Dorothy Day LOAVES AND FISHES Ch 2 Everyone's Paper
The Inspiring Story of the Catholic Worker Movement
by Dorothy Day (Author),
Robert Coles (Introduction)
Paperback – June 3, 2003; originally published: New York: Harper & Row, 1963.
Ch.1 Everyone's Paper
OVERVIEW
"Man proposes, and woman disposes."
It took Dorothy from December to May to bring out the paper. While the people and ideas were there, the money was slow in coming. Fifty-seven dollars for two thousand copies at Paulist Press.
Dorothy drafted news articles about exploitation of Negros and sharecroppers in the South, child labor, evictions and strikes locally. Peter was disturbed as the paper took shape.
It's everyone's paper," Peter said. Dorthy was pleased it was what she thought they had both wanted. "And everyone's paper is no one's paper." he said and without another word left. Later she learned that he had gone back upstate in New York.
Day began selling the paper at the May Day rally in New York. Several young men had been assigned by a priest to accompany them. Intimidated by the negative comments of communists and labor, they fled."Religion in Union Square! It was preposterous! By people associated with the Catholic Church!"
Day and her companions stuck it out. They sold only a few papers, but learned from their conversations. An Irishman suggested they change a penny a copy to a cent per copy because penny was too English. A Negro suggested that the two white worker figures be changed to one black and one white person. Day took up both suggestions.
Peter came back in time for the second edition. He agreed to continue to write for the newspaper as a contributor but not as an editor. In the second edition he plain said that he might not agree with things that were said in the newspaper. It was only over time that Day realized how inadequate where the stories in the first issue. They treated symptoms, Peter was interested in a philosophy of work.
"Work not wages-work is not a commodity to be bought and sold." "Personal responsibility not state responsibility." A favorite source was the Personalist Manifesto by philosopher Emmanuel Mounier.
"A personalist is a go-giver not a go-getter" Peter would say. "He tries to give what he has rather than get what the other fellow has. He tries to be good by doing good to the other fellow. He has social doctrine of the common good. He is alter-centered rather than self-centered."
In announcing his new role as contributor Peter outline his three-point program.
1. Round table discussions He wanted everyone to come to these meetings: communists, radicals, priests and laity. He wanted everyone to set forth their views. It wanted "clarification of thought" though discussions in which everyone better understood each others views.
2. Houses of hospitality. In the Middle Ages it was the responsibility of the bishop to provide hospices for wayfarers. He saw these as houses managed by priests who would oversee roundtable discussions among men. They were seen as half-way houses for men seeking more permanent work.
3. Farm colonies. "People will have to go back to the land. The machine has displaced labor. The cities are overcrowded. The land will have to take care of them." "People are always looking for a job What I say is 'Fire the Bosses" Fire the Bosses!'" "But they say that there is no work to do. But there are no wages! Well people do not need to work for wages. They can offer their services as a gift"
Peter himself lived a life of poverty. He paid only 50 cents a night to work, ate one meal a day, and wore the same well-worn suit. He taught French accepting whatever free will offerings were given by his students..
.