A SUGGESTION[1]
_Importance of the Catholic Press--Requisites for its Success in the
West._
Nowadays the Press is assuredly the greatest factor of the public mind.
For, if public opinion is "King" and "Master" of the modern world, the
"Press" is his "Prime Minister." Between these two great forces there
is a continuous action and reaction; the Press is at the same time the
moulder and mirror of public opinion.
We all know how the world has turned this mighty weapon against the
Catholic Church. To create an anti-Catholic opinion, to surround the
Church--its authority, its practices--with an atmosphere of prejudice
and antagonism has always been the aim of the non-Catholic press. Of
late this campaign has become so universal and so violent "that were
St. Paul to live among us, he would become a journalist," said
Archbishop Ireland. Repeatedly the Pontiffs of Rome have urged the
faithful to contribute to the support of the Catholic Press. "In vain
you will build churches," said Pius X, "give missions, found schools;
all your works, all your efforts will be destroyed if you are not able
to wield the defensive and offensive weapon of a loyal and sincere
Catholic Press."
The Catholics of Western Canada should have these words of the beloved
Pontiff continually before their minds. There is no place in Canada
where this vital factor, the Catholic Press, is of such an absolute
necessity. In our sparsely settled Provinces the Catholic paper is the
greatest help of the priest. It prepares, keeps, and perfects his work
and very often is the only silent messenger of the Church's teachings
on the lonely prairie. Isolation from all Catholic life, from its
teachings, its authority, its sacraments, has created through Western
Canada a tremendous leakage in the Church. This leakage can be stopped
to a certain extent by the active service of a good Press. The
Catholic paper, indeed, reacts as an antitoxin against the virus of
unbelief and indifferentism which a non-Catholic atmosphere is bound to
spread. In its columns we find the answers to the misrepresentations
and slanders which bigotry is ever throwing at the Church. But above
all it is through the medium of the Catholic paper that the lonely
Western settler enters into what we would call the larger life of the
Church. We are too prone to think of and judge the Church by what we
see of Her in our own nearest surroundings. We lose sight of Her
Catholicity and forget that greater life which is ever pulsating
throughout the world. The reading of the Catholic paper breaks down
the narrow walls of parochialism, provincialism and nationalism, and
introduces its readers into the more serene and more spacious regions
of Catholic life. This is, in our opinion, the greatest benefit one
can derive from the assiduous and intelligent reading of a good,
active, Catholic paper.
Australia and New Zealand have understood the imperative necessity, the
paramount importance of a Catholic Press. "The Freeman's Journal,"
"The Southern Cross," "The Catholic Press," "The New Zealand Tablet,"
are widely circulated weekly papers that keep Catholic life so intense
in those distant colonies. What the Catholics of Australia have done,
why can we not, in Western Canada, do likewise?
One cannot, indeed, over-estimate the value of a Catholic paper,
especially in a sparsely settled country where the Church has yet but
missions, where the visits of the priest and the teachings of the
Gospel are intermittent, where the Catholics are lost among people of
different faith and often of hostile feeling. But, if we wish our
Catholic Press to fulfil its noble mission, it must be received as an
expected and welcomed friend, and not, as often is the case, as an
intruder, a sickly visitor who imposes himself more or less on our
faith and generous nature.
What then are the conditions of genuine success for a Catholic paper?
_Vigour in policy, extensiveness in circulation_: these are the two
essential conditions of success. The Catholic paper in a community
must be a live-wire of high voltage, carrying light, heat, and power,
and not a mere telegraphic-cable repeating what others have already
said, or serving as a safety valve for the overflow of local gossip.
The news and issues of general interest should be so combined with
local topics as to awaken and keep the attention of the reader.
Circulation is also fundamental in journalism as well as in the human
system. It carries life into the whole organism and is the warrant of
success. The moment circulation becomes stagnant and loses hold of the
people, the paper is but a ghost. Poor circulation is what gives to so
many Catholic papers such languid existence.
How can we create these conditions of success for the Catholic Press in
Western Canada, where its need is so deeply felt? There is the crux of
the present situation. Our scattered and comparatively small
population, even in our cities, the extreme difficulty of securing and
keeping managers and editors suited for this work, the indifference and
spirit of commercialism which characterize Western Canada: all these
factors tend to render precarious the life of a Catholic paper. And
still the crying need is there; how are we to meet it?
