Who Strikes

Catholic Action is the name of the organization by which Catholic laymen, under the guidance of their bishops, take part in the Church's work. Years ago the late Pope Pius XI exclaimed: "Whoever strikes at the Catholic Action associations strikes at the Pope, and whoever strikes at the Pope dies." Vexed was Pius XI because, after seven years of struggle, compromise and more struggle, Fascists were still trying to hog-tie Catholic Action. Anticlerical Fascists, led by Roberto Farinacci, Il Duce's Councilor of State, have long held that Catholic Action, which is the only Italian Papular organization not run by the State, is potentially a political, hence an opposition, party. Last week, a year almost to the day after the Pope's warning, Farinacci's group struck and struck hard. To save its life, Catholic Action perforce accepted the Fascist terms: terms which left it a purely religious organization.

Catholic Action, for its 1,000,000 male and female members, agreed to remove its lay directors, let local bishops and priests run the organization. Forbidden henceforth is the wearing of Catholic Action buttons on Fascist uniforms. About the only important point which Catholic Action won over Farinacci's objections: Fascist party members, unbuttoned, may still belong.

> Another blow was struck last week at Catholic independence in Italy. The State made ready to absorb 3,000 Catholic Mutual Aid Societies, which have furnished sickness and old-age insurance to peasants and workers. For 17 years Fascists let these peaceable, efficient, non-political societies alone. The State's new interest seemed centred in the organization's capital reserves of several hundred million lire.

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