South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-06
LOCAL TROOPS
ARE PRAISED
BY CHAPLAIN
Fr. Finnigan Says 18th Artil-
lery Was Finest in
the Army.

lin his address on patriotism with
religion. delivered before the Notre
Dame Summer students at the In
dependence day exercises held in
Washington hall, Monday morning,
Rev. George Finnigan paid high
tribute 10 the heroism and devotion
of his regiment. the 131th artillery,
which was made up chiefly Of South
Bend troops These men. the very
finest in the whole American army
he said. "practiced patriotism in its
prose. while the people at home saw
It in its poetry"
IF they learn anything from the
terrible war which they recently
helped TO conclude" he went on.
lit is deeper appreciation OF the
blessings OF independence and pros
perity which they enjoyed with lit
tie realization before 1917. Having
suffered for democracy and liberty.
having mingled with a people will
ing 10 give up their nationhood for
these same ideas. they ought TO
have returned home with a loftier
them by their own government
France suffered Most.
Speaking of the victory he said.
England may claim, as she does.
that the British regiments won the
war However. when she can show
a total of 10000 dead TO equal
that of France instead of 100000
active soldiers policing Ireland her
claims Will not look SO ridiculous in
the eyes of the world
Yet the French. who sacrificed
most and gained least from the
war-what do they say. The bishop
OF AmicnS. once conhded this 10 me.
He said THE American soldiers
and least of all the American peo-
pie will never realize the glorious
service they have accorded France.
Before the Americans came. we
were lost-our cause was hopeless.
America saved the world. when she
saved France"
"To illustrate the character Of
those men who rescued civilization.
il is only necessary 10 cite the case
Of South Bend boy whose request
for leave 20 attend Sunday church
nearby was refused by bigoted
army sergeant This lad walked
away, his head bowed i'm an inward
struggle. Finally he turned back
and confronted the officer again.
Sir said. If YOU do not allow me
10 go 10 church. I will ask the cap
tain; II he turns me down. / will
see the colonel. if he refuses. / viii
see the general and If ! get no per
mission from him. ] am going TO
Washington for am going 10
church That is the spirit that won
the war. Religion is the foundation
Of patriotism.
Patriotism and Religion.
"Notre Dame has always held
patriotism after religion as the
highest ideal she can conceive We
maintain that all Catholics are bet
ter TO the degree Of their patriot
ism. and that patriotism is the first
essential Of Catholicism The stat
ue OF Father COrby stands for moth
ing If it does not show that the
Catholic church is patriotic The
graves OF the nuns at St Mary's
cemetery have no significance il
they do not prove that the church
personifies patriotism.
An instance in the career Of
RoChambeau. when he was cam
paigning in Virginia. will show that
the same spirit actuated the French
crusaders of 1TSS that pervaded the
American armies in 1918. With a
party Of his troops he came upon a
log cabin church in the hills OF Vir-
ginla one sunday. i had long been
closed on account OF bigotrv and
prejudice but the French command
er ordered the doors 20 be broken
open we shall have services
here" he ordered and his word was
observed
a similar instance is told OF Fs-
ther McGinn when he was quar-
tered in a school building at Per-
onne. near a web-covered chapel.
the pastor Of which had been i'm
pTisoncd because he had not let
French officer profane the sacred
place Troopers OF Father NcGinn's
regiment broke in the doors. and
mass was celebrated
War il History.
THE war is history now but its
memory still deeply impressed in
our minds. inspires Us with a loftier
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