This leads us to make a suggestion which would help to solve the
problem of the Catholic Press in the West. The beautiful work of the
Catholic Press in France has prompted it.
The society of "La Bonne Presse" issues a weekly paper, "La Croix."
This paper has different issues for the different parts of France. At
the central office, in Paris, exists a well organized "boiler-plate"
service for general Catholic news and opinions. These "boiler-plates"
are shipped to all the sub-stations, where, during the week are
composed the pages of local news, editorials, advertisements, etc.
This is the most economical and most efficient modern method of
publishing several papers or different issues of the one paper.
Our circulation in Western Canada would not perhaps yet warrant such an
organization. But working along the same lines, could we not have _one
paper_, with _different issues_ for the different Prairie Provinces?
This would necessitate a chief editor for the editorials of general
character, common to all--and a sub-editor in each Province who could
also act as manager in his section of the country. To write editorials
adapted to the ever-changing needs of his Province, answer those who
attack the Church in our local papers, guide our Catholics in the
various issues which are discussed in the Province, and control the
correspondence for the different news centres, would be the duties of
this sub-editor.
One central printing plant would be sufficient. Being a weekly paper,
the printing and mailing do not matter much, provided the plant were
not too far from the extreme points of circulation. With the exception
of the composition of the specific pages of each issue, according to
Provinces, the general overhead expenses of printing and remailing
would be the same, and yet we would have a _local Catholic paper_.
This plan of unification would allow us, without heavy expenses, to
answer efficiently the local needs of each diocese and each Province.
We have the "Northwest Review." It possesses a splendid equipment and
could easily duplicate its actual out-put. Why could we not take that
paper, and have a Manitoba, a Saskatchewan, and an Alberta edition?
The plant is there, and why could not all Catholics take full advantage
of it, at a price with which no local or provincial Catholic paper
could compete, at least in the present circumstances. It would require
"a subeditor-manager" in each Province to direct the provincial policy
of his specific edition and manage its circulation in every Catholic
community. This plan would be workable until the time when success
would warrant in each Province a local printing plant, having at its
service a "boiler plate" supply from the main office.
The possibilities and opportunities for the Catholic Press have never
been greater than they are now. Never and nowhere has its need been
more commanding than it is now in Western Canada. In this period of
social reconstruction, efficient organization and combination of all
energies are necessary. Organization implies leadership, and able
leadership needs the support of publicity to create sane opinions, to
spread and defend them.
[1] This Chapter was published as an article in the "North West
Review," Winnipeg, June 1st, 1918, under the following caption--"Timely
Suggestions on needs of Catholic Press in West--Constructive attempt to
solve problem which has engaged attention for many years."
The following editorial remarks accompanied its publication. "We are
indebted to Rev. Father Daly, C.SS.R., of Regina, for a thoughtful
contribution on the needs of the Catholic Press in Western Canada.
This subject is by no means new. Most people have had a fling at it
one time or another, and those have been most insistent as a rule who
have known least about it. The article under consideration, however,
which may be found upon another page, besides pointing out the
difficulties which must be encountered and overcome, outlines a
constructive policy which should engage the earnest attention of the
Catholic public. A scheme of development is there in broad outline and
it is with particular pleasure that we call our readers' attention to
it. We would ask them to study it--particularly those who have had
some practical experience in newspaper work--and to give us the benefit
of their thought and experience. A special invitation is extended to
our staff of faithful correspondents and contributors who have stuck to
their posts through fair weather and foul at considerable expense and
inconvenience to themselves. They are in a position to realize in a
very special manner the difficulties of the situation and their
suggestions should prove invaluable. If everyone interested would
expend a fraction of the energy wasted in destructive criticism in
working out a scheme of practical operation along constructive lines
much good would result therefrom. Suggestions need not necessarily be
for publication. Any communication marked "not for publication" shall
be, needless to state, regarded as private and confidential. But let
all help. An old newspaper maxim is to the effect that the printer's
devil has ideas that the editor or business manager would pay good
money for."