Frankness in the Forum
244 THE COMMONWEAL July 3, 1929 religious fealty and their national fealty," he says, "they experience a humiliating uncertainty concerning their status as American citizens. They are in a...
...Religious liberty, religious instruction, religious peacewthese are still out of reach, and no prophet is bold enough to declare that they will be attained soon...
...Orebaugh's views are really those of any considerable number of people...
...Something of the difficulty which confronts The Commonweal, and indeed most Catholic journals and writers who attempt the necessary task of discussing subjects relating to the Catholic Church which are connected with other matters of general interest, is acutely exemplified by a brief consideration of these statements of Mr...
...Orebaugh is wrong (and the truth is that not even one American, to say nothing about 2o,ooo,ooo, has ever taken such an oath, for the reason that there is no such oath to take, and if there were nobody would take it anyhow ) --why, obvi- ously, all of Mr...
...Orebaugh's doubts and fears and terrible imaginations become quite absurd...
...that any agreements which may be arrived at "should have not partial but world sanction...
...Orebaugh are on the mailing list of the Foreign Policy Association...
...It is more than pathetic to observe the consequent rejoicing of the nation, which found expression in one of the largest pilgrimages known to history...
...For some reason or other, the country cannot be brought to look at Mexico even through a periscope...
...EVERYBODY at the Pilgrim Dinner had a good time, including the non-Anglo-American diplomats...
...Orebaugh, together with the fact that they are published in a magazine such as the Forum...
...We would be very sorry to think that Mr...
...Thus we find the New York Times opining editorially that "registration" is the main issue...
...Orebaugh's article, we ask him (or the Forum) please to answer the following questions: When and where have 2o,ooo,ooo American citi- zens ever "sworn fealty to the Vatican...
...For, of course, if Mr...
...Here is sufficient proof, if that were needed, of the crime which has disgraced the world during more than three years, and which has been so flagrantly disregarded in this country by those who would ordinarily be most ex-pected to champion the cause of justice...
...Ambiguity and vagueness and a positively reckless display of ignorance in many instances mark their work...
...Mr...
...Does the Forum share his belief...
...Be-fore, therefore, giving any serious consideration to Mr...
...244 THE COMMONWEAL July 3, 1929 religious fealty and their national fealty," he says, "they experience a humiliating uncertainty concerning their status as American citizens...
...The most discouraging aspect of the situation is the con-tinued unwillingness of agencies of public opinion to countenance realities...
...If Mr...
...Its declared policy is to furnish an arena for the debating of important subjects...
...WEEK BY WEEK G RATEFUL though one must be for the news that Church and state in Mexico have reached an accord, it is imperative to adjudge what has been accomplished realistically and impar-Maneuvering tially...
...But why should the Forum permit such fantasies to be broad- cast in its pages...
...Dawes made four points with cornAnother mendable skill and thoroughness: that Love the time has come to insist upon armaFeast ment reductions as a first step toward the achievement of peace...
...To anybody who believes in the remedial power of enlightened and generous public opinion, its total eclipse in this particular instance must seem omi- nous and unfortunate...
...Orebaugh really think that such an oath was administered in secret, in the mysterious depths of Catholic churches, perhaps in those base- ments in which--according to many other Protestant writers about the Catholic Church--the Papists con-ceal their arms and ammunition in preparation for the day when they mean to march against Senator Heflin...
...They are in a quandary to know which of these fealties they shall abjure, realizing that they cannot consistently hold to both...
...Doubtless, however, the willingness of the Vatican to underwrite the existing agreement implies a belief that further progress can be made chiefly through the instrumentality of the United States...
...Orebaugh were writing for the Forum on any other subject--let us say, on the settlement of the interna- tional debt plan by the financial experts in Paris-- everybody concerned with his article, himself, the editor of the magazine publishing it, and his readers, would expect him to know the facts he was dealing with, and be able to express them with accuracy...
...Or does Mr...
...Though the moment for definitive comment has not yet come, one is permitted to sup-pose that the Holy See has, in a measure, adopted a point of view phrased long ago by the title of a Com- monweal editorial: "Have faith in Morrow...
...and that equitable naval realignments ought to be expressed in clear terms which the "man in the street" can understand without...
...This difficulty is that so few writers not of the Catholic faith seem to think it worth while to be accurate when dealing with that subject...
...The object was to establish a for Mexican modus vivendi through which restora- Peace tion of the religious ministry could be attained, and the virulence of the "Catholic revolt" appeased...
...that the naval expert is an excellent professional person but a source of confusion to the statesman...
...What a world of nightmare l The Foreign Policy Association will soon issue a report on the Roman question which is a model of good journalism...
...What are the terms of the oath they took...
...Who administered it...
...How can you debate when fantasies are gravely stated as facts...
...MEANWHILE one must note that none of the major issues has been met...
...We hope that both the Forum and Mr...
...Priests may now return to their congregations, Mass may be said, doctrine may be expounded from the pulpit...
Vol. 10 • July 1929 • No. 9
