The Irish standard., 1914-01-31
Committee on Naval Affairs at National Gao
ital Grant Hearing
10 the Leaders of the Various Christian
Churches for that Purpose
Interests of Catholic Church Presented bv
Rev. Lewis j. O'EIern, c. S. P.

lines. No age limit is provided for
the welfare secretary, and therefore
no remedy is offered in the proposed
legislation as to keeping young men
perpetually in charge of this depart
ment which it is intended shall be in
troduced into our Navy. So much for
the lines of natural activity; so much
for the entertainments and athletics.
AS regards the strictly religious
work there can be no comparison. The
clergyman is man set apart solemn
ly to perpetuate the work of Christ
in the world. He is one who speaks
with authority, one who has been CIV
en- the Divine commission to preach
the Gospel to every creature. He con.
ducts the Divine services. He dispens-
es the Sacraments, something which
no layman is authorized to do. He
has an official position. He COM
mands respect. By his office he merits
confidence also. He can be friend
to all without losing dignity, and he
has an enthusiasm which can be be-
gotten only by man who has su-
pernatural love of God and of his fell
low men. To religious work they ex.
pect to devote not few years only,
but their whole lives.
The chaplains we have selected and
recommended have been picked men,
physically, intellectually, and spirit
ually strong, chosen from the whole
country. They have been and shall
be in the future our elite. They have
been carefully trained through long
years of study, discipline, and self-de-
nial; they have developed those quail
tiles necessary for religious leaders;
they are the kind of men contemplat-
ed by our honorable secretary. In.
fuenced by Divine call they have de-
voted themselves unselfishly to the
welfare and happiness of others. Their
aim is to secure efficiency, patriotism,
morality, obedience to every law, hu.
man, and Divine, in word, to develop
the highest type of Christian citizen
ship. For the doing of this work,
gentlemen, there is no man so eff.
cient as an ordained and accredited
minister of the gospel.
The question has come up as to the
efficiency of the chaplains to promote
the moral welfare of the men. That
question has been directly asked and,
in answer to that, I quote from let.
ter of a chaplain, written to me from
Olangapo, Philippine Islands, as fol-
lows:
BY the way, have an argument for
the committee that will mean some
thing. When l went ashore, the doc
tor called me and said, Father, do
you know that 10 per cent of the men
on this post have venereal diseases. F"
Needless to say I was surprised. In
seven months there was less than 3
per cent, and such figures ought to in.
fluence the committee in this matter.
This is direct question of moral
ity, namely, keeping the men out OF
which ruin them physically
and morally, and therefore argue
that such work can be done best by or.
dained clergymen. Such one speaks
with authority. He stands for the
law of God in its integrity. He preach.
es the Commandments, "Thou shalt
and thou shalt not" He wields that
influence which alone can keep men
moral.
There is another question which !
wish to bring up and it is this. We
know that this is day of unrest
Men are looking for remedies for all
our ills, and many fancy that they see
a panacea for everything in some form
or other of socialism. 1t has been
preached at Army posts and naval
stations and results in desertions, as
l have heard upon reliable authority
What is the remedy for this? Relig
ion, pure and undefiled. All the
Christian churches preach the duty
Of patriotism; they preach loyalty to
the flag, and that all authority Is from
God. We must love and protect our
country's honor, and we must be ready
to suffer hard things for the public
good. Therefore, gentlemen, the rem
edy for the spread of socialism in the
naval ranks today, think, Is to be
found in an efficient chaplain corpl
which stands for authority both hu
man and divine.