New-York tribune., 1918-08-07
"Typical Americans" in
Thick of Fight While
Germans Are in Safety
Old 69th Is Praised
''Victory Convention" Opened
by 1000 Delegates, Who
Plan Renewed War Work


tocracy OF Colonel Roosevelt's sons,
Quentin dead, after having brought
down some of the enemy; Archie, laid
up in Paris hospital with paralyzed
arm, and Teddy, jr., also in a hospital,
laid up with an injured knce-that's
democracy. And that's what has set
Paris wild about the American fight
ing forces"
Joseph Scott, a lawyer, of Los An
geIes, who arrived from France yes
terday. told this to / 900 officials of
the Knights of Columbus who met at
the Waldorf-Astoria last night at the
opening session of the orders "Vic
tory convention" Mr.. Scott was abroad
as agent of the Knights of Columbus
to report upon and stimulate interest
in its work in France.
Paris Lauds Americans
He declared that the Roosevelt boys
were regarded by Parisians as typical
of all the American soldiers. The doc
tors in the hospital told him that
Archie Roosevelt would not regain the
use of his arm within a year because
a piece of she'll that pierced it shat
tered the nervous system of the arm.
Paris is wild about the Americans
there is no doubt about that" said
Mr.. Scott. "1n one of the theatres a
character, as his part of the play, sings
IoJ L
has to sing it every night at least six
times.
"rhe ganest bunch Of chaps in the
whole war is found among the old
6sth, OF New York, now the 165th"
69th Losses Light
"The old 69th hasn't lost such ter
rible lot of men. although they have
been in some of the fercest of the
fighting. They have had great many
wounded and many killed, but, consid-
ering what they have been doing, they
count themselves lucky in not having
had more of their brave men shot to
death. Father Duffy told ME that he
wouldn't leave there to become cardi.
nal at Paris. He is tickled to death
to be with those boys and he follows
them into the very thickest of their
fights. 1t is generally believed among
the men that he will yet expose him
self to a German bullet, though they
are all praying that he may come out
with his life"
Bishop breaches Sermon
The convention was preceded by
mass at ST. Patrick's Cathedral, a,
which the sermon was preached BY
the Right Rev. William T. Rus
-,
delegates We're welcomed to the city by
MonsignOr Lavelle. vicar general of the
cathedral.
Bishop Russell dwelt upon the part
played by the Catholic Church in the
wars of Christianity, and declared that
the best traditions of the Church were
being gloritied by the works of the
Knights OF Columbus in the present
war.
"When our i'll provided army was on
the Mexican border" he said, "you
oraved with the recklessness of faith
the evl traditions of army life, ant
proclaimed that it was not necessary
lor soldier or an officer to be
!ibertine. BY providing our Catholic
soldiers with healthy, innocent recrea.
ton you proved not only that the sol
der could be pure. but that the pure
man made the best soldier Though
ridlcHlcd at nrst. your experiment car
lied conviction to the authorities.
ITO day it is an accepted axiom OF
the American army ana navy that the
American soldier must lead a pure life
While giving due credit to the hon.
oraEle secretaries of War and the Nav,
Tor their noble and successful efforts
we can say that the Knights of Colum.
BUS biazed the trail which we have
reason to hope will be followed here
after by all civilized nations"
Farley Sends Message
A message from Cardinal Farley
read to the convention, was a sigma
Tor enthusiastic applause. In his mes
sage the Cardinal said:
All New York supports our appea
Tor your war activities The clerg,
and the people of the various parishe:
IN particular arc most enthusiastic
Their generosity is a reflex of thcil
patriotism and the order is their rep
resentative in the field.
Il congratulate you and the delegate:
assembled with all my heart and pra,
Tor continued prosperity and blessing.
upon your noble cndeavors."
James A. Flaherty, of Philadelphia
supreme knight of the order, delivered
the chief address at the opening ses.
SION OF the convention at the Waldorf
Astoria. He described in detail the
war activities Of the knights in the
training camps here and overseas. The
order has collected 5000 529.6l 70,
war work. and there remains $3,56O,
600 IN outstanding pledges There arr
$50 buildings in the home camps ant
staff Of 463 secretaries I.
Abroad the same story is told" he
said William J. Mulhgan, chairman
OF the committee on war activities
and our supreme chaplain, p. J. Nc
tiyncy. returned from Il successful
tour in France, whore Walter n. Ker
nan, Knights Of Columbus Oversee.
Commissioner, inaugurated our worl
after certain difficulties had beer
evcrcomc. Mr.. Mulligan and Father
NcGvncy left France with forty-fvt
4. of G. nuts contracted for and ir
operation, with large number OF
ecre.aries assigned and at work, anc
yt,a n~Hf chaplalns engaged With on,
,oys ~ nc bascs and at the front
.ad nero Ie' me insert mention of the
iefai pride Nth which we have
I'd of me hcroism Of our chan.
fnf The Rev. Fathers De Vallcs
.Dgtncr and Farrell, Who have beer
fsaftionrd in dispatches for conspicu.
as sr~yery under fire, Fathers De
Ial.ts and Boucher receiving the
Froiz dc GGerrc.
VIII Follow Fighters
Wherever American fyhting men
70, there the KnIghts Of Columbus war
yelief work VIII follow them Are they
inte rncd On neutral territory, we ghall
ht. .s,ttt. :.eo N, fhe 4t,c,, 4