Evening star., 1916-08-09
WELCOMES GUESTS
TO NATIONS CITY
Commissioner Newman Greets
Catholic Total Abstinence
Union Delegates.
ADDRESS IN RESPONSE
BY REV. P. J. O'CALLAGHAN
Convention in Business Session at
Mcmahon Hall-Pubic Meeting
Scheduled for Tonight.

Extending "a welcome as warm as
the weather" Commissioner Newman at
noon today greeted the fortyssixth con-
vention of the Catholic Total Absti-
nence Union at Mcmahon Hall at the
Catholic University. Business sessions
are being held this afternoon.
Commissioner Newman said he felt a
little presumptuous in welcoming
people to Washington. as it is a ma
tional city and belongs to all, and all
should feel welcome as a matter of
right.
The Commissioner declared that in
welcoming conventions to Washington
he speaks for the people of the District
only as a matter of grace, he having
| been appointed by the President
Il have found, however. that the peo-
pie OF the District of Columbia do well
come such conventions as this"
Very Rev. P. J. OCallaghan, presi-
dent of the union. in his response, said
that the union hopes to make religion
synonymous with sobriety.
Applause for Presiding Officer.
When william H. De Lacy, former
Judge Of the Juvenile Court. who is in
n,
| introduced President O'Callaghan to
| take charge of the meeting the con-
vention accorded him such applause
| that his reelection as president of the
union for the seventh time would seem
assured. according to delegates
| One of the meetings this afternoon is
that of the Priests Total Abstinence
Union, composed of Catholic clergymen
| who themselves set the example for
their people by abstaining from liquor
| in any form.
| A public meeting will be held tonight
at 8:15 o'clock at the New National
Theater at which Secretary Daniels
will make the principal address. Fol-
| lowing business session tomorrow the
convention will close Friday.
Mass at st. Patrick's Church.
The convention was formally opened at
10 o'clock this morning with pontifical
mass at ST. Pafrick's Church The mass
was celebrated by Rt. Rev. D. j. O'Con-
NELL Bishop Of Richmond. in the presence
Of Most Rev. John Bonzano, apostolic
| delegates, and hundreds of delegates to
the S convention who crowded the church
The country is suffering from ineffi-
cheney induced by intoxicants," declared
| Most Rev. James j. Keane, Archbishop
of Dubuque, who preached the sermon.
| I'VE nave altogetner TOO much crime.
poverty, misery and sin as the conse-
quence of liquor" said the speaker. Pic
turing the many evils of drink in all their
phases he said that drink is the great
sorrow of all centers of the country.
THE per capita consumption of alco-
holie liquors steadily increases not
| withstanding all our efforts said
| Archbishop Keane. But we know that
| if every man in America would become
! a. total abstainer the most serious So
| cial problem would be no more. Then
the most threatening menace to our
posterity would be almost negligible
| This is not rhethoric, it is cold truth"
| The speaker laid stress on the change
| of the will in the individual man as the
solution of the liquor problem
| A special musical program, under the
direction of r. Mills Silby, was a fea-
| ture of the service.
Hundreds at Reception.
More than 900 delegates were received
at the informal reception held at the
Raleigh Hotel last night, following the
meeting of the executive board of the
union. The following officers of the