your magazine is the most authoritative publication on Car tholic principles. I particularly liked that editorial on Divorce. In the last analysis yours is the final word why we must reject even the very idea of divorce. By introducing divorce, we are trying to “out Christian Christ,” we are betraying Christ. We can never again call our people “Chris tian” ... Splendid. Keep the Cross in teresting and authoritative at the same time. More power- to you, E. Cruz ON LILY Cebu City August 20, 1948 Dear Editor, The first thing I read in your good magazine is the Heart to Heart column by Lily Marlene. The problems are very interesting, but the answers are more so. But I wish you’d publish the real name of Miss Marlene. What's the matter? Is Lily afraid of bill collectors? THE CROSS should pay her more than a “living wage", so she can afford to put her by line. Personalities are always more interesting. I hope you will follow my suggestion...... I will help you spread such a fine ma gazine. Sincerely yours, Gloria Duque 62 HERE ARE THE ANSWERS to current questions and ob jections about things Catholic as proposed by the average man. If your friend asks a question, hand him a Scott pam phlet. Each one, itself a model of what intelligent discus sion ought to be, is linked by logic to the series as a whole. Perhaps he’ll think of another query or perhaps he’ll just keep running into answers—answers written by the master religious pamphleteer. THE FATHER SCOTT PAMPHLETS 1. HAVE YOU A GOD? Proofs of existence of God 2. PROVE THERE'S A SOUL The doctrine of immortality MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, JOHN 4. THEY SAID HE BLAS PHEMED 5. HUNDREDS OF CHURCHES (>. SCIENCE HELPS THE CHURCH 7. NO POPE CAN BE WRONG Infallibility of the Pope 8. THIS IS MY BODY 9. GOD FORGIVES SINS The doctrine of the Confessional 10. DIVORCE IS A’DISEASE The marriaae bond Ss indissoluble 25 ctvs. each — Complete Set: P2 REGINA BUILDING + 15 BANQUERO & ESCOLTA + MANILA + PHILIPPINES Beautiful, isn’t it ?—AND LOVELY! FILIFIUA8 YOUR MAGAZINE HELPS YOU KNOW-ADMIRE-LOVE THE BEAUTY OF THE LAND OF YOUR BIRTH * her long, low hills ... * her ethereal sunsets .. . * her gay, simple people. ■ . - their customs. . . - their traditions • • ■ - their FAITH-ETERNAL! SPREAD YOUR. MAGAZINE FIL1PINAS IS AS TRULY YOUR OWN AS THESE FAIR ISLES... The Only National Catholic Tagalog Bi-Weekly