The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1918-07-13

take my text tonight from Acts 5:29. eve ought
to obey God, rather than man." What shall say toi
night is not to be construed public defense Of THE
MENACE. THE MENACE is quite capable of defending
itself. Neither am to be understood as making an
attack on the Roman Catholic church. but if that church
acts in an unfair unpatrotic manner shall speak
boldly and without fear Of that church. / raise my
voice tonight in defense of the Godgven bloodbought
right OF American citizenship. The question discuss
is OF much greater Importance than the sale Of paper
on the streets Of Detroit There may be present mem
bers of the Roman Catholic church. 1t is nothing to
me if shall offend such by what / shall say. It is
more to me that shall boldly defend the right Of free
press and free speech. Let me quote from recent
issue of the Michigan Catholic 1t contains an article
describing the meeting of the Detroit common council
at which the ordinance barring sale of The MENACE
on the streets Of Detroit was passed The headline de-
scribes The MENACE as the poecat of American jour-
nasm" 1t is to be noted that there were present at
said meeting "a large and enthusiastic audience OF
Catholic clergy and aity" The whole plot was hatched
and carried through by these two classes aided by the
common council The principle the Catholic church
stands for today is the has stood for all along
the way; viz. securing legislation by the use Of the
iron hand The Mchgan Catholic calls upon its readers
to remember Alderman link, the only member Of the
council who opposed the ordinance Il does not matter
what he may be as to character or ability. He had
refused to vote for something the Catholic clergy and
aity have put up to the council therefore, Catholics
remember him. Is the spirit of this inferred boycott
the spirit evinced by true Americans?
The reasons behind my address tonight are:
F1rst-The course adopted by the common council
was wholly unwise Congress asked in 1916 to
bar THE MENACE from the American mails and congress-
refused the ground that it would be unwse to do So
Did our city fathers know this when they rushed this
business through? Where the highest council Of our
land feared to tread the common council of Detroit
feared not to rush in.
Second-It was bad politics There are two funda
mental things in legislation that every wise man rec
ognzes. First there must never be brought about
under the Stars and Stripes any secaran legislation
This principle condemns the action Of the council az
very bad politics indeed Second, there must not be
introduced into our legislatures any question involving
the religious convictions of any sect or cult Such
questions never raised in congress the senate
object to this action because it was wholly unfair
the large section of the reading public and especially
to our Protestant citizens II we want to have this
street that alley paved we 60 to the council
They put it to the people concerned and nothing can
be done if majority is against the proposal Yet this
Every Protestant in Detroit worthy of the name II
be found solidy behind him in any fight for democratic
make plea for the specous Endorsement Of the pu
not line up in the interests Of our constitutional Rarr
Rome any other enemy should be ranked with the use
fords but who are too vacatng and cowardy to utter
in. This is fight for Principle, not fight for the es
the victim of an assault which runs counter to Amer
ognzed defender Of fundamental liberties from the
existence based the principle that journal sh
which be applied in the interest Of any church. VIZ
enemy as for our friend for THE PRINCIPLES VIII
canopy Of heaven must not be subverted We need =
political aims, though by doing the battle might be
make Roman aggression futile if maintained in the face
form Of government in her conspiracy to control this
ican principles are adhered towe can perform our nil
There is the difference and the dividing line that prov