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It was, a matter for concern that so few Australians seemed to be aware of our present failure to match the efforts of the pioneers in developing the great resources of this country, the Bishops of Australia said in the 1956 Social Justice Statement on Hunger. The pre rent crisis of inna- release hundreds of millions
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tion primarily and naturally Itor the essential task of re attracts public attention, be- building our national ecocause the conditions of life It is only through the full become harder and the standard of living loxer for certain development of Australia's regroups in the community who sources in the shortest time are the victims of particular possible that we can play our injustice, those on fixed in- lett as a nation to relieve the comes, toe pensioners, and the ioverty of others. We are not (Registered at the G.P.O.. Perth. for larger families among teen. entitled to abandon our duty No. 2,781 transmission by post as a Newspaper Perth , Thursday, November 8, 1956 Far more deeply, however, is to other peoples simply beour present inetaion a ijmo cause we have not the vitality tom of our failure to lay the or toe principle to develop the foundations of a strong and country which Almighty God developing economy. We have has given to us, not in absointroduced television with its lute sovereignty, but in trust very great demand on private for the common good of the capital-but the roads which people of the world. ere our lifeline are in disarray and constantly declining in efficiency. Enormous tracts of land are regularly laid waste in floods: yet, while se establish and maintain a host of Assist Individually each Australian had a responsibility to reflect luxury industries, we are doing e ief of the plight of the starving billions who little or nothing to attract form two-thirds of the world's population is a moral the principles they had elaborated in the public life of the capital to the national flood Commonwealth, the Bishops said. Nations prevention schemes which are charge upon the governments and people of the The individual Australian also had a duty to abandon those needs to save us from ruind Australia had a opeuthsaclive wealthier communities like Australia. racial and religious prejudices and intolerances which stood in ous losses. Our agriculture is languish- Christian part to play In interThe Bishops of Australia said this in the 1956 the way of the fulfillment of our common duties to other ing, and many of our agricul- national councils discussing nations. tural products can no longer long-term marketing agreeThe Social Justice Statement issued this week. He could also do much to further charity and understand- be sold on world markets. In- ments, according to tiva Bishtheme is HUNGER. ing between nations by inviting into his home and assisting stead of realising exactly what ops of Australia. Two of every three persons inhabiting the earth-more in every way possible those students from foreign lands who this means to our future prosIn the 1956 Social Justice than 1,500,000,000-are underfed, lacking even the basic perity and to our capacity to were now pursuing studies in Australia. assist other nations, there are Statement on. Hunger they necessities of life. The majority of these live in the vast said Australian University graduates and undergraduates, par- some who pursue the continent of Asia. Many of the poorer nations ticularly those in technical faculties who had not yet assumed that a nation as small tee ouIn comparison the average Australian worker living on toe primartly exportate of family responsibilities, should not fix the pattern of their own can, at the present m a moderate margin above the basic wage-meagre though :ay food (like noel or rate mabalance the ment, redress careers without at least having considered spending one or terials (like cotton and ruaexporting manufactures. that seems under present conditions-enjoys a material stantwo years as a technical assistant in one of the poorer bere Although titer rrtIlit:11 dard of living 15 - 20 times higher than the average inMillions Drain Down resources Pre petentielly countries. All of this is a reflection to source of r. ttlon:11 /Jean -a, the habitant of underdeveloped countries like China, Vietnam, Australian Catholics in particular could do their share by our national refusal to place individual citizen !if the Indonesia, Burma or Korea. helping the immigration programme in a number of practical first things first. Our wean,' eountries has too often genic' Australia therefore has a moral, social and economic reways-contributing to annual diocesan collections for Catholic as a nation, our capacity to little or notaieg out of their sponsibility to these countries-a responsibility based on migration work and nominate if possible a migrant for the fulfil our responsibility to hele production and export. Tote Christ's Law of love, the great guide and regulator of a Chrisother nations, even the vaunt- often the lion's share has gone migrant's sake, the Bishops said. ed standard of living must to local or foreign companic: tian's behaviour. The Bishops closed the statement with this quotation from inevitably diminish unless which have derived great proThis Law of Love is to regulate not only the thoughts Pope Pius XII, calling for a "mighty awakening" of Christian national