The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-09-26
CITATIONS FROM THE STATUTES
AND FROM DECISIONS CON-
STRUNG THEM PROVE THAT
THE MENACE AND ITS Pu5LIcA-
TIONS VIOLATE THE LAWS OF
THE UNITED STATES.


TloNs VIOLATE THE LAWS OF
THE UNITED STATES.
The following letter written by Mr..
Paul Blackwell, a prominent CaCholc
attorney of ST. Louis, Mo-, gives coni'
nlete statement of the law regarding
the transmission through the malls Oh
naners of the character OF me Men
ace II cites the statutes covering the
case and the court decisions constru-
inc them. Hence, it is valuable and
should he kept for reference by all
who are interested in these matters.
Mr. Bakewell intends to continue
this agitation and is preparing letter
TO be sent to the Attorney General OF
the United States.
st. Louis, Mo-,
August 81, 1914.
Hon. Albert S. Burleson,
Postmaster General,
Washington, ID. c.
Sir: g
On August 20, 1914, the people OF
the world, irrespective OF creed, espe-
cially those of intelligence and viz
tue, were shocked by the news OF the
death of that sanity, simple, earnest,
capable, noble, venerable and beloved
character, Pope Plus x. He was not
only Pope of the Catholic Church
commanding, by virtue OF his ONCE
the obedience, in ecclesiastical mat
ters, of the hundreds of millions OF
Catholics throughout the world, but
he was loved and venerated by all
Catholics, and had also won, by rea-
g xyirt1 TpCnpcf
miration of large numbers OF non
Catholics in every country on the
globe. What FASTENED his death, II II
were not it's actual cause, was TINS
present awful, general European war,
which he had tried hard to prevent.
With his tender love for all humanity,
the contemplation of the awful ana
general suffering to be endured by the
neonles engaged in this terrible con-
f1ict of arms was too much for TINS
noble, consistent servant and lover OF
the Prince of Peace; then broke his
mighty heart" No doubt he is now
with his Master, Whom he had served
so constantly, so faithfully and so ef1-
GENTLY. but the world is the loser,
and it's intelligence and true virtue
mourns the loss of Plus X. Sentl'
ments to this effect have already
found expression in the press OF the
world.
Now. Sir, in the face of this, l, a
Catholic, a member of the universal
flock of this late departed Good Shep
herd. a citizen of the United States
horn at St. Louis in 1858, lawyer by
profession, introduce myself to you
and desire to call to your attention
officially, the following things, some
of which at least may be new TO you
There is now being published anC
has been published for some time past
at Aurora Missouri, paper calico
1.-THE Menace" 1t is rightly named
for indeed it is a menace to the peace
of the citizens of the United states, II
that, by the cowardly falsehoods anc
infamous calumnies that it is constant
w publishing in it's columns against
the Catholic Church, Catholics in gen
eral. and priests and nuns of the
Catholic Church, it is doing all in its
power to stir up religious strife and
hatred. and bring about religious wal
in the United States.
am informed that in March, 1914
"The Menace" was barred from the
mails of Canada and that the memo
randum prepared by r. M. Coulter
DEPUTY Postmaster General, with ref
erence to excluding "The Menace
from the mails, which memorandum
was read in the House of Commons a
Ottawa by the Postmaster General o
Canada, concludes as follows:
Under Section 209 of the Crimina
Code. any one is guilty of an indlcta
BILE offence and liable to two years
Imprisonment who posts anything o
an obscene, immoral, indecent or sour
rilous character. This, however, II
not a matter for enforcement by thi!
Department, and therefore the Depart
ment has simply contented itself WIFI
acting within it's powers as regards
matter circulating through the mails
I have not the least doubt, however
that did any person choose 10 maxi
this a personal matter, and take II VI
under the Criminal Code, the edlto
of the paper, were it not for the rae
that he is a foreigner and a non-res1
dent of Canada, would be subject T.
tne penalties of the Criminal Code.
/ am enclosing to you herewith
conv of "The Menace" of Saturday
August %, 1914 AS a gentleman o
education and information, on readin
the cow of The Menace that l an
sending YOU, you will see at once tina
81 Is an appeal to ignorance, bigotry
passion and prejudice; that it is re
nlete with falsehoods and calumnle
against the Catholic Church and 1t
members. All this would be ba
enough; but it does not stop there.
The matter Of the malls Is PRIV
S1ege. from the use of which those ar
deOarred who either perpetrate frau
by the abuse of this privilege, or whE
by their publications, advertisements
etc, do things which are calculate
to debauch or injure private or publ
morals, or reflect injuriously upon I'll
conduct or character OF another
refer here especially to Sections SSs
and 1894, pp 1858 and 1868 of U.
Compiled Statutes of 1901, and ais
to the Act OF June IS, 1888, c. ~
Sec. 2. p. 1851 u. s. Compiled Sta
ntes, 1901
BY said Sec. 1898. p. 1858 OF sal
Coapiled Statutes of the Unite
states. obscene, lewd, lasclviol
books, pamphlets, papers, etc.. are d
clared to be non-nailable matter; ar
nv that same section advertisement
-, notices of any kind. giving iHfGFI
o,f1Om, directly or indirectly, where
ToS~y = ANY of the here1
before meStioned matters" (which !
sfude obscene, lewd or lascivio
hooks or papers) may be obtaine