Evening star., 1918-01-29
CATHOLICS PROTEST
CLOSING CHURCHES
Holy Name Society Takes
Action to Combat Ruling of
Fuel Administrator.

Curtailment Of church activities, Catho-
lie or Protestant. in critical times cannot
but have a baneful moral effect on the
community.
This sentiment was embodied IN a reso-
luton Of protest against the order OF the
fuel administration closing the churches
adopted last night by the Holy Name So
ciety.
The quarterly conference of the WASH
ington societies was held in Gonzaga Hail.
With the laymen were spiritual directors
of the societies and pastors of many local
catholic churches, including Mgr. Lee,
Mgr Thomas and Father .Gavan, spiritual
director of the diocesan union. The So
ciety named as committee to voice the
sentiment of the assembled laity and
clergy Mgr. Thomas Of st. Patrick's and
Father Gavan of the Shrine OF the Sacred
Heart. Mgr. Lee presided.
The two clergymen had been desig-
mated by Cardinal Gibbons to wait on
the fuel administrator and to lay be-
fore Acting Administrator Col1aday the
view expressed by both clergy and
curtailment. such action should first be
directed against places of amusement.
Object to Curtailment.
Rev. E. G. Fitzgerald. o. P, suggested
the resolution. While Catholics were
willing to obey properly constituted
authority and to refrain, if necessary,
from use of fuel, he said, they would
and must object to any attempt to cur
tail religious activities. The action of
the fuel administration in attempting
to close the churches could not be
countenanced, he said, by Catholics.
The action displayed disposition, he
stated. on the part of the authorities
or an idea in their minds that they
could dispense with church activities in
critical times with less baneful effect
on the community than would be
brought about by the temporary sus-
pension Of legitimate amusements.
I've cannot harbor the thought for
that church activities. whether Cath
olic or Protestant. can be curtailed
without injury to the community"
The annual election of officers of the
Union of Holy Name Societies resulted
In the choice of John Hadley Doyle
Of Holy Trinity branch as president
for the fourth term. Michael ]. Dris-
coll of St Dominic's branch was elect
ed vice president.
Frank J. Bresnahan of st. Aloysius
branch was again selected as secretary.
II. Eaton Brooks of st. Anthony's
branch was made treasurer. Capt.
Eugene Edwards of Nativity branch
was appointed marshal
The invitation Of st. Joseph's Church
to entertain the next quarterly confer
ence April April % was accepted
Christian Church Protests.
Tho congregation Of Ninth Street
Christian Church. Of which Rev. George
A. Miller is pastor. at the Sunday serv-
Ice adopted q protest against the orig
fna1 order of the fuel administrator.
The protest charges the order to be
q clear discrimination It says mo
word Of protest IL uttered because of
the necessity Of the closing, If such
necessity exists. but to deprive the
God-loving and God-fearing people of
our District of the right to worship
God in their respective houses Of wor-
ship and allow the theaters and NOV
tng-picture houses to keep open on the
Lords day and five other days Of the
week and other amusement places sim
liar privileges Is Unjust and. in our
Judgment unwise. unpatriotic and a
surrender to the enemies of righteous
ness and good citizenship"