Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1918-11-05
SOUTH PARIS MAINE TUESDAY, NOVEMBER s. 1918.
Catholics In the War Work.
fBy James Cardinal Gibbons.)


| America, through her soldiers 10
France, has voiced the spislt that leads
to victory. They are our sons and
brothers; flesh of our flesh, and the
spirit that inspires them inspires us also.
We have sent them across the ses to
lfght-but We have In heart and In soul
gone with them. We are determined
thatlthey should know that the people
at homo are fighting with them, stand.
ing with them, shoulder to shoulder.
America In this war has done what no
other nation ever did. She has carried the
presence, the atmosphere Of homo into
the camps across the seas, that every.
where the soldier may realize there are
fatherly hands to help him, motherly
hands to console him, friendly hands to
entertain him.
Into this splendid work of sustaining
the morale of our fig hting men, of max.
ing them realize that we, their loved
ones, are ever with them, the great
social organizations of America have
thrown themselves generously. They
are again about to appeal to the Ameri-
can people for the financial support
necessary to carry on this work. That
work is of single character, as express
ed by the Secretary of War, the recrea-
tioual work for the men of our Army
and Navy. All these seven organ'za-
tions now stand upon one platform
that of providing recreation, entertain
ment and home comfort for our troops.
From that common platform, all, to-
gether with one voice, will make
single appeal to the American people.
These seven ,organizstions-the Ma.
tional Catholic War Council, which in
cludes the Knights OF Columbus and
other war activities; the Young Mems
Christian Association, the Young Wo-
mems Christian Association, the Jewish
Welfare Board, the Salvation Army, the
American Library Association, the War
Camp Community Service-have agreed
by direction of the government upon
definite budgets and all are working
under general national committee, up
on which all are represented for united
war work campaign to raise the sum OF
s170, 500, 900.
Enormous as the sum may be the
American people will raise it-generous.
ly and gladly. When one considers an
army of over 100000; q navy that
musters over 500, 900 men in it's service;
the number and size of our camps; the
buildings to be erected; the secretaries
to be maintained; the equipment to be
furnished; the visitors houses to be
built; the community service to be ex-
Tended into every city and town OF the
country, the protective work most nee.
essary and vital Tor all our people,
which this war has given to US as our
share to maintain, one will see that the
sum is none too great for this enormous
task. We cannot shirk 1t. We cannot
shift 1t. To attempt to do so would be
to prove false to the men who are giving
their bodies and their lives for our ma
tional safety.
1t is an American campaign. Its ap-
peal is one that no American may refuse,
and Americas answer will be another
triumphant announcement that We are
in this war as one people and as one ma
tion to zee 1t through to victory.
The National Catholic War Council is
one of the seven organizations that have
united under the government for the
raising of this fund. This means that
the entire Catholic church of this
country is to summon to the service OF
our country all her resources; to voice
again In corporate expression the unex-
celled patriotism that has ever die.
tinguished her. Hundreds Of thousands
of her children are In the ranks of our
army and navy.
The Knights of Columbus have built
halls of recreation, furnished secretaries;
supplied equipment for entertainments
of all kinds in our camps at home. They
have sent their secretaries by hundreds
across the seas and there they labor at
points of debarkation and right up to
the firing line, assisting, comforting,
gladdening the hearts of our soldiers.
We have carried the work of the Ma
tlonal Catholic War Council through the
country. Every Catholic society has
offered its members for personal ser.
vice and opened Its club buildings to our
soldiers and sailors. We have created
visitors houses within the camps for the
comfort of mother and sister and all the
women who visit their beloved ones.
We have erected community service
climbs. We have carried our protective
work for young women, both in camps,
in the large cities aud industrial centers.
The entire Catholic body of the
country is organized to crown this CAM
paign with victory. Every diocese has or
ganized its own resources, will work
with the state committees of the United
War Work Campaign and give the ut
most service.