The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-04-28
New Catholic chap|ains
Appointed for Army
Twenty-Five Priests Will Be Made
chaplains in the United States Army
The Most Important Bill Effecting
Catholic Church Passed in Years.

Perhaps the most important piece
of legislation effecting the Catholic
Church in this country was effected
when the regular army appropriation
bill passed Congress April 18th, 1917.
To understand the Importance of
this legislation, it is necessary to go
back to the national defense act passed
during the last session Of Congress, in
creasing both arms of the service.
In the clause relative to the army
chaplains, a proviso was added on the
floor of the Senate by Senator Paul
Hastings of Wisconsin, stating that in
chaplain appointments preference and
priority shall be given to applicant
veterans, if otherwise duly qualified
and who shall not have passed the age
of forty-one years at the time of ap-
plication, who have rendered honor
able war service in the army of the
United States or who have been hon
orably discharged from any such
army" 49,. .
The senator had no intention at the
time of eliminating the Catholic chap
lain from the army, his only intention
being to appoint those who had served.
Contrary to the opinion of Secretary
of War Baker and the adjutant gen.
eral, the judge advocate general inter-
preted this clause strictly, and main
tanned that veterans must be given
preference over all non-veterans of
every denomination. Unfortunately it
was impossible to find Catholic priests
| who were technically veterans-and
/ the above clause threatened the COM
plete removal of Catholic priests from
the regular army.
With the approval of Secretary
represents the Catholic Hierarchy in
chaplain appointments, began work
looking to the repeal of this clause,
laying the facts of the case before the
members of the military committee of
both the House and Senate, and in
this work he was greatly assisted by
Hon. Michael Farley, a member of the
House Military committee.
! Through the unanimous consent of
the members of the military committee
of both the House and Senate, the re-
peal of the Objectionable clause was
printed in the regular army bill. Its
position was rather precarious, be-
cause being new matter it was subject
to a point of order, and could have
been thrown out of the army appro-
priation bill, by objection on the part
of any member of either House; how
ever, the bill with the repeating clause
passed the House twice, and finally
the Senate, becoming a law April II,
1917.
This is of special Importance right
now, owing to the fact that the army
is to be greatly increased immedi-
ately.
1t is estimated that at least sixty.
five new chaplains will soon be com.
missioned, the war department being
now free to follow it's policy adopted
in 1916--by distributing the chaplain
cies according to the strength of the
denominations, and it will be in a po-
sition to offer the Catholic Church ap-
proximately twenty-five chaplains at
once.
/ Owing to the fact that veterans of
every stripe have applied for the army
chaplaincies, should the veteran clause
not have been repealed, it is doubtful
if the Catholic Church would have re-
ceived any Of these new appointments.
! In connection with this matter it
might be remarked that When condi-
tons arise which work harm to Cath.
Ollie interests, it would be wise to set
to work Immediately to remedy the
evil.
i Father OHern presented his report
to the Hierarchy at their annual meet
ing at the Catholic University. and
they have taken up the selection of
Jealous and patriotic priests, who may
be acceptable to the National Govern
ment as chaplains for Catholic soldiers
and sailors.
i The requirements for an army chap.
lain are that he be an American ctti.