The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1915-12-18

TTiHE TABLET, December a.,
I'll 1918, says: "a promising
~ step towards the clearing
III away Of much misunder-
standing and the end Of bigotry in
the United States was taken Tues
day evening in Chicago, when the
first Of the big meetings planned
by the Knights Of Columbus Com
mittoe on Religious Prejudice was
held at the Coliseum in that city"
Bourke Cochran, a Knight Of CO.
lumbus, was the principal speaker
at that meeting and great prepara-
ton was made with the expectation
of having the Masons largely and
prominently represented in the au-
| dience in the vain hope that they
might be converted by the knights
of Columbus prejudice Commit
tee" from the so-called "bigotry'
that is proving such a bug-a-bOo to
Rome. The Masonic Chronicler,
December 4, pays its respects to the
peace nlan of the knights and the
honorable Bourke X. c. Cochran IN
IN editorial as follows:
The strenuous efforts made by the
Knights of Columbus 20 induce Chicago
Masons 20 throw fits Of ecstacy or other
wise give cOuntensnee TO the speechmak'
ing of W. Bourkc Cochran, and thus be
inVeigled into the K. &. parlor, met with
quite a nipping frost, although the Ro'
mauist press agents told how Masons
were elbowing their way 10 hear the great
mouthpiece Of the knights. Mr.. Cochran
is a renowned orator, but much Of his
/ oratory here was directed along lines
which do not particularly appeal TO mem
bers Of the craft
The former New York congressman
and political spellhinder was here, II wal
! said, TO make a plea for world peace II
/ a widely heralded speech at the Coliseum
Masous and Masonic organizations Wer'
| bombarded with tickets and importuned q
attend this peace meet, and then, per
haps, to have the speaker seek to conver
them to the Catholic idea Of education
Very few Masons fell for the lure
Something went awTy with the mali
works Of the meeting and the plan faile'
SO completely as to prove n fasco. Allege'
interviews were published in which prom
inent Masons were purported TO hail thi
pneifst move by the X. C.s, and incident
ally the bune Of the oratorieal Bourke
"The editor Of The Masonic ChroRtcter
was quoted among others and made {
give out expressions wholly at varianc
with his wellknown views. The fact
the editor of Tie ChroHicler gave no il
terviewS whatever, and the man quote
as editor Of this paper has no editoris
connection with it. II the other printe
interviews we're equally spurious it bu
shows the methods employed TO mislea
Chicago MasonS
Although here ostcnibly 20 talk O
world peace, Mr.. Cochran improved u
opportunity 10 wag his proverbial silv'
tongue in favor Of parochial schools an
Roman Catholic educational methods, an
against the public schools and the Ame
ican system Of education. II has eve
! been suggested that this was the veile
purpose of his coming. The local r,
manist machine has found itself "sliI
, ping'' in its hold on the Chicago school
! and a spell-binder Of the Cochran bran
! il was argued, might serve TO check q
slide. The ChronieleT will not atteml
! TO analyIs his peace plan, but II IL is |
, full of blowholes as his school plan
: would never get within range Of the fr
. line Of trenches.
At the banquet of the De LaSal
: Alumni association Mr.. Cochran asserts
that 1.-THE Roman Catholic schools are q
real non-sectaTian schools Of the eountr!
that the state should allow parents
/, select educational institutions for the
, children, and should then pay the ins
tuition selected for the instruction given.
He denied the charge that the ROmi
!, Catholic church is opposed to the exte
: sion Of education and declared that {
church always has been and still is
! favor of spreading knowledge. Il
> church, Mr.. Cochran said, has been q
= cused of running seetarian schools in q
position 10 the best interests Of the sta