The Irish standard., 1919-03-22
Saturday, March q, 1919
Bigots Are After Il !.
Stab Leg stature

Stab Legislature
Aim % Make Priests Criminals and
tho Sacrifice Of the Mass q Crime.
The Federal Prohibition Amend
ment makes no explicit exception Of
wine to be used in the Holy Sacrifice.
Under the Reed Amendment and the
Webb-Kenyon law. the Federal Gov
.ernment will protect the sindividual
States In whatever Prohibition legis-
lation they may enact. These are two
points of prime Importance In refer
.ence to the Holy Sacrifice. The third
point is this: q number of active fana-
tics see in the Federal Amendment.
and In such State laws as may be
passed under the Concurrent jurisdic-
ton" proviso, the chance of centu-
rios to put an end, as they fondly ina
CINE. to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
It Is difficult to discuss mathema-
tics with one who is firmly persuaded
that the sum OF two plus two lis five,
but the position Of the fanatics is not
the legal absurdity it may at first be
though. The so-called freedom Of
worship" Amendment to the Federal
Constitution means precisely what it
says. It lays a restriction upon Con-
gress, not upon the States. The States
may do as they choose touching the
suppression Of one religion or the es-
tablishment Of another, being bound
in this respect only by the tenor of
their own laws and constitutions. I'm
til 1881, massachusetts, had what was
In effect State Church, and not until
long after the Civil War, was a Cath
Ollie eligible ais Governor Of New Hamp-
shire. Even now, that state makes
provision for public teachers of t'the
Protestant religion" Further, what
ever the concurrent Jurisdiction pro-
viso may imply, 1t certainly does not
confer upon the respective States the
power to nullify the Amendment, by
permitting within their own bounda-
ries, the manufacture and open vend-
ing Of alcoholic liquors. On the other
hand. however, read in connection
with existing Federal legislation on
the same subject, It by no means for
bids the States to prohibit the use Of
alcoholic liquors for all purposes what
ever. In other words, while the States
may not allow what the Amendment
forbids, they may, II they choose for
bid what the Amendment, directly, or
by possible Implication, allows. Final
", when it Is recalled that religious
belief cannot be offered as justifica-
ton for an act in violation Of law, no
doubt remains that even now, but GER
tainly after January, 1920, any State,
dominated by anti-Catholic fanatics,
can make the use Of wine in the Holy
Sacrifice a crime, and every offending
priest q criminal.
The, trend of anti Catholic bigotry
can usually be first discerned in Flo
rida, and the present case forms no
exception. Speaking at meeting Of
the Miami Ministerial Association on
February 10th. Dr.. ]. NJ. Gross vigor-
ously protested against any exception
in the proposed State law ''of wine for
church purposes" and in this position
was ably seconded by his Christian
brother, the Rev. Ira 3. Adams. PRO
hibition In the church" said this re-
markable divine, Ifs as necessary as
Prohibition IN the street" But Flori-
do Is not the only place whore bigots
dwell, nor are all fanatics Protestants
or Atheists. Catholics who care moth
ing for the Holy Sacrifice, provided
that legal Prohibition be established,
are. happily, few and, in truth, not
1 Catholics at all. They may ponder
with profit perhaps, but only perhaps.
the fact that at this present moment
the railroads are refusing shipments to
i "dry towns within boundaries Of a
great Eastern State Of wine intended
for the Holy Sacrifice. For those who
carry this wine and those who receive
sft are alike, by the Prohibition flaws
Of these communities, criminals. ~
America.
Won ERFJ u uolk Of