The Irish standard., 1914-10-10
from the National Capitol
PROTEST TO PRESIDENT
BY Stanton Lawton

that the United States recognize no
government in Mexico, which does
not grant religious liberty to Catho-
lies as we'll as to Protestants.
Resolutions were presented pro-
testing that nuns and priests have
been robbed and murdered by con-
stitutionalists and that church pro-
perty had been destroyed.
The resolutions were approved by
His Eminence, Cardinal Gibbons, and
prepared by Bishops Schrembs Of
Toledo, Ohio; ]. A. McFaull of Tren-
ton, N. ]. and Rev. Richard Tier
ney, S. ]. editor of America, and an
authority on Mexican conditions.
The committee consisted of Rev.
r. H. Tierney, S. J.. Henry V. Cum
ningham of Boston and John Wha-
len, Esq, dean of Fordham Univer-
sity, and newly elected president of
the Federation. They were present
ed to the President by Secretary
Tumulty and Congressman James A.
Sullivan of Boston, Mass.
Father Tierney was spokesman for
the party and the President promised
to do everything possible for those in
danger. He remarked that though
he feared there might be some ex-
aggeration, he knew the report was
true in substance. Father Tierney
said he had documents to prove
every assertion and that the Presi-
dent should know that the Mexican
revolutionists defended themselves
by quoting the authority Of his adj
ministration, so much so that the bet
ter class of Mexicans called this war
in Mexico a great persecution of
Catholics.
The following is copy of the reso-
lutions presented to the President:
Honorable Woodrow Wilson,
President of the United States,
Washington, D. G.
Your Excellency:-We herewith
respectfully convey to you through
the Rev. Richard Tierney, S. j., and
Messrs. John Whalen and H. v.
Cunningham, resolutions which were
adopted at today's session of the
thirteenth annual convention of the
American Federation of Catholic
Societies, and which resolutions read
as follows:
Section 1. We denounce the out
RACES perpetrated against Bishops,
Priests and religious men and women
In Mexico. Thousands have been
robbed tortured, exiled, and in many
instances brutally murdered, and
some of these were American citi-
zens. Religious won N whose lives
have been consecrated to the practice
of every form of Christian charity
were subjected to what is worse than
death-to the brutal lust of an in
human soldiery.
Section 2. We protest against the
unexplainable silence of our public
press concerning these we'll anthem
ticated outrages. This mighty
power for the formation of public
sentiment and opinion has often
made appeals even in the case of in
dividuals, as for instance, the Rus
sian Jew Bellies, or Miss Stone, the
Protestant missionary, who was
held in captivity by Turkish bandits.
The Mexican outrages have thus far
been scarcely mentioned by the press.
Section 3. In the name of sacred
religion, which has been ruthlessly
attacked, in the name of pure woman
hood, which has been shamefully
outraged, in the name of humanity.
whose fundamental rights have been
violated, in the name of Christian
civilization which, being supplanted
by a rule of rapine, lust and MUIR
der, we most earnestly appeal to our
government at Washington to do its
utmost toward stopping this inhuman
persecution of just men and women
in Mexico.
Section 4. BY reason of the Mon
roe Doctrine the civilized nations Of
the world look to the United States
of America to exercise Its great
power for the preservation and main
tenance of the fundamental rights Of
mankind on the American Contin-
ent.
We, therefore. most earnestly urge
upon the President of the United
States not to recognize in Mexico
any government which does not ef-
fectively guarantee civil and religious
liberty in the true sense Of the word.
Whereas, Despite the continue OBJ
jections of decent men, the privileges
Of the mails is still extended to OBJ
scene and scurrilous papers. injuri-
GUS to the rights of conscience, as
guaranteed by the constitution, and
destructive of sound morality:
Be 1t resolved, That the Fedora
ton of Catholic Societies protest
against such abuse Of the mails.
The gentlemen presenting the fore