The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-10-25
CATHOLICS ASK
PREPARATION
Of MEXICO
APPEAL TO AMERICAN GOVERN
MENT AND PEOPLE TO PRO-
TEcT CLERGY AND CHURCH -
TELL OF ToRTUREs.

Washington, Oct. 24.-An appeal to
the American government and peo-
pie to protect the Roman Catholic
clergy and church in Mexico and de-
mand reparation for outrages already
committed were filed with the state
department today by a committee of
the American Federation of Catholic
Societies. Two formal documents
We're submitted, one setting forth the
position of the Catholic church in
Mexico and the other citing numer-
GUS instances of atrocities alleged
to have been perpetrated by revo-
lutionary leaders during the disturb
ances of the past few years.
The statements were prepared to
supplement verbal representations re-
Gently made to President Wilson and
Secretary Bryan by the committee
which was appointed by the Balti-
more conference Of the association.
Rev. Tierney, s. j., of New York.
Henry Cunningham of Boston and
John Whalen, president of the fed
GRAFTON are the members of the com
mittee. Describing the political con-
dtions which are declared to be re-
sponsible for the present state of
unrest in Mexico, the committee as
serted the attitude Of the Roman
church clergy has been one OF abso-
lutte neutrality striving only to teach
the uneducated classes obedience
and respect for constituted authority.
Issue Statement.
"The revolution which shortly be-
came in control of the government
in Mexico" said the statement has
proclaimed as a necessary means for
the working out of its programme
the suppression of three classes
which it considers to be insuperable
obstacles to its purposes, the regular
army, the Roman Catholic party, and
the large land holders.
"As far as the Roman Catholic
clergy Is concerned, they have held
no offices nor have they been heard
in the councils of the various gov
ernments which have ruled the coun-
try during the past fifty years.
Priests are Tortured.
"The priests Of all the places
which have been occupied by the rev.
olutionists have been expelled in a
body and without trial. They have
been robbed of everything they pos
sessed Many of them have been
thrown into prison. Others have
been tortured. Some have been kill
ed. The bishops have been so
threa tened and those that have fallen
into the hands of the revolutionists
have suffered such indignities that
all have been compelled either to
flee from the country or go into
hiding.
The Catholic people have been
outraged in their most sacred re-
ligious sentiment. The number of
profanations is so great that they
would take too long to state in de-
tail. Churches have been turned
into barracks and stables. In Sc
huayo, Michoacan, eleven priests
were threatened with death if they
could not pay ransom. The bishop
of Zacatecas was also subjected to-
ransom but had nothing to give.
The Catholics freed them from cap
tivity with the money they had
gathered in order to placate the rev.
olutionists."
Appeal to Americans.
In one case, it is asserted, fifty
nuns of the Sacred Heart and a
number of other refugees were lodg-
ed three days in a filthy abandoned
hotel at Manzanillo where on the
floor below General Obregon's troops
and officers with their Shameless
women" were quartered.
In conclusion the appeal said:
1--WE trust the American people
will realize that they are in honor
bound to defend, to demand satisfac-
ton for the flagrant violation of the
renresentations which were made by
them to Carranza and his followers.
If this be not done, then the dec
laration of the Carranzaistas will be
confirmed that whatever they do is
done with the knowledge and appyc.
baton OF the Washington goSern-
ment."