The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-03-12
THE AMERICAN ARMY AND NAVY.
The awful disaster at Hav;


The awful disaster at Havana has
brought to light the undisputcd fact that
a large number of Catholics are in the
naval service of the United States. 1t
is estimated that 40 per cent of the
| American seamen belong to the Catho-
lie church, and that 100 of the crew Of
the Inflated Maine, with it's chaplain,
were Roman Catholics. When it is con-
sidcred that SO many Catholics are in
the navy of Uncle Sam it is astonishing
that out of the twenty-four chaplains in
the navy only three are Catholic priests,
all the others being Of the various Prot
estant denominations. And, strange to
say, Grover Cleveland was the first pres
the American navy! Still, this country
has no established form of religion, and
all its institutions are said to lie non
sectarian.
| What is said of the navy may be said
with equal truth Of the army. There is
about the same percentage of Catholics
In the latter as in the former, and the
same disparity exists among the chap
lains, according to creed. Why this is
SO we cannot understand. 1t certainly
would be more pleasing to the Catholics
| in the army and navy of the United
States to have more chaN.ains of their
own faith than they have had UP to this
time. No matter how good the Protest.
ant chaplains may be they cannot supply
the place Of the Catholic priests In min
| istering to the spiritual necessities Of
Catholic seamen. American sailors of
the Catholic faith ought to be granted
an opportunity Of approaching the sac
raments of the church at least once a
year. and In the absence of Il Catholic
chaplain 1t is utterly impossible for them
to comply with the rules of their
church.
In the army they seem to be placed at
! disadvantage in the matter of acco;nno-
daton in attending divine worship on
Sundays. At West Point the Catholic Of
ticers. cadets and soldiers will not be
permitted to have a Catholic chapel in
which to assemble for prayer. Provision
Is made for Professionals by the govern
ment to have a chapel at West Point,
General McKenpa, denied the same right
to the Catholics, though willing to erect
| chapel at their own expense. Secre-
tary Lamont of Mr.. Clevelands cabinet
was willing that Catholics should erect
chapel at no expense to the govern
ment. but Judge McKenna declared 1t
would be illegal forsth4 to do so.
Congressman RIB. MIahany, of New
York. recently in1od,eed a bill in the
| national house Of Representatives in
structing the secretary Of war "to order
| the removal at once of all religious edi-
| fees Of whatever character from the mill
tary reservations es the United States"
He did this as Srotet against the
action Of the comiaitt@ on military af-
fairs, who by vote j 10 to 8, refused
to grant permssioh ( to Catholics to build
and maintain at fheir. own expense a
house Of worship % the military reser-
walton at West Point THE congressman
from the Buffalo district took tue stand
that If 1t is legal for the government to
support Protestant place Of worship
at West Joint. 1t would be also legal to
permit CatL olics to have one at their
own expense. He said further that II
Catholics We're denied the privilege of q
chapel no other religious denomination
can Justly be permitted to enjoy It. But
equal Justice will not be granted to
Catholics by the descendants Of the Puri-
tans. notwithstanding the first amend
ment to the constitution Of the United
States which explicitly declares that