The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1919-06-28
HE sTooPs TO CONQUER.

is, without doubt, Senator Sner-
man Of Illinois. Some years ago
he was a member of the Illinois
legislature, and there made a rec
ord as a most officious person. His
state training evidently served
him well in the national field, as
this same senator has conclusively
proved during the past few years.
Great man are wont, before re-
firing from public office, to issue a
statement, to Groom a farewell
lullaby, to bestow upon a, faltering
world choice gem Of wisdom
that may perpetuate their own
fame and at the same time serve
as a precious heritage for the race.
Usually, such ante-mortem vale
dictories prove to be the height Of
asininity. Really great men
sometimes project their greatness
beyond the grave by a spontane-
Gus gift that is priced by human
ity: the so-called great, however,
ordinarily make fools Of them
selves in such a studied attempt.
According to the press, the no
bic senator first informed his col
leagues that he would not be a
candidate for reelection. He
then launched into a sea of inepti-
tude, platitude, and bigotry that
finds a parallel only in the gutter
sheets that live by political filth.
The distinguished statesman is
quoted as saying that Of the origi-
nal thirty-two signatories to the
proposed League Of Nations, sew
enteen are Catholics, which means
that probably the delegates from
these states will be of that faith.
He then is quoted: "The sway
over those peoples, their implicit
faith in the infallibility Of the
head Of this great religious organ
ization is supreme (Here the
power Of the Church for good is
ADMITTEDLY He continues: "But
the head Of the Church proclaims
his infallibility. The peril
lies in the claim Of Papal power
never abjured, never disavowed.
The temptation to- enforce that be-
lief might break down every bar
rier built up by centuries Of strug-
gle and sacrifice. Shall the United
States commit itself to the mercy
Of a power from which our ances-
tors delivered us?'
Just one year ago this month a
certain candidate for the govern
orship Of this state was swamped
at the polls. The chief reason for
his overwhelming defeat was
found in similar charge against
the Catholic Church. Not only
Catholics but thinking non-Cath-
olics came to the conclusion that a
statesman who drags religion into
politics in such fashion is not to
be trusted: it may be one Church
today and another tomorrow that
will suffer. So Mr.. Lindbergh
learned his lesson.
In the above alleged words OF
the noble senator from Illinois
there is not only a deplorable mis-
understanding of history but also
lamentable and, in a senator
objectionable ignorance Of terms
1t is ludicrous and tragic to find a
member Of the most august legis,
lative body in the world unable tC
perceive the real nature Of Papa]
infallibility. Such knowledge is
expected in every person Of cul,
ture, whatever his religious be.
lief, just as a general understand.
ing of the beliefs of other large
religious bodies is looked for in q
person Of education. But these
are not the days of Clay, Webster
and Calhoun: little wonder the
national press is wont to heap
such ridicule upon the intellectual
caliber Of the men who represent
us in Washington.
From what power, pray, did
"our ancestor" deliver us? Was
it from the ''powef" that led men
on the straight path Of upright,
ness, that civilized the barbarian
that kept the unity Of belief, that
peopled the earth with sanity
men and women, that preserved
and increased the great treasures
Of literature, art and science, that
sent the Catholic Columbus to dis,
cover this country? In a word, is
it from the ''power that bent the
back Of a Henry " Of Germany
that defed the lecherous Henry
VIII, that sent even the great Bis
marck to Canossa? Is it from the
"power" that gave to founder.
ing world recently the one man
Foch, who rescued the Allies from
certain defeat, and thus made pos
sible the present peace congress
instead Of one in Berlin?
In the name Of all that is holy
and logical from what did "oul
ancestors deliver us? True