Norwich bulletin., 1916-08-12
ECHOES FROM TIE LODGE ROOMS
Veterans Association O. O. F. Hold Annual Outing Savin Rock-Moose Programme for Bake Announced Shetucket Lodge Worked First Dearee on Class

A more subtle influence is abroad in th9 land in the character of an organ 1Zed campaign to diScredit the Oath olic church and to brand Americans of that religious belief as unworthy of the confidence of their fellow citi- zens. Men, even women, have been going through this country on lecture platforms and through public print with a campaign of Viidcation of the manhood and womanhood of the Cath lie church which would resurrect even the dead to righteous Indignation. We Catholic men are just like the rest of you with a limit of human patience. For centuries rt@ h" Ve been taught to respect our mothers, our wives, cur sisters auu 0,.1 ua lgHIeTs, and if, therefore the mails are filled with lit erature unfit to be read by decent people it is hardly to be wondered at if in certain places innpulsive men have resented insults to their women in a manner not warranted by law.
 T am surprised to note that a great deal of this scandal mongery comes from the south, the land of chivalry and gallantry hardly excelIed in his tory"
 Returning to his subject of citizen ship MT. Scott said:
 My observation has led me to be- lIeVe that there is some anxiety even among some otherwise welI-informed people as to the political power of the OpSs VI u111dL1ly lIldI WOulu De dll extensive subject to consider in one night. Contemporary history has how ever afforded an illustration that should remove the last lingering sus- picion of doubt from such anxious citizens.
 We Catholic Americans owe no po- litical allegiance to the Pope. He has no civil powers whatever over our ac- tivities, am saying this deliberately, and without equiVocatfon or reserva- ton, ands am asking you to accept it with the sincerity with which it is eX- pressed.
 So long as religious liberty is prac- ticed under the spirit of the constitu- tlon the Catholic would be the veriest ingrate who would not give his whole hearted allegiance to this country If we only look abroad therefore for the illustration to which I refer we will see Catholics of every country dying by the thousands for the flag of their nation. In some instances that flag typifieS a country which has in the past promulgated and enforced dis eliminating laws against the Catholic church and deprived Catholics of their just rights, and positively prescribed their freedom and happiness, but it is the flag of their country and the Catholics patriotism is a living virtue and he fell impelled to respond to the call of patriotism and the bounden duty of his conscience.
 T think I voice the sentiments of the membership of the Knights of Co., lumbus and of every intelligent Cath olic in this cOutnry when I say that we deeply appreciate the spirit of toI- erance and good feeling which for the most part exists among our non-CaJh- olic brethren throughout the length and breadth of the land. Bishop Mora. the early Spanish Bishob of Los An geles, always alluded to his non- Catholic fellow citizens as his sep arate brethren,' a most charming ref erence, which never failed to strike a responsive chord.
 We are furthermore not unnlindfuI Of the fact that elsewhere in foreign countries the religious line has been drawn sharp and hard, and very often it is the dead line of strife and bit terness. If any of my Catholic friends are doubting the accuracy of my Opin- ion in this matter, particularly if he comes from Europe or any other nart Of the civilized world, let him go hack there and compare the attitude of the non Catholic of that country with the spirit which pervades the non-Cath- olic of the United States, and he will recognize the value of the conclusion at which l have arrived.'