The Irish standard., 1914-01-31

Father O'Hern-Mr. Chairman and
gentlemen of the committee, assure
you that it is great pleasure to ap-
pear before this Committee on Naval
Affairs in such distinguished company
as the official representative of the
Catholic bishops and archbishops of
the United States.
shall read to you letter which
I have received from His Eminence
Cardinal Gibbons, of Baltimore, as fol-
lows:
Cardinals Residence,
.,, ..' 408 North Charles Street,
Baltimore, January Is, 1914.
Rev. Lewis ]. O'Hern, G. S. P.
Apostolic Mission House, Washing.
ton, D. c.
My Dear Father O'Hern: AS our
representative in matters pertaining
to Army and Navy chaplains, may
ask you to personally call on the men,
bers of the Committee on Naval AT.
fairs, both of the Senate and the
House of Representatives, and urge
upon them the necessity of more chap
lains for the Navy? Explain to them
that the proposed scheme of substi-
tuting welfare secretaries" for chap.
lains does not meet with the approval
of the American Catholic archbishop.
since no laymen can do the work of
an ordained clergyman.
Most faithfully, yours, in Xt.,
J. Cardinal Gibbons,
Archbishop of Baltimore.
1t is a pleasure to agree with so
much that has been stated here this
morning and to indorse so much of
what the honorable Secretary of the
Navy has suggested in his report,
which hold in my hand. The key
note of our position on this question
is sounded in the honorable Secretary's
own words, more religious leaders
needed" There has been no increase
in the chaplain corps of the Navy
since 1912, yet the number of officers
and men has notably increased. These
men need the uplifting influence of
religion, and need to be often remind
ed, ais the honorable Secretary says,
of the truth that mans first and
highest obligation is to his Maker"
He needs the close personal influence
of a religious leader the more be-
cause he has been removed by enlist
ment from the many helpful influences
which he had at home. The question
arises as to the nature of these relig-
ious leaders. The honorable Secre-
tary says, "The country will, 1 am
sure, warmly approve the suggestion
that not less than 60 chaplains or
welfare secretaries should be author
ized," and on page 1S of his annual
report he speaks of the four depart
ments of activity in which these re-
ligious leaders are Neutrality-suspicious.
thought, Bible study, athletics, and
entertainment.
Now, gentlemen, as regards athlet-
les and entertainments, might point
with pride to the excellent work Of our
chaplains along these lines. I main.
tain that for such work they are as
efficient as it is possible for any per-
son to be. am not so familiar with
the work in the Navy, because I have
not been brought into such close con.
tact with the Navy chaplains as l
have with those of the Army, but I
take it for granted that they work
along the same lines in both corps. A
chaplain was in charge of the instruc.
tion camp at Winchester, Va, last
summer, and I had the pleasure of
meeting afterwards, in Washington, the
colonel who was in command, and he
spoke of the wonderful work which
had been done for the entertainment
of the soldiers all during the summer
by the chaplain. He furnished moving
pictures and theatrical entertainments,
so that every night the men were kept
in camp, happy, and away from dan.
gerous environments.
AS regards athletics, it is the chap
lain's spirit that animates wsrk OF
this kind. All of us know that relig.
ion is the fountain Of perpetual youth
That the chaplain, therefore, can di
rect the athletics, even though he may
not personally enter into them, is
something which I think may justly
claim, and increasing age need be nc
bar to him in Working along these