The Washington times., 1918-09-16
CATHOLICS DISCUSS
RED CROSS WORK

Approximately 400 delegates from
all parts of the country attended the
opening convention Of the Catholic
Charities yesterday at the Catholic
University. The opening service took
place at the Dominican Church.
Brookland.
The Rt. Rev. Thomas ]. Walsh.
bishop of Trenton. spoke, taking as
his text Thou Shalt Love Thy Neigh
Dor As Thyself." Bishop Walsh en-
phasized the fact that Christ was the
greatest social worker the worla has
ever seen.
Bishop Shahan, president OF the
conference, made an address q well
come at 1880 o'clock in McMahon
Hall, Catholic University. lie spoke
Of the wonderful work done by the
home service section OF the Red
Cross, and encouraged the represen-
tatives of Catholic centers 10 CO.
operate with them. The splendid or
gani=ation of the Red Cross. ne said
should be continued after the war as
the best means OF solving health and
relief problems of the future.
The women's section of the confer
ence met at 2:30 to discuss the prob
lens of housing war workers. Ac-
cording to Miss Margaret Boyian, of
Bridgeport, Conn, nearly 1000 homes
were built in that city during the
last year.
"Our Government has come 20 the
conclusion" declared Miss Boylan.
that men and women can't live
amidst unsanitary surroundings and
in overcrowded rooms over here and
turn out munitions and ships for the
boys over there"
Red Cross Discussed.
DIR. John J. Burke, of New York,
fold of the work of the Catholic war
council at a general session CT the
conference held at o'clock.
Speakers at the evening session at
8 o'clock were Franklin X Lane,
Secretary of the Interior; Bishop Sha-
han, and the Rev. p. J. Beach, of
Toronto. Canada.
The principal topics discussed at
the morning session today were The
Relation of the American Red Cross
to Private Relief Organizations" and
"The War Pressur,. nd the Relaxing
Of Labor Standards
In a paper oil THE American Ma
tional Red Cross and Private Relief
Agencies" David +. Tracy, OF the
Harrisburg Chapter of the American
Red Cross. urged all Catholic charity
organizations to appoint war COM
mittees, whose duty would be 10 keep
a record OF all Catholic families hav-
ing a father or son in the amy or
navy. These families should be Wis
tied regularly to learn II the assist
ance given through the Red Cross is
having the desired effect, and IL not
-
authorities.
THAT the Iaborer who makes a rife
has no more right to strike than the
soldier who fires st." is the contention
OF Josephine ]. .Bachenbrenner, OF the
national child labor committee. in a
paper on war Pressure and the Re
Taxing OF Labor Standards"
Lane Is Speaker.
Speaking at the opening OF the
conference yesterday. Secretary Lane
said:
at is the business Of the United
States Government TO put the man
who comes home from war to work.
The man who is not willing to work
has no place upon this earth. Men
grow not so much by obeyinG orders
as by having responsibility thrust
upon them"
Bishop Shahan reiterated the state
ment OF Secretary Lane that the en-
trance of the United States into the
war before it was necessary was a
"chivalric act" NThe Rev. r. J. Bench,
OF Toronto, spoke on Canadian Ex-
periences in War Charities" declar-
ing that those who stay at home
should make our democracy a pure
and clean one with equality for
women
The housing situation was discussed
at the meeting OF the commit
tee on woman's activities yes
terday noon. Mrs. Elizabeth Ma
loney. State supervisor OF mothers
aid. Of Boston. said the Government
should solve the housing problem Of
the war workers here, and not the
Landlord.