New-York tribune., 1918-08-08
Fosdick Tells Convention
Men in Army Are Being
Guarded Morally
Quoting From Wilson
Organization Pledges Itself to
Stand by Loyalty Until
Enemy Is Defeated

OF the work of such organizations as
the knights of Columbus"
with these words, Raymond B. Fos-
dick. chairman of the Commission On
Training Camp Activities. concluded
ms address before the Knights of Co
iumbus convention at the Waldorf As
tofla yesterday afternoon, and the
i'ooo delegates. in spite of the heat,
Jumped to their feet and cheered him.
MIR. Fosdick came from WASHINGTON
to bring the greetings of Secretary Of
W ar Baker to the convention. and to
lay before the officials of the order
several details OF the proposed pool
lng' of all the war welfare organiza-
t!ons. The knights announced Monday
they were willing to cooperate in the
plan. MI Fosdick said the different
organizations were at present con-
.errlng and that the time was not ripe
tor any official announcements
am in a position to tell Intimately
OF the work of the knights of Columbus
IN the camps, as reports came before
me every day concerning it's activities"
said Mr.. Fosdick.
In 1916 ! was sent to the Mexican
border by the Secretary of War as
representative of the government. as
stories had been current that the en-
vlronment on the border was not what
1t should be, and found out that the
environment was not the very best for
our fighting men.
Cooperation Is Favored
II am strongly in favor of all the
organizations working together, and
the Knights of Columbus have given
their whole-hearted approval of this
plan.
"The Y. NJ. C. A., representing the
Protestants. was the first large organi-
zaton in the field when this war
started. the knights of Columbus. rep
resentlng the Catholics, second; the
Jewish Welfare League, representing
the Jewish faith. third. | know the
work that they are doing on the inside
of the camps is wonderful. But these
organizations are not Working as Pro-
testants, as Catholics, as Jews. but as
Amerlcans: We are conscious of no
sectarlan lines. We are in this work
with but one determination. "to win
the war and the programme these or
gahlzations are carrying on is COM
mon programme, in which each sep
arate organization contributes And
IN accordance with these ideals the
knights of Columbus is doing as great
work as any organization | know of
eve have got to keep up the fight
ing efficiency of our men in the camps
at home and on the fighting line
have Just returned from overseas
and had the opportunity of witnessing
the effect Of keeping up the moral
and physical efficiency of our men.
saw the marines at ChateauThierry
going over the top singing Hail,
Hail, the Gangs All Here, What the
He'll Do We Care" and the Germans
were on the other side.
Morale Is Kept Up
Ard the marines held the road all
night long in spite of all the efforts
of the Germans TO dislodge them.
That is the kind of morale Which
the K. of c., the Y NJ. c. A. and the
Jewish Welfare League are working
70 keep foremost and which will be the
means of winning the war.
"There is another reason why these
organizations are in the field besides
that Of the physical and moral ef-
ticiency Of our fighting men, and that
IS that our men shall be returned to
their homes just as good as when they
went into the army. And if you could
see as intimately as I do the result of
the work you would agree with me
that the pledge is being kept be-
will come back not only bigger phys
lcally, but broader mentally and sound
cr morally"
Liable Do~me G'Arrerre, the fight
Ing priest, VINO was introduced as the
guest OF the convention. paid a tribute
20 the spirit of the American boys in
France
Send Message to Wilson
The convention exchanged messages
of good Will with other organizations
and officials of the Allied countries.
eve arc IN this holy war until com
plete victory comes to us and our
allies" was the message sent to Prcs-
dent Wilson.
Congratulations were sent to Cen
cral Pershing for the military honor
conferred upon him By the French gov
ernment in giving him the Grand Cross
Of the Legion Of Honor
A cable was sent also to the Pope
asking TIE apostolic blessing upon the
work o. the knights of Columbus with
the soldiers and sailors of the United
States.
News was received by cable from
Paris that the Knights OF Columbus
had opened "hut" in the ruins of
Chateau Thierry and that Chaplains
Boucher and De Wallis had been rec
commended for commissions as reward
for their bravery in recent battles.
Marcel knecht, of the French High
Commission, prophesied amid loud ap-
plause that the day was soon coming
when general Pershing would firmly
put the Stars and Stripes at the mast
Of the City Hall in picturesque lit
tie village Of Alsace from which his
ancestors came to America"