The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1916-11-11
ATTEMPT TO CENSOR
THE MASONIC PRESS
How Rome Seeks to Use Nigh PsO-
pie and Places as q Means
Of Supprssslng Criticism
and Discussion
WARS ON OUR CIVILIZATION
But Not Particularly Successful IN
This Attempt to Muzzle Papers
and Manipulate Persons

e We"hpeaoAO EOtsohs
|TnlNE Of the brightest and most
~ readable Of Masonic papers
I1-llI published in the United
- States is Lighi Of Louisville,
NY. In lis October number, Light
tells Interestingly Of how Rome
tried and failed 10 put the lid on the
Masonic press.
This effort 10 control Masonic
publications was a natural outcome
Of the wider scheme TO destroy such
outspoken opponents Of political
Romanism as THE MENACE, and TO
create a censorship by law that
could be used as a means Of keeping
all criticism Of popery out Of print.
The Masonic journals were al
most a unit in opposing this COM
prehensive scheme for the establish-
ment Of a censorship. Their editors
saw clearly, and at once, the true
nature and meaning Of the effort.
They also realized its antagonisn
to the principles Of their order as
well as TO the constitution Of tho
United States and to the spirit Of
Americanism.
Some Of them we're fearless
enough 10 connect the scheme with
its clerical authors and their foun-
tain Of inspiration. There was q
new Richmond in the field to defend
the free press which Rome had as
sailed. Something had 10 be done.
The lying agents Of popery could
not hope TO smear mud on the Ma
sonic press as they had on other
publications, so they resorted TO tao
tics suitable to the situation.
The Knights Of Columbus, created
to make America Catholic" in
turn created a committee to execute
its designs. To fool the public and
to promote its own hypocritical pre-
tentions, this was styled a "com-
mittee on religious prejudice" This
committee came into existence with
flourish, and endowed with fifty
thousand dollars.
Much advertising was obtained
in the usual way, and the public in
formed thereby that this COMMITTEES
would proceed to discover the source
Of the religious prejudice" so an
noying to papists, and would en-
ploy suitable means to allay the said
prejudice.
Ii so happened that the chair-
man Of this committee, one Col.
Callahan, was a resident Of Louis
vile, n.y., in which city the Masonic
Home Journal is published. Col.
Callahan invited the editors Of the
Journal to confer with him in re-
gard TO the best means Of allaying
| prejudice and living happy ever
after. The invitation was accepted;
and one Of these editors, Who is now
the editor of Light, says:
They (tbe Masonic editors) we're also
asked tby members Of this Callahan COM
mittee) II they could and would offer
helpful suggestions 20 the commission. as
that body HAD EXHAUSTED ALL
MEANS KNOWN TO IT TO sup
PRESS THE MENACE AND OTHER
OBJECTIONABLE" PAPERS, BUT
/ FOUND THAT THERE WAS no LAW
TO PREVENT SUCH PUBLICATIONS.
Here we see Callahan and his
Columbian committee, in all their
sanctified sweetness, plotting TO de-
stroy the paper they feared and
hated while posing as apostles Of
harmony and sllayers Of prejudice.
OF course these men would not en-
ter into such a foul conspiracy, and
told the noble knights Of popery that
the suggested method would prove
the worst possible way Of attempting
to remove prejudice. They were
opposed to the suppression Of speech
or Of any publication.
The Callahan crew saw al once
that they had gone too far. and had
made a bad break in irving to enlist
broad-minded and liberty-lovinx
citizens in their plan FOR KILL
ING PREJUDICE" By PER-
SECUTION. The foxy knights
agreed with their guests, and sug-
gested that all differences Of opinion
and questions Of fact be reduced to
writing as a basis Of scientific pro-
cedure.
| The editors Of the Masonic Hons
Journal explained that Freemason-