The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-08-12

I'LL MA 44SAA~ 0o A4<1k
Catholic body must be believed to
be in motion, clamoring for hear
ings before people and before
government.
AS a matter Of fact, the Fedora
ton represents such societies as
are registered upon it's rolls-not
even the full membership of those
societies, only the delegates who
attend conventions, who, as we
know, go up to conventions unin-
structed, uniformed as to the
business awaiting their attention.
We have been hearing to safety
of the two millions Of Catholics,
voters in the country's elections,
who speak through the Fedora
ton. Some reason for claim Of,
this kind there might be, had mat
tiers to be argued in general con-
vention been previously deliber-
ated upon in particular assembly
Of societies, or were the resolu-
tions passed upon in convention
to be ratified later by the several
societies. But that this is the
case none will assert. Nor are the
oft-quoted two millions If, in
deed, members of societies afil-
lated with the Federation reach
this figure-the whole Catholic
Church in America; nor do they
by any manner Of means, absorb
into themselves the intelligence,
the provident zeal, the conserva-
tive prudence, the social influence,
the spiritual authority of the
whole Catholic body. To be &C
cepted as a legitimate organ Of
opinion and action, the Fedora,
ton must be more precise in it's
language, more truthful as to it's
powers and authorizations. Moth
ing must come from it that may
be legally construed as "ultra
vires.' Else, on close examina-
ton into it's reports and resolu-
tons, especially into the bold de-
mands addressed to the American
public, and now and then to Of
fcials Of the American govern
ment, the tables will be abruptly
turned upon the Federation, or,
rather, upon it's conventions and
Board Of Directors, with "a
spirited reminder Of the incident
long ago in England of the three
tailors Of 'STooley Street." known
in their manifestoes as "The
People Of England. y
We recall reports of the Board
Of Directors. The work assumed
to have been done through the
Federation was rehearsed- every
single incident on the surface Of
American life that could proxi
mately or remotely be interpreted
as favorable to the Church, every
act Of the American government
breathing justice and fair-play
towards Catholic interests, when
in fact, in most of the cases, the
Federation had exerted no in
fuence whatever in creating the
incident or the act, when, in some
of the cases, those particularly
connected with national affairs
the intrusion of the Federation
had gone far towards endanger
ing the happening from which i
was willing later to draw matter
for self-glorifcation.
Nor must cases be overlooked
where the Board of Directors
wildly thrusting themselves for
ward without due knowledge O
2 facts, without a particle o
) prudence or discretion, certainl..
without the consent or the ap
: proval of the hierarchy, were Of
) the point of causing serious mis-
t understandings between tn
: Church and the American govern
5 ment- misunderstanding tina
t were averted by the tact OF pre-
$ late in high authority near tn
s seat Of the national government
a We refer to the attack some year
: ago upon a representative of tn
: American Republic in Shangha
/ and to the more recent blunde1
S ing intrusion in affairs in tn
v Island of Guam.
e We write, as we now d.
) through a deep feeling of interes
r in the Federation itself, to whic
IS there opens a sphere of gres
i usefulness to religion, were
e once launched with proper orie1
n tation, and under due rules as