South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-05-18
SEYFRIED TALKS
TO ST JOSEPH'S
LEAGUE MEMBERS
Mass Meeting in St. Hedwige':
Hall-Defines Organi-
ZatiOn.

| Definition of the organization and
/ purposes of the St Joseph State
league, which is holding its annual
| convention in South Bend. was Civ
en- by Hon. Henry Seyfried, of In
| dianapOlis, at the mass meeting of
delegates and members held at St.
Hedwige's hall, Monday evening a
short address in German was also
delivered by Rev. Hussman, St.
Louis. as the first speaker on the
| program.
Mr.. Seyfried, at the outset Of his
| address said that he had prepared
a weighty address on a deep sub
| ject. but in the hotel lobby, today.
he had heard a gentleman ask a
cOlored porter who these people
were and the porter replied that he
| thought they were German Turn
ers."
Oldest Organization.
I'VE are the members OF the old
est Catholic lay organization in
America We are the Indiana
branch of the old Central Verien, an
organization founded by our fathers
and grandfathers, 64 years ago." Mr.
Seyfried declared. I'VE are an old
and respectable society, an organi-
zation that has stood the test of
time. We have had membership in
/ the Central league for so years in
Indiana and our state league has
been organized q years. Some say
we are a German organization, but
| that is incorrect ours is a Cath
Ollie organization made up of Ameri-
can men and women of German de-
| scent and we are proud OF being
Catholics and not at all ashamed of
/ being of German descent
/ nd w n q
/ 10 America have built churches and
| hospitals and schools We have
| helped found cities. We have been
| true TO the Catholic church and wei
/ have kept loyal 10 our country asl
we'll We are the people who gave
our children for service in the war
when or country called. we bought
Liberty bonds and War Saving
stamps and did not sell them again,
and we say to the political faker and
| hypOcrite that we intend TO pre-
serve our citizenship in America and
| those who think we are going 10 al
low ourselves 10 be considered citi-
zens of the second class are badly
mistaken. We want 1t distintly un-
/ derstood that having at all times
fully discharged our duties as Amer
| lean citizens we will use our rights
as such.
Political Fakers.
We don't propose 10 bury those
/ old men and women who speak the
German tongue and can't very well
| express themselves in any other. un-
/ Ill they are dead The effort Of pO-
\ Ilitical takers to capitalize the hatred
that was created during the war is
not going 10 get very far"
Pointing to the service flag that
/ hung in the parish hall. Mr.. Sey-
fried said that any one who doubted
the patriotism of Catholic men and
women Of whatever faith. TO take
a look at the service flags that hang
\ in the churches and parish schools
Ian over this broad land Referring
/ TO St Joseph's State league again.
/ the speaker SAID that its members
were not politicians, but they were
/ going to exercise their right of citi-
lzenship at the polls.
| Foremost among the great things
/ the central society Of which the
state league forms a part, had done
lin the past was the organization
OF a commit ee for social reform. IS
Years ago. ne said He then de-
| scribed the program they had laid
/ down for Christian social