Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-11-28
SAYS AMERICA IS
POOLING KAISER
Father L. III. Durkin of kewanee Tells
Villa Audience H0henzoilern
Is Surprised.
BELIEVED HE HAD UPH0LDERs
Declares Prussian Ruler Had Idea he
Could Ignite Flame OF Inter-
nal War Here.

In concise, terse terms, Father P.
H. Durkin, Kewanee, addressed the
young women of Villa de Chantal yes
terday afternoon in scheduled meet
ing to discuss the mission OF the Y. NJ.
c. A. work that is being undertaken
for the soldiers abroad, and more espe-
cially at the cantonments at home.
The proceeds of the lecture and
musicale preceding given yesterday at
Villa de Chantal VIII be directed to.
the knights of Columbus fund, and
will comprise nice sum. each girl
at the academy paying admission as
her contribution and d number Of
friends of the academy being present
to help swell the aggregate sum.
Explaining the conditions up to date
in the war of worlds, and the. anteced-
emit facts, Father Durkin said among
other trenchant remarks: 1.-THE kaiser
appears to have thought little OF the
hostility of the United States and
which could have possibilities OF be-
coming a powerful enemy. Evidently,
he believed petty gossip and hearsay
and thought US a bunch Of crooks.
hwilly niily, without ideals or solidarity
of principle, a people corrupted easily
by this or that element in power, and
in this Wilhelm thought to take adj
vantage Of his preconceived notions in
case of trouble by pitting its people
one against the other, perhaps precipi-
tating an internal war as in the days
| of 81. AS the autocrat of the ages he
! al 70 IN, Am -i nd
when he gave us notice to get Off the
seas, the common path OF men of all
chimes, with the exception of the short
reign of the famous Captain Kidd, he
anticipated nothing but compliance. As
a gentle reminder OF his power, he
/ had sunk the Lusitania. Still he
dreamed on OF a fealty which was to
be abruptly halted and squared about.
right face, by His Excellency, Wood
row Wilson, president of these United
T States.
who were the people the kaiser
sought as uphoiders Of his arrogant
| opinions in America as against its
foundational democracy" queried the
/ Rev. Father in his remarks further on.
Surely, not the German-American
| citizen who had fled to the United
| States to escape Prussian militarism
and to a country where he was given
/ freedom to wax fat in the effort OF
/ special endeavor? Surely, not the
| IrishAmerican who had severed Eng
lands tolls and tyranny? Yet, so mis-
taken was the kaiser in his estimate OF
the qualities Of the people here, and
I relying upon an un-American element
not by any means proved foreign, he
could see not a deliberate foe possible
in the greatest country of the globe
The kaiser heralded himself as mis-.
/ sioner from God, TO make the whole
world joyful by dignity of vassalage
to Germany. delegated by High Power
to send shiploads of women and chill
I dren unWarned TO watery graves il
his self-constituted ambassadorshiT
Of peace-the peace of bow-leggeG
bulldog, the only dog to enjoy tn.
bone. the others lucky to be left lick
ing their Sores"
Reads the Oath.
Father Durkin intercepted his tall
TO read the oath Of allegiance taken b,
an alien upon becoming a citizen ant
dramatically referred to it as being al
binding as ones religion. He ex
pressed contempt and pity for the1nis
guided persons who had followed tn
, Menace and the YelIowjacket for thei
information and cited that it was III
l longer considered good form" to b
. caught reading those publications. H
scored bitterly the men Of pretende'
intellect who had word or though
contrary to the aims of the govern
ment Of this country.
Getting down to the needs Of tn
campaign for funds to enable Y. NJ.
A. work as outlined by the high tas
of the Knights of Columbus, Fathe
Durkin drew attention to the govern
ment statistics lately compiled where
in it is shown that 16 per cent of tn
Catholic population of the Unite
States has presented for service as de
: tenders of the country 40 per cent C
|. the soldiers and sailors now employee
in war
1t is for the men and boy
:, Of faith, and for any others and a
others, that the work of Y. NJ. C. 4
+ becomes necessity. Temptation,
born of utter relaxation after tn
: