The Catholic bulletin., 1918-12-07
FELINES AND SCIENTISTS.

The great campaign for funds
for the seven welfare agencies has
been a success. The committee in
charge asked for minimum of
$170,500,000. The response has
been considerably over two hum
dred million dollars. The whole
drive was in the nature Of an eX-
pertinent. 1t was a test as to
whether the American people were
so united that they could consci-
entiously contribute to a fund to
be distributed among agencies of
varied faiths: Catholic, Prot
estant, Jewish. The good sense of
the American people trimphed in
this as IN so many other things.
The country had acquired the
habit Of "going over the top" in
every drive, just as the boys at
the front went over time and
again. The folks back home could
not afford to allow the boys to
outdo them, so they just brushed
all prejudice aside, delved deep
into the wallets, and-Went over
the top. 1t is all a beautiful
tribute to the real spirit Of real
1t was to be expected that here
and there a dissonance would mar
the harmonious flow Of the ma
tional symphony. Reports came in
that some people refused to con-
tribute lest a dying Catholic sol
dier might have the benefit Of a
little solace ere he gave up his
spirit for the good of the nation.
Sciolists are to be met with every
where, and they were in evidence
on this occasion. Besides, several
magazines tried to curry favor
with their readers by opposing
both the drive and the spirit of
the President who sanctioned it..
The Christian Science Monitor and
a certain Masonic journal were
quite wrought up over the idea OF
American money helping Catholic
soldiers. Did they have it in their
power, Mangin and Castlenau, and
other great leaders: Admiral Ben
son, the leader of our fleet, nay,
even the superb Foch himself,
would welter in his blood on the
field Of battle before he would
taste Of the comforts to be fur
nished by the seven agencies.
Why? Well, because these and a
host Of others Of high and low
degree are all practical Catholics.
A certain so-called magazine
that caters exclusively to the NOR
bid and the prurient takes its name
from the feline species. It also
emitted a long drawn meooooW.
In it's November issue it solemnly
informed it's readers that, -Four
allied activities, all endorsed by
the Government, are combined In
the United War Work Campaign, !"
etc. Was the National Catholic
Council mentioned? You guessed
correctly. The advertisement then
gravely adds that this notice was
contributed through the division
Of advertising of the United
States Government, Commission
on Public Information.
Cardinal O'Connell some time
ago remarked, anent similar oc-
currence, that the Catholics OF
this country are getting tired to
death Of this continuous insult and
affront. Perhaps we may forgive
the offenders in this case, since
the country as a whole ignored
and overrode the prejudice and
venom that was, after all, merely
sporadic. The nation responded
heartily, despite the odds and
ends Of human eccentrics that
here and there cluttered up the
channels. On the whole, the few
bigots were swamped Under the
avalanche Of dollars and the del
uge of good, American generosity
that swept aside all the little bar
riers Of idiocy and of provincial
ism.