Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-04
THE KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS.
BY Frederic ]. Haskin.

The annual meeting of the knights of
Columbus, which will be held in Denver
this week, will draw thousands of men
from all parts OF the country notwith-
Standing that it follows so closely upon
the enormous gathering OF the same Or
ganiZation called TO Washington June S
TO attend the ceremonies connected with
the unveiling of the Columbus memorial
In the Capital City.
The knights OF Columbus is an organi-
cation for men conducted under the full
approval Of the Roman Catholic Church.
Many of the leading Catholic clergymen
OF the country are knights of Columbus
and the organization has received the
blessing and commentator of his holt
ness the Pope. 1t is not in any sense
church organization, although il works
IN harmony with the church and always
Is an active aid in any needed Catholic
philanthropy.
The order of the knights of Columbus
was organized in New Haven. Conn.
March -. lss2, and incorporated under
the laws of that state. Its object.
stated. was to promote social and intel
Iectual intercourse among its members
and 70 render pecuniary aid 10 them and
their beneiictaries by a form of insurance
that would be within reach OF all. It's
growth for the first ten years was com
paratively small and at the time of its
Incorporation its founders had no idea
other than that of a local or at the most
state organization. The marvellous
growth during the last twenty years
shows how great was the need for an
organization that would appeal 10 the
better class OF Catholic men as worthy
Of their effort and ill 10 them in some
respects even greater place than DO
other secret orders 10 the non Catholic
community. Eligibility TO its insurance
privileges extends TO all Catholic men
between the ages OF eighteen and forty,
and Tor those who are older or who be-
cause of physical weakness are not ad-
Missile 10 insurance membership an as
Sociate membership Is provided which
now numbers about three times that of
the insurance members for whose benefit
the organization was first conceived,
There are about 10000 members of the
knights OF Columbus included in the .57s
councils found upon
Membership Is this continent and
About 100000. the " II H. posses ,,s,ss
states. and the number is growing rap
IDLY. At first il was intended 10 keep
the organization in the United States but
IL has spread into Canada, so that dele
gates from Winnipeg. Quebec. Montreal
and other Canadian cities VIII attend the
council in Denver. There are a number
Of councils also in Mexico. Every state
and territory in the United States has a
state organization. and vigorous organi-
ration was effected on the Canal Zone
Through the efforts of q knight whose re-
cent death Will be the subject OF some
htting memorial action at the present
council. There are councils in the Phi ip-
pines, in Cuba and in Porto Rico and
they VIII be extended wherever active
american Catholics are called.
Requests have been made from Italy
and one or two other European coun-
tries for the extension OF the order of
Knights OF Columbus IN these nations.
but the proposals are not regarded favor
ably by the supreme council, which holds
that the order Is strictly an American in
stitution suited 10 the needs of American
men and not designed 10 be used except
oy the nations who owe their existence
10 the discoveries made by Columbus
Then also the ritual OF the order is IN