Grand Forks daily herald., 1914-10-20
PECULIAR PREJUDICES.
The Herald was xravely assured

Ine aeralQ was Sravely assured the
other day that the responsibility for
the European war rested on the Cath
olics. Just how. or why, was not made
quite clear, but the speaker was very
certain that it was so, and that right
at the bottom of all the trouble would
be found the Vaccinations of the
Catholic church. In the conversation
reference was made to the fact that
Of all tho countries engaged In the
struggle but one is Catholic, namely.
Austria. Germany, her ally, is not q
Catholic country, and the Lutheran
church IL tho state church of the
empire. Russia adheres to the doc
trines Of the Greek church. In Eng
land the Episcopal church is the es-
tablished church. and in Scotland the
Presbyterian church is given official
recognition. ireland is largely Cato
lie. but Catholics and Protestants
alike are volunteering for service. In
mono of the colonies is there any es-
tablished church. France has no es-
tablished church. and her population
10 divided among the churches. We
have. then. on the one side one Cath
Ollie and one Protestant nation, and
ON the other three great nations none
Of which Is Catholic. Italy. with the
possible exception Of Austria. the
most powerful Of the Catholic coun-
tries is not in the fight at all. and If
she does enter it she will take sides
against her Catholic neighbor. Aus
tia. Under these circumstances 1t Is
dtmcult to see how anyone can sus-
pect that a religious difference is at
the bottom Of the trouble. Still there
are people who not only suspect, but
feel certain.
On the other hand, there is a bu-
rsau in Washington which has for
many months been sending out cir.
culars attacking the British govern
ment and tho Masonic order, main
tanning that the two are synonymous,
and that the combination constitutes
the greatest threat against freedom
and prosperity that the world has
ever seen. Bulletin No. so has just
been received-and dumped in the
waste basket. Again, II 1t were con-
sidered worth while to argue with the
author Of these circulars, argument
would be futile. He started out with
the fixed idea that there was an un-
holy conspiracy in which the head Of
the British government and Of the
Masonic order were engaged. and all
the argument that could be made
would not change that opinion.
It is fortunate that most people are
not 80 governed by narrow sectarian
prejudices. Such prejudices exist.
however. and evidence Of them is con-
tinually cropping up in the most un-
expected places. Those who are not
prejudiced to begin with, and who,
anxious for the real truth, and some
what disturbed by persistent stories
which they hear about this or that
group of people. need only look at the
thing dispassionately. and. summing
up what they know, OF their own ex-
perience, Of their neighbors in this or
that group, consider whether or not it
u possible that the people whom they
have known as good neighbors and
good citizens are capable Of conspir-
Ing against humanity, as they are Oft
On said to have done. If they consid-
sF the matter in this light they will
conclude that most of the stories Of
factional and religious conspiracy
which they hear are old wives tales,
At only to frighten children with.