The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1917-12-15

when he let the religious" element
enter into the army by the recogni-
ton OF Knights Of Columbus and
\. M. G. A., alone, as the construc-
tive factors in camp-recreation work.
But he has seen his error and re-
versed that decision. He, too, called
a congress Of the fraternal ordera
and received their cooperation.
There is no more prevention on his
part.
The Last Embers Of Propaganda
The War Department however has
admitted sectarianism into the army
because the priests insisted that the
Catholic church as q separate entity
must have recognition. II could and
would not cooperate with the nom
denominational Y. M. G. A. which il
denounced as Protestant. Therefore
IN all our camps we find the knights
OF Columbus holding their particular
religious services and spreading pro-
paganda despite the war department.
Military masses are "put across"
wherever possible and / understand
that 1t depends now upon the COM
mandant in charge Of a camp wheth-
er he will allow other fraternal or.
ders on the grounds. II he is a Ro-
manist 1t is probable that he will re-
fuse.
Why did not the Knights of Co
lumbus drop their sectarianism and
cooperate with the rest of the coun-
try on non-sectarian lines? There
are many American officers In the
army that abhor this sectarian ia
voritism, but they can do nothing
save silently protest
An Illustration
Here is an illustration Of how the
priests work through the X. C. The
name Of the officer will naturally not
be revealed. To do SO might cause
him the usual trouble.
This officer, formerly in the army
OF a foreign country but straight
American now for the past fifteen
years or more, became Catholic
tohiIe IN Spain and on coming to
America was induced to Join the
knights of Columbus and work with
and for them. He states that his
army post was turned over to him
by his council and that his team, as
a result, had many more candidates
than the other. He thought it was
all good Americanism. When he
took the third degree however there
came a point where his conception Of
American freedom and Independence
baked at a certain ceremonial act.
This was to kiss the hem of the
actor representing the archbishop
lin alteration" as he was told. He
couldn't do 1t, He refused and three
priests could not persuade him other
wise.
Here was man converted to the
Roman faith who could not take this
, step in the third degree of the
knights of Columbus because he re-
! membered that man cannot serve
God and nammon. He had not had
instilled into him, from birth, the
principle that the priest is a repre-
J sentative Of God and that as such he
] is to obey him even when such obedi-
| ence conflicts with the duties Of cit
izenship in a democratic state. Three
I hundred and fifty thousand Knights
5 of Columbus in the United States is
. eloquent testimony to the fact, how
!. ever, that not all Romanists are like
4 him for they have not turned their
s back on the system.-Editorl
\ This little incident illustrates the
difference between the two great
: forces" of Autocracy and Democracy,
r Of Authority and Individuahsrn. Of
9 Destruction and Construction.
On the other hand is claimed the
right Of one man OF set Of men "a
/. dictate to the rest Of mankind what
they shall think and do. On tho
other is the recognition Of but one
Supreme Power In the universe "a
whom men may pray as they see I'll
J and worship as their consciences die
tate without the Intervention Of any
: go-between.
AS In the Masonic ritual; there q
a legend dramatically acted out BY
the Knights of Columbus wherein d
y certain person is killed. Among the
8 Masons the manner in which law ant
{ justice is enforced accords with thu
L spirit of Americanism,
]. But when this ex-K. c. was led be-
s fore the archbishop" to kiss his gar
e ment and be forgiven by HIM fol
the crime, he balked. 1t wasn't thu
l. spirit of Americanism as he saw i
II for any priest to stand in the placI
IS Of God and the laws Of the country
h A small and technical point SOM
le may say, but demonstrating thl
ie spirit Of the work"
l. One wonders whether thos'
N Knights of Columbus who killed vii
lr liam Black in Texas and we're ae
Quilted by the law, were reproved O
,r honored by their archbishop.