The Irish standard., 1920-05-22
John Gnd's Testimony Subjected
10 ANALYSIS
By A. Layman

cannot be given In the public schools,
Catholic schools are conducted for
Catholic children. But because they
prefer to send their children to schools
in which they cam be taught the pre-
cepts of their religion, at the same
time that they bear their burden of
public secular education, can Catho-
lies truthfully be charged with oppos-
ing public schools?
The simple truth is that all the Cd.
position there is to popular education
IN the United States is on the other
side-the side of bigotry which Mr.
Lind, seemingly, is seeking to infame
by false statements. At time when
$4,000 public schools in the United
States have been closed down for lack
of teachers, the Catholic Church has
been doing educational work in tha
United States of great extent and of
the highest benefit to the nations cit
izenship. The liberal minded of what
ever religious persuasion recognize the
value of this educational work of the
church and have only appreciation
of it. But the bigots, who are more
concerned about the possible spread
OF the Catholic Church's influence than
they are about "the education of the
masses" have had bills introduced In
several State Legislatures which, II
enacted, would close all Catholic educa-
tional institutions in those states and
operate to increase greatly ignorance
and illiteracy.
because there are more Catholics In
Mexico than members of any Protes.
tant denomination, Mr.. Lind would
seek to create the impression that the
Catholic Church is responsible for the
low state of education in Mexico. IL
that is good argument why not ap.
ply it to the United States. The
church census recently published by
the United States Government shows
that the Catholic Church has it's great
est membership in the most populous
and progressive states of the Union.
1t Is weakest in those states in which
the greatest illiteracy prevails. Would
1t not be just as fair to charge Meth
odism with responsibility for the lack
OF education of the masses in the
South as to charge the Catholic Church
with responsibility for the lack of edu-
cation of the masses in Mexico?
Mr.. Lind was patiently annoyed dur
Ing the hearing by Judge Kearful's ref
erence to Msgr. Francis c. Kelley's
Book Of Red and Yellow" When
asked question about this book, Mr..
Lind said he did not want any con-
troversy with any Jesuit"
There is no doubt that Mr.. Lind
was sincere In his declaration that
he did not want any controversy with
Msgr. Kelley-who, incidentally It
may be stated as another evidence of
Mr.. Lind's l0Oseness of statement, IL
not Jesuit.
The reason Mr.. lind did not want
any controversy with Msgr. Kelley
dates back to an article which Mr..
Lind, on his return to the United
States, published in The Bellman of
Minneapolis. Among other highly orig
inal but utterly baseless assertions
that Mr.. Lind wove into his article
for the Bellman was one that Papal
bull had prevented education of the
Mexican people for two hundred years.
Father Kelley demanded of Mr.. Lind
that he produce the "bull" or at least
indicate where it could be found. Mr.
Lind, Of course. was unable to exhibit
the "bull." since 1t was wholly of his
own invention. His activity along that
line apparently has been unsubdued
by the embarrassing exposure Of falls
ity to which Msgr. Kelley subjected
him