Body & Soul

In his fight to get better wages fc Filipino workers, Jesuit Father Walter I Hogan, Manila's "labor priest," has mad himself some formidable enemies (TIMI March 12, 1951). But he has had the COE consistent support of Papal Nuncio Egidi Vagnozzi, a brisk, 46-year-old Italia whose plain speaking long ago got him th nickname of "II Americano" in Vatica circles. Since his arrival 2 1/2-years ago Archbishop Vagnozzi has given heavy be hind-the-scenes support to the efforts of Roman Catholics like Philadelphian He gan to give Filipinos a fresh deal before the Communists do. He has also strengthened the position of his church's native hierarchy, historically dominated by non Filipinos, chiefly Spaniards. Three Filipino bishops have been raised to-arch bishop since Vagnozzi arrived.

The archbishop's opponents, who in elude Labor Secretary Jose Figueras am other highly placed politicians and businessmen, have not been able to attar] him openly as they have attacked Father Hogan. (Said a Manila newspaperman "They would be fighting the Pope him self.") Fortnight ago, however, after thi archbishop had left for Rome on a visit they had their first try. Eugenio Lopez publisher of the Manila Chronicle and ; wealthy friend of Figueras', editorially accused Vagnozzi of "arrogence and condescension" toward the Philippine government. Next day, in the Philippini Congress, Representative Estanislao Fernandez introduced a resolution calling for the recall of Vagnozzi for his "notoriously unsympathetic attitude toward the Filipino people."

The resolution is expected to get no where in Congress. But it drew angry replies from active Catholic Filipinos. The church's official newspaper, the Sentinel published a statement by the entire Phil ippine hierarchy protesting the attacks or Vagnozzi. The Sentinel editorialized: "The local Bourbons, who could not directly attack the progressive labor movement of the Catholic Church, have found a scape goat in the person of the nuncio."

Labor Priest Hogan saw the whole thing as a drive to silence the church or Philippine economic matters. Said he "[It is a] false premise that man can be divided into economic man, political man family man. Sunday man and Monday man . . . The mission of the Catholic Church is the salvation of man, and mar is body and soul."

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