The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1915-02-13
"DRAGGING RELIGION INTO POLITICS"
analysis OF Sir Knight Caans Printed PeaChmen on Religious Preu
Dice and the Malicious and ScurHOus" Campaign Against
PopeD In the United States

sirablc status of the church.
She would bring forth more album
dant fruits II, in addition To lib
erty. she enjoyed the favor Of ih,
laws and the patronage Of th,
public authority
! IL Is the favor Of the laws and
the patronage Of public authority
that Rome seeks by political
means in this country: aud il i,
TO prevent that power and author.
| ity falling into the hands of a
foreign monarch that patriotic
Americans oppose Rome by cir.
culating The Menace and by
careful discrimination ON election
day.
The final right ia hold office in
this country is not inherent in the
individual. but is wholly in the
control Of the voting majority.
Whom the people would have in
office, they elect candidates whom
they would not have in office
they reject. That is all there is
to IL; and il they choose TO reject
a papiSt they do 80 with the same
right that they would defeat a
Republican or Democrat candi.
date Tor the same position.
II Is not a question of profess
ing or ronouncing religion-it
is a question of protesting accept
able politics and renouncing the
monarchlstic teachings and prac-
tices of kome.
Loyalty in War and Peace
These patriots" expect the Cath.
Ollie 10 be- loyal 10 the hau: and he is
The loyalty of Catholics has nccu prnypp
on every American battlefield Cath.
Ollie blood was she'd for country no Ion.
ger ago than the occupation of Vera
Iruz, in the persons Of Lane. Happrrty.
DE Fahhio, De Lowry. These .'pa
triots' forget, too, the splendid sery.
ices Of Barry and hundreds Of Others in
behalf Of their counirv-and VET tbev
would have their country prescribe every
man of the same faith. II is mon.
Strous doctrine, As un-Amcrican a. il is
undemocratic.
Yes. we expect every citizen,
both Catholic and non Catholic.
to be loyal to the flag. And we
expect his loyalty TO be active i'm
time of peace as well as in time
of war. The man who lives for
ms country is usually able to do
more for its welfare than the man
who dies for it. The man whose
life, labor, and influence is to the
detriment of his country can not
be regarded as a perfect citizen
even if he dies defending the
flag on the field of battle.
The four Roman Catholic sol.
dierS and the thirteen non-Cath-
olic soldiers who fell at the occu-
patton of Vera Cruz certainly did
their whole duty as soldiers. We
hope that in civil life they were
equally worthy of praise: but
the death Of these BOYS is no
guarantee for the right living.
right thinking. right acting. and
right voting of the millions vet
living under the flag.
Peace is the normal condition
Of the American citizen. II is
seldom that a majority of the ma |,
ion 5 manhood is called to war;
md when they are it is because
someone has done wrong i'm time
VI peace. Nothing makes so much !
or peace as a wise adminiStra-
ION OF public affairs; and moth
ng makes SO much for war as I
nonarchism, popcry. and one {
nan rule an IFS various forms.
'lore significant by far than the ,
ieath of these four young sol
llerS at Vera Cruz is the clamor r
# Rome for further Intervention
n Mexico which would mean the
oSS of more life.
All honor to whom honor is due.
honor to brave soldiers
nd civic honors TO good citizens
'ut the political wisdom and civic
righteousness of several million
ubjects of the pope is not estab-
Ished by the death of four SOL
ierS.
Religion and Conscience
A man : religion should be a matter
etween himself and his conscience. I'll
lould not he dragged into public life.
D saying this, J want to be perfectly
'ndid, and admit that there is inst
suse for criticism Of certain Catholics.
tCOntiuued on paee . column el ~