The Irish standard., 1914-01-31
from the National Capitol
BY Stanton LaWton
Especial to the Irish Standard
United States Navy Needs

Especial to the Irish Standard.l
United States Navy Needs
chaplains.
On Tuesday, January Goth, the
Committee on Naval Affairs of the
House of Representatives, granted a
hearing to the leaders of the various
Christian Churches, relative to an in
crease of the Chaplain Corps of the
United States Navy.
. The committee was composed as
follows: Rev. Lewis j. O'Hern, G. S.
p, Representing the Catholic Arch
bishop: Rev. G. Livingston Bayard,
the Navy Chaplain, representing the
Chaplain Corps; Rev. Charles S. Mac
farland, of New York City. represent
the Federated Council of the church
es of America; Bishop William Law
renee (Protestant-EpiscopaD of Mass
achusetts; Rev. Dr. Wallace Radcliffe,
(Presbyterian) of Washington; Rev.
DIR. Roland Cotton Smith, st. Johns
Church, Washington, D. c.; Bishop AL
fred Harding (Protestant-EpiscopaD of
Washington, D. c.; and Rev. Henry K.
Carroll, Associate Secretary of the
Federated Council.
In a session, which occupied the
whole morning, those representatives
of the various churches pleaded elo-
quently for an increase of Navy Chap
lains. They also objected to the plan,
proposed by Hon. Josephus Daniels,
Secretary of the Navy, to substitute
"Welfare Secretaries" instead of Chap.
lains.
The first one to address the Com
mittee, of which Hon. Lemuel P. Pad
gett, of Tennessee, was Chairman, was
DIR. Macfarland, who presented reso-
luton Of the Churches Of Christ in
America, asking for an increase of
Chaplains. He was followed by Bish-
op Lawrence of Massachusetts, who
spoke for the Episcopal Church, and
then the interests of the Catholic
Church were presented by Rev. Lewis
]. O'Hern, c. S. P, of Washington, d.
c., in a most able address, which we
give in full on our front page this
week.
DIR. Mcfarland, acting for the Fed
eral Council of Churches, has adj
dressed letter to President Wilson,
explaining the attitude of the Cath
Ollie Church on the Chaplain question,
and urging that the proposed arrange
ment for substituting welfare Sec
retaries" for chaplains, be abandoned.
This is one of the most important
measures that has yet been taken up
in Congress, relative to the Chaplain
Corps, and should it once become a
law and be placed upon. the statute
books of the United States government.
it will mean practically, the turning
over of the United States Navy to the
Y. M. c. A.
The Committee on Naval Affairs of
the House is composed Of the follow
ing members: Hon. Lemuel P. Pad
gett, of Tenn, Hon. j. Frederick c.
Talbot, of Md; Mon. Richard P. Hob
son, of Ala; Hon. Albert Estopinal,
of La; Hon. Daniel J. Riordan, Of N.
Y; Hon. Samuel ]. Tribe, of Ca; Hon.
Samuel A. Witherspoon, of Miss; Hon.
Walter l.. Hensley, of Mo-; Hon. Frank
Buchanan, of Ills; Hon. w. R. Rath.
rick, of Ohio; Hon. Robert L. Lee, of
Pa; Hon. VIM. E. Williams, of Ills;
Hon. Peter G. Garry, of r. L.; Hon.
Finly H. Gray, of Ind; Hon. Thos.
S. Butler, Of Pa; Hon. Ernest w. Rob
erts, Of Mass; Hon. VIM. ]. Browning
of N. j.; Hon. John R. Farr, of Pa.
Hon. Fred A. Britten, of Ills; Hon
Patrick H. Kelley, of Mich; and Hon
VIM. D. Stephens, of Cal.
There are three Catholics among
the members of the Committee, name
ly: Hon. Albert Estopinal, of Louis
lana; Hon. Daniel J. Riordan, of New
York, and Hon. Robert f. Lee, Of
Pennsylvania.