New Britain herald., 1918-08-08

war fund has resulted in $S,O09, ,529.61 being collected, while $3,560,OOO is outstanding. Tn all, a total of $11,- 569, 529.61 to date. Need I interpret for you the significance of this splen- did total? You all know that these millions are. as it has been expressed, the golden opinions'' of the Ameri- can people concerning the work we are doing for our fighting men, and you all feel as I feel, that this phe- nomenal result, carrying in it's train the heaven-sent blessing of concord, good-fellowship and mutual devotion of Catholic and non-Catholic through out this broad land of ours, is an augury of the enthusiastic response that awaits our next appeal
 At home we have no fewer than 16O buildings in the great canton ments, encampments and naval camps, the number in each camp ranging from one to five.
 "A staff of secretaries is attached to each building, 463 secretaries in all, and Right Rev. Monsignor Patrick J. Hayes, bishop ordinary of the Ameri- can military and naval forces, has supervision over the scores of chap lalns serving in our buildings.
 Abroad the same story is told Brother William J. Mulligan. chair man of~the committee on war activities and our supree chaplain, Rev. P. J. McGlvney returned from a successful tour in France, where Brother Walter N. kernan, appointed Knights of Co., lumbus overseas commissioner late last year, had inaugurated our work after certain difficulties had been over come. Brother Mu1ligan and Father McGivney left France with 45 K. of C. huts contracted for and in operation, with a large number of secretaries as- signed and at work, and with many chaplains engaged with our boys at the bases and at the front.
 "A most necessary and highly ap- preciated item in the program of our work Is the construction, equipment and maintenance of service clubs in the large metropolitan centers. where the men and their relatives can re- ceive accomm odation and enjoy con- Veniences without which, in their movements to and from and their stay in these large cities, thev would be much handicapped.
 In England our work is well un- der way, K. of c. club having been
 
 minence Cardinal Bourne having laid the cornerstone of K. of c. building. In Italy our work will soon be under way, for our supreme physician, Dr. E.. w. Buckley and, Supreme Director James J. McGraw, who went abroad with Brother Lawrence o, Murray, acting overseas commissioner. in ac- cordance with the plan whereby one or more members of the supreme board will always be abroad to super wise and aid in the work, will carry out a survey in Italy and their recom- mendations will be promptly acted upon.
 I can think of only one word to describe the progress of the OrganiZa- tion of this magnificent work of ours. It is astounding. With every leap ahead our personnel has had to be enlarged, our plans revised and our machinery extended and adapted to rapidly growing needs. It is one of the facts in which we may justly re- joice that among ourselves we have found the copious talent to meet the emergency.
 "While our every effort is being con- centrated on the war, while our total resources are pledged in the great cause of victory for democracy, we would indeed be blind if we did not see that, just as the war has provided @ great opportunity for us to render a vitally important patriotic service, so, when peace returns-and God grant that peace may soon come to us on the wings of victOry-our part will be even more urgent, our duty even more clear if this were possible. We must be pre- pared for peace, we must be ready to throw our energy into the great anu glorious work of upbuilding.
 Supreme Secretary William J. Me