Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-10-14
CO-OPERATION!.
NO BAR TO AID.
FOR SOLDIERS.
Knights of Columbus Deny
They Seek Any Monopoly
in the Army Training
Camps.
Buildings Erected and Main
tanned by the Organization
Officially Declared Open
to Every Soldier.

Washington, Oct. lathe work of
representatives of the Catholic people
of this country have been chosen to
conduct a social, recreational and re-
ligious work among the United States
soldiers and sailors, on the same status
as that of the Y. NJ. c. A, representing
the non Catholic churches, Is being
misrepresented in many quarters by
those who claim that the organization
is not the representative of a religious
body, but that it stands purely as a
fraternal society. The claim has been
made that if this organization is per-
mitted to erect buildings on govern
ment reservations, the same privilege
should be extended to other fraternal
bodies.
The Knights of Columbus. through
its committee on war activities which
has headquarters In Washington, as
sert that they are not acting in the ca
pacity of a fraternal society, but are
merely the representatives of the
Catholic church. They have been
chosen to do the executive work of
providing recreation centers for sol
diers by reason of the fact that they
had some experience along this line
on the Mexican border and that they
We're already organized in a way which
would greatly facilitate the carrying
out of the plans proposed with the least
possible delay
OPEN TO ALL.
The buildings erected by the knights
of Columbus and presided over by
secretaries appointed by them, must
be open to every soldier in the army.
according to the regulations which
have been adopted for the government
of these buildings by the knights of
Columbus committee. No man in uni-
form is to be questioned as to his re-
igious belief, or lodge affiliation and
no associations are to be formed or
meetings held in the Knights of Column
bus buildings from which any man in
camp is to be excluded.
Religious services, in charge of n
Catholic chaplain supported by the
knights of Columbus, will be held at
stated times, just a non Catholic re-
igious services are held at regular
intervals in the Y. NJ. c. A. buildings.
Dramatic and debating societies, glee
clubs, orchestras and amateur vaude-
willie programs are among the things
planned through which the men In
camp may entertain themselves
The knights of Columbus and the
y. M. c. A. have co-operated in many
things connected with the welfare of
the soldiers, and that the Knights of
Columbus is willing to extend this CO.
operation to any body, permitted by
the government to do a similar work,
Is shown by a statement which has
been issued by Col. P. H. Callahan,
chairman of the knights of Columbus
committee on War Activities. In this
connection Col. Callahan says: "Ow-
Ing to the persistent rumor that the
knights of Columbus is opposed to
the admission into the army camps and
cantonments of other fraternal So
cieties and bodies, l desire to deny
most emphatically that the Knights Of
Columbus has offered any objection.
On the contrary, we will welcome
them and offer every courtesy and
facility, with the permission of the
government, to any body or persons,
promoting the SOCIAL moral and spir-
itual welfare of the soldiers"