Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1913-02-15
Would Not Have the World Mt
Large Get Its Secret
Edition.
NIisstatements Made and Con-
cealment of Issue From Re-
gulars Exposed.
DOESN'T BEAR The union LABEL

In addition to their organ. the
Menace, and the Menace clubs. the
people behind that publication also
make use of another means to fur
ther their purpose, a so-called
private edition" of the Menace. The
| Central Bureau of the Central
Verein informs us of the appearance
of this private edition, bearing the
date of January 25, 1918. The issue
| is printed on better paper than the
regular issue of the Menace and
contains no advertising, a mark, if
you will, of its private character.
The twofold object of this secret
edition is briefly this. To encourage
the men on "the firing line'' to
greater efforts for the success of the
publication and-to quote from the
issue mentioned-"to talk over
things that we would not care to
have thz Catholic press and the
world at large get hold Of" The
statement that the Menace people
have things to talk about that
neither the Catholic press nor "the
world at large" shall know, is charm
ing in its simple frankness. The
statement, too, that the Menace has
thousands of readers" who
probably would not understand
even after an explanation" the things
that the private edition has to say
is beautiful in its childlike candor,
but not bit flattering to the rank
and file of the Menace readers. We
wonder what they would think of
the Menace if they were to discover
what It thinks and says of their
mental qualifications. It is a rare
thing indeed for publication to
speak thus disparagingly OF the men
tai caliber of its readers. Such an
attitude reflects strangely upon the
paper itself; which appeals-to- people
whom it considers incapable of un-
derstanding things even after eX-
PLANTATION.
II is characteristic of the Menace
that It uses this private edition
rather than a regular edition to ac-
ouaint some Of its readers with It's
nlatform. In column two, page one
Il announces its Position and Plat
PLATFORM" taking up three-quarters
of column. In column three, page
one the "bugles are calling to the
"old guard" calling the men to tine
Grand and glorious fray against
"nolitical Rome" Some facts about
Menace subscriptions, the malllhg
LIST the equipment, the question OF
advertising. are treated in several
columns of the four page issue, ana
"Our Answer TO the Catholic Press
takes up no less than a column an anu
half of page five. All IN al MAJ,
FER that the average reader woulu
understand quite readily uhless III
deod-and that is an open auestl0n
~the Menace reader is intelectuallS
below the level of the average news
noner reader. a condition the Menace
Eself seems to take for granted. but
~ naoe Two there is an article whlch
tha Menace readers proDaoy
Sshonld'' not read. In the arlcle
ontitIed s0The Menace and the union
I'aheI, the editors make feeble az
temnt TO reply to the query: why
| doesn't the Menace bear the union
label a question that had been put
70 the Menace by number OF trade
union papers. They try 70 persua9e
their readers that they nave ohly
three compositors and one printer,
nressman in their employ VINO couiu
come into consideration as possible
members of a union. Mind YOU, four
men handling an edition OF allegedly
4SO 400 copies! In the same issue
are shown several pictures, one OF
Them representing "our two DIE
ICoss presses in action" Everyone
can readily imagine that one press
man can not possibly run two presses
lolonei II he doesn't handle them
lalone there should be some help
leligihle Cor membership in a union
Ana apart from this misstatement oI
martial concealment of fact there II
a. deception implied in the assertion
lthat these men could not form
Local the reader being led to believe
lthat the matter must rest there. The
editors conceal the fact that sucn
linen can take out travelling eards ano
be members IN another local say ~
kansas City, ST. Louis, chicago o.
some other city. The fact Is tha'
line Menace is trying TO hoodwink III
40 600 "men on the firing line II
This private edition as we'll as lt'
l4SO,O 900 readers.
Apart from the misstatementi
made and the concealment OF thli
Issue from the regular readers the
FACT remains OF general interest tC
ICathollcs that the Menace can ant
does employ such means as secre'
edition for the purpose OF earryint
lon its propaganda and furthering III
lown cause. Catholics should learr
At least this much from this fact
THAT non-Catholics and opponents o.
the church are far more energetic
land much keener for the advance
lment OF their press. TO further theil
destructive work. than Catholics arr
for the good. constructive work thell
own press stands for. There Is sucl
La thing as an ~ rstoiate OF the press
land Il deserves the warmest snppor
land encouragement.