The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-09-19
NOT "PRACTICAL CATHOLICS"
Convention at Once Begins Work Again
and Closes Up Sessions Late Thurs
day With Election of New officers
For The Two Years.

delegates of the National Polish Assoc
citation of America idle all day Thurs
day, was dissolved just after five
0 CLOCK Thursday evening by Judge
Randall and the sessions OF the conven-
ton were continued after supper on
Thursday. The convention closed late
Thursday night.
The decision of Judge Randall in
which he refused to seat the three con-
testing delegates from Milwaukee, was
hailed as a great victory for the fac
tlon in the organization which insists
on following the strict rules Of the
Roman Catholic Church and it was
held to be body blow to the members
of the society who had insisted ON
very liberal Interpretation of the
church law as relating to the societies.
When Judge Randall heard the argu-
ment for the dissolving of the iniunc-
ton the court room was crowded. The
delegates deserted the convention hall
and hocked to the municipal court.
Both men and women took the great
est interest in the proceedings in court.
G. Gonski Of Milwaukee, represented
the association at the argument on the
motion for the dissolution of the in
Junction and he made remarkable
plea for the rights of the church and
its leading representatives in direct
ing the lives of men and women who
stood before the world as Catholics.
In his argument he bitterly fayed
the men who brought the injunction,
declaring that they had stood out
against the edicts of the church and
openly declared their support of socie-
ties which were under the ban of the
church. He declared that he did not
desire to impeach the honesty of these
men, but their religion.
1t was shown by afidavits that all
of the men contesting for seats in the
convention were members Of the Po-
lish Catholic Federation of Laymen
and that this organization was Z. "for-
bidden'' under an edicE issued bv
Archbishop Messmer on Feb. 18th, of
this year. The membership in the So
ciety was not denied by the men who
had sought and secured the restrain
ing order, but their attorneys held that
the matter was not a matter of church
Utilization, but matter of civil con-
tract. Attorney Barnes argued the
fact that the organization was incor-
porated under the laws of tho state of
Wisconsin and on that account it must
be governed by the laws of the state. |
Judge Randall in summing up the case
held that the point in question was &C.
clesiastical rather than legal and that
the ruling of the church against these
men was plain. He held that under the |
bylaws of the association the men
must be Catholics in all that the word |
implied to be members in good stand |
ing. Strong citations of decisions of |
the supreme court of Wisconsin were
made to sustain the position taken by
the court.
The ruling of the court was receiv. |
ed with great rejoicing among the lead |
ers of the organization and they went
in a body to the convention hall where
the announcement Of the result was re-
ceiyed with cheers.
No serious conflicts marked the ses- |
sions of the convention on Thursday
evening and they continued until late
in the night, the delegates seeking to |
get the work closed up.
At the close of the session Thursday |
night officers for the two years period |
were elected as follows:
President-F. J. Grutza.
Vice President-Joseph Rechlicz.
Secretary-Ignatz Gorski.
Treasurer-Joseph Jankiewicz.
Chaplain-Rev. B. Coral.
High Medical Examiner-Dr. f. S. |
Wasielewski.
All of the new officials are residents
of Milwaukee,