policy in its various fits and have paid the indiviIt should also be and actions of individuals to each other. men and women so that the tremendous spiritual vitality of manifestations is directed to dual worker only a pittance. the governing law of behaviour between nations. the Christian faith may be turned to the task of building a re-establishing the foundaChance For Poor And because each citizen has the opportunity of influenctions of our economy before new world. Just as often, however, we build the superstructure. ing national policy, no individual can divest himself of moral "This is not the moment to discuss and to search for fluctuations in demand violent said, have already As we responsibility for the conduct of his country. new principles or to fix new aims and goals. Both the this will not be achieved until together with speculation in The Popes have stressed that no nation can justly claim one and the other, already known and substantially veri-within the limitations of international exchanges, have fied, because taught by Christ Himself, clarified by the its resources belong exclusively to itself and that it is not social justice the various prevented the orderly marketteachings of the Church down through the centuries, means at the disposal of gov- ing of these products. As a responsible for the well-being of its poorer neighbour. adapted to immediate circumstances by the Supreme ernment.s. budgetary policy, result the poorer countries Every human being, irrespective of race or creed and Pontiffs. await one thing only concrete execution . trade policy, taxation and have been deprived of the colour has, in the words of Pope Pius XII, the following "Let the hand, then, be put to the plow. May God, wage policy, credit policy, are blessings of a stable economy. Who desires it so much, move you. May the nobility of fundamental personal rights: geared to give priority to basic "hick lies at the root of social the undertaking attract you. May its urgency stimulate industries, to transport, to ag- justice and a stable political The right to maintain and develop one's corporal, you. May the justifiable fear of the terrible future, which riculture, to housing and to order. intellectual and moral life and especially the right to religious would result from culpable indolence, vanquish every Although we do not ignore similar enterprises. hesitation and determine every will . ." formation and education; the right to worship God in private It is extraordinary and the difficulties and even the -even scandalous-that out of abuses 7inich may arise, is and public and to carry on religious works of charity; the a total national income of seems that long-term interright to marry and to achieve the aim of married life; the right :5,200 million, we spend £353 national agreements to govern to conjugal and domestic society; the right to work as the on smoking and drink, the marketing of these rat It was vitally necessary for Australia-and every pillion indispensable means towards the maintenance of family life; ;a00 million on gambling and materials-wherever they are the right to free choice of a state of life, and hence, too, of other country-to rid her international trading prac- S100 million on entertainment, applicable-would permit the the priesthood or religious life; the right to the use of material tices of the "spirit of cold selfishness"-"the dread- let alone the other handrej poorer countries to establish of millions spent on items a stable economic order, stagoods, in keeping with a man's duties and social limitations. ful principle of utility as a basis of rule and right," but still not indispensable. No bility in public revenues and. which are far more laudaala as a result, elicieely in govThree Ways To Play Our Part if she was to avoid sowinct the seeds of war. one argues taat all of the ernment and aineireistration. The Catholics of rich nations like our own have a moral The Bishops of Australia stressed this in their comforts and refmemena of Without stability. of .governcharge to place themselves in the forefront of the struggle and administration the 1956 Social Justice Statement titled this year, life should be eliminated; out ment to realise these principles on the international level-and conditicn of the poor must even a proaprti3nate tion of this expenditure would further deteriorate. should lead in the struggle for social justice not only between " Hunger." They said that the part Speaking of tae thecriee classes, but between nations. which Australia can play in which govern national and inAs a lead to thinking Christians, the Bishops made three formulating international ag- ternational trade, Pius XII suggestions on how Australia could fulfil its moral responsi- reements of the type suggested declared: "It is here precisely For bilities to those nations where hunger was rife. They were: is less direct than what it can that Christian principles of The rapid development of Australia's resources and do itself in building its own social life must say their word. trade relations with individual a definite word. if men want Types Of Clothes For wealth. nations. to be truly Christian and This should be the country's primary national objective so While the same pirnciple i. show themselves such in all Spokesmen for the Hungarian community e could make an ever increasing contribution to the no doubt applicable to our their work " nee s of our less fortunate neighbours. trade relationships with other were received by His Grace the Archbishop Be Wary Of Reds nations, it is in relation t3 In the field of An accelerated programme of immigration. international during the week. They thanked the whole The most direct way in which a developing Australia can Japan, among the nations in trade, however. a word of the Pacific region struggling community through him for the generous aid assist the poorer nations is by the continuation and expansion for national solvency and for warning needs to be uttered. Christian attitude to given for the fight for freedom in Hungary. of the post-war programme. the well-being of its citizens, The questions must be based An immediate need is the that our trade policies seem these A Christian approach to international trade. on the Law of Love in rela- provision of clothing for Especially in relation to the near Asian nations where most unjust. tion to all countries, whatever refugees, both adults and with a nation we face Here hunger is especially acute, Christian attitudes to international Must the greatest population density their political and social sys- children, especially with the trade are even more important than aid given under the of all -600 people to the tem may be. Too otter, how- advent of winter in Europe. the demand that interThousands have flocked Colombo plan and similar relief programmes. square mile-a population in ever, Homes every year and re- national trade should be en- across the Austrian border In the field of international direct aid through projects couraged arises not from the Soviet reign of from islands. four small such as the American Point Four Programme and the Colombo stricted to Once they were established, Japanese moral or even economic rea- terror who must be clothed the that It is clear Plan, the Bishops advocated an increase in size; concentration people can maintain their sons, but from cold political and fed. migrants should never forget on providing the means and implements of production as a present very meagre standard calculation. as an aspect of Clothing of any kind will their responsibilities to their long-term objective, except in cases like famine or an exodus of living only if nations in the the infamous "cold war." home, the Bishops of brothers advice and be welcomed While nathes should reguof refugees; and an increase in the number of skilled tech- same region open the doors of late their trade even with where such donations may of Australia said in this year's them. to trade nicians like agriculturists, engineers, doctors and teachers to Communist -controlled coun- be collected should be noti- Social Justice Statement on Case Of Japan tries like Russia and China by fled at this office. spend some years of their lives imparting their particular Cash donations have been Hunger. rea special has Australia the twin precepts of justice skills to the people of the poorer countries. They should also realise sponsibility in this matter. and charity. smaller nations received at this office and The Bishops noted that the projects would be of far will be acknowledged as `,heir new responsibilities to We cannot evade our obliga- like Australia, in particular, greater moral-and utilitarian-value if they were more tions unless we desire to as- will be wise if they are wary from our next issue. the Church in this country strongly and to its effort to assist nee directly inspired by concepts of Christian love than by political sume at least indirect re- of the offers of Communist Catholics are sponsibility for the dreadful governments to fully absorb urged to show in a practical families' to establish themand military considerations. which of selves in Australia. The Ausincrease of abortion, too surplus products in the ruir,:their appreciation way A tangible sign of our practical Christian concern for the many Japanese regard as the eting of which sore temee- the heroism of the Hungar- tralian Government should development of the poorer nations would be the mixing of only escape from a grinding ary difficulty has developed. ians in their battle against not frustrate the natural deour own trained technical men with the humblest citizens at poverty which seemingly must as one writer has put. it: the atheistic tyranny of the sire of migrants to bring their families to Australia by a the village level. Christianity would be preached far more worsen if the population con- "There is no easier way of Soviet. Donations of cash and ad- policy of denying landing per, by deed than word if these technical experts were animated tinues to grow and if legiti- establishing political control of mits to men and women ,who mate opportunities for tra.cle a small countre than to nrashould offers vice of clothing by a dedicated spirit of Christian fraternity to their poorer and emigration are denied vide an exclueita market for be sent to "The Record," are suitable by any reasonable brothers. them. its major products." Box R1279. G.P.O., Perth. standard, the Bishops added.
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IN REMARKABLE NEW SOCIAL JUSTICE STATEMENT
Bishops Say Asia's Hunger Is
Challenge To Our People
Orderly Markets
Would
Poorer
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Rid Trading Of Selfishness!
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Hungarians Grateful
Appeal
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Migrants Recall
Aid,