Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1908-12-19
Keeps Order Among Sailors and
Treats Them to Be Al
ways Square.
Furnishes Reading Matter For Sea.
farers Irrespective of
Religion.
The LIVERPOOL FIGHTING MAN

the docks, particularly in the neigh
borhood of those docks which Ii
between the North river and Yves
street, New York City, is aware O
the changes that have been mad
there lately through the muscula,
Christianity of Rev. Philip j. Ma
grath.
Father Magrath, who was ordained
a priest only two years ago, is now
director of the Catholic Reading
Rooms for Seamen in West street
near Eleventh street, and that posi-
furnishes his only official connection
with the lives of the seamen. Unof
ficially he is the arbiter of their dis
putes, the writer of the letters sent
by many of them. the repository OF
their savings and their agent and
advocate in getting work and in get.
ting out of scrapes of one kind and
another.
Father Mac" they call him along
the docks. He is short and broad
shouldered and has red hair When
he was in college he was the. best
half back on the football team. Be
fore he went to college he lived in
the neighborhood in which he now
works, and in those days he was by
far the best lightweight fighter from
the Battery to Twenty-third street.
AS class seamen seem to have rev.
erence for clergymen. There was a
while back an exception to this rule
among the seamen. A tall, broad
shouldered seaman from Liverpool
was the exception. BY the way,
many of the fights which disturb
the serenity of the river front num-
Der among their participants some
representatives of Liverpool. As
"Father Mac" says, "They seem to
grow fighters over there"
This particular fighter from Liver
poor had conceived a firm prejudice
against missions in general and
against Protestant mission near
Father Macs" mission in particular.
1t became his joy to stand outside
that mission while services were go
ing on within and initiate the singing
of the congregation. The singing in
the mission was not unmixed with
melody. but it was sincere. The sing
ing of the man from Liverpool. lean
ing against the lamp post on the
corner, was unmixed mockery He
was in the midst of his discordant
wailing one night when "Father
Mac" came along.
Looking into the mission the priest
saw that the efforts of his fellow
clergymen were impeded by the
noise from the corner. He stepped
up to the man from Liverpool. Eng
land.
con your way" he said.
IL IN
reply. "This amt your shop" he
said.
son your way" said the priest, cor
there'll be something doing"
Unmoved by the priests remon-
STRANGE the man from Liverpool re-
sumed his song.
behind the fist was all the force of
his stocky frame. His fist struck
the disturber squarely between the
eyes. He dropped to the sidewalk.
but rose to his feet roaring with
rage.
"Pll show you," he shouted and he
tore down upon the priest.
'Father Mac" is, as has been said.
a short man. but he has a long MEM
ory. He remembered his tackling
experience gained in football and he
crouched to the sidewalk to meet the
giant bulk that was coming upon
him.
The priest nailed the giant from
Liverpool round the knees and hurled
him to the ground. He kept him
there too till the Britisher promised
not only never to offend again but
to contract the habit of visiting mis-
sions in the capacity of a man of
humble and contrite heart.
He has found among seamen lik-
ing for reading, which he encourages
not only in the reading rooms but on
the ships. The night before a steam
ship leaves New York those of her
crew who want to read during the
little leisure time they have during
the voyage go to the Catholic Read
ing Rooms for Seamen and give their
names and the number of their room
on shipboard or the watch they are
on. Before the ship leaves her dock
Father Magrath has placed aboard
for the seamen a bundle of reading
matter that will last the most rapid
reader all the way across the ocean.
"I don't ask any of them what
their religion is" Father Magrath
says. land / don't ask any of them
for money. During this winter I'll
give thirty-six concerts here in the
reading rooms for the men. Seamen
themselves sing and dance and I al
low smoking. Some missions don't.
but we do here. I think a sailorman
is just as good Christian with his
pipe ss without it, and he is a lot
more comfortable. My brother is
the only attendant at the mission
and reading rooms and he is never
needed to keen order. The boys keep
order themselves. One of them fur
nished the motto in the reading
room. IT is:
'''Treat men square and they will
treat you square"
There may be something lacking in
the English. but the sentiment is
sound, Father Magrath says.