Oldal 4 [4]
OCR
a ETET Oz Et IELEZEEEN XoAolás August 229 - page four French Christians and intelicctual leaders in the social front: the progressistse It is a well known fact that in France the popular masses, at large, havell os t christianity. An atheistic school system, a strong marxist propaganda have undermined the faith, especially in industrial populations. France has become "mission land". In order to react, young Christian workers have united, 25 years ago, in an enthusiastic | non=political movement, the JOC. As,with time going on, important groups of previously young Christian workers had fully entered adult life, they created a parallel movement for men, the ACOF. The same ideals, but on the platform of organized economic, social and political action, are represented by the Christian Workers' Union, the CFIC, which has recently shown increasing influence and strength. It is absolutely undeniable that these movements have done a great deal in opposing atheistic communism. +hey have shown workers that the true ideals of justice and charity are represented in the Christian doctrine and that the teaching of the Church, if it was applied, would bring forth the best solution to the social problem. On the field of practical realizations however, many Christian who constantly deal with the working class or with labor problems are increasingly faced with the gravest dilemma. They come to look at communists as the é&unenk element which is the loudest and most decided in claiming the "rights" of labor, in taking action against any form of "capitalism" and in preaching absolute equality. Christians living in industrial surroundings cannot help but being somewhat impressed by a propaganda that penetrates everywhere, that makes industrial problems and class fight gain tremendous proportions. Surely and slowly, the factory and the neighborhood where they live and work becomes in their eyes the sample of all, even world-wide problems. They come to feel that there are but two classes, the rich and the poor, and that their local claims, strikes and fights are a vital pert of the total justice. They forget that, in France for example, the industrial class is but a minority; that disorder they create is likely to be most harmful to the majority, that certainely is neither capitalistic nor rich: the farmers, the trades, the middle-classes. It is in the light of this wrong scale of values - built up by communistic propaganda - that the grave dilemma of Christian social movements can be understood. A Catholic labor leader for example, after many months of action and of struggle among his co-workers in a textile factory, concluded desperately that he could only see one of three solutions to chose: either full cooperation with the Communist Party, as the strongest force of labor "progress"; or refusal of such collaboration and establishment of a unanimous Christian front for effective and immediate support of all the working classe's claims; or finally acceptance of the statu quo, meaning the capitalistic order and consequent further dechristianization of the masses. Being neither communist, nor wanting to become a "treator® to his cause, he felt that his only option could go for the second solution to which he would have to devote all his efforts. His confession however was a dramatic one: "it is often 6 difficult, concretely and on the spot, to see where to find the truth ~~" and the duty" ... ("Masses Ouvricres". review of tha ACORP. #71. Jan.5?).
