The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1919-02-22
ANIMATING SPIRITS
AND CATHOLICISM
The Catholic Standard and Times
Says Prohibition lnAicts Knife
Wound to Catholicism

The Catholic Standard and
Times makes a remarkable confes-
sion in the following editorial in
its issue of January 25:
It is well to have a voice potent as
that of the Dean Of the American
cardinalate raised at this critical
hour against the moral perils that
await the nation over the issues
forced by the political managers Of
one Of. the principal parties. Hav-
ing by a palpable and admitted
trick got the constituencies pledged
to support Of the government in all
its war policy, they yoked together
the broken-down packhorse Of pro
hibition to war emergency measure
bound to go through on the highest
grounds of imperative duty. The
trick, Of course, succeeds. Now the
plotters are up on their hind legi
gloating over their success and rev
cling In anticipation over the de.
light which shall be theirs when the
grand object Of all their scheminl
and underhand plotting, the Cath
olic church in the United States, ha:
got knife-thrust below the fifth rit
in the guise of a measure for thu
public uplift. There is quite al
much for the non-C Catholic voter al
the Catholic to- weigh and consider
in this n1ornertous matter. Are sucl
methods Of accomplishing politica
ends as have been employed by tht
managers Of this master "drive'
such as the course of honesty anC
honor dictate? Is the evil maxim
that "the end justifies the means,
whatever these be, to find accept
ance In the political life Of the peo
pie at large?
"The Catholic church in til,
United States has got a knife
thrust beIoV the fifth rib in tn,
guise Of a measure for the publ,
spirit"
This is as much as to say tina
prohibition or enforced total alb
Stinence is a deadly blow to tn,
Catholic church, and inhicts a
perhaps fatal, injury to it.
In other words, to cut of tn,
supply Of intoxicating liquor ia
tally Injuries the Catholic church
or, to make it palmer, the Cath
olic church, can't be healthy an,
normal without booze.
Now, a church as an institution
or an abstract proposition does no
consume liquors Of any kind
Hence it is undeniable that tn
reference Of The Standard to tn
Church" is to its membership, tn
priesthood and laity. And, right
ly construed, can only mean tina
they are so far under the spell o
intoxicants as to be unable +
physically survive a cutting of 0
the supply, or that it is the liquo
which holds the church together
These sweeping allegations Tn
MENACE would not make agains
the laity Of the church, or even ii
priesthood as an entirety, no mai
ter how much we are convince
that sobriety would be one Of tn
| greatest possible blessings to tn
Catholic church, and especial
conducive Of a greater and bette
Influence on the part Of the priest
In fact, we can not conceive tha
prohibition will be anything but
blessing to the Catholic church, fol
if forced to sober up and be in thr
regard like unto the other chuycf
es, its influences for good will b
many fold greater than at presen
We mistrust that the wall Of
lCard. Gibbons, The Standard, ct a
Is caused not 50 much by an an,
Iiety for the personal welfare {
their followers, as by 8 fear Of
loss Of revenue, and that il the
sober up enmasse they might thin
for themselves, scatter out, and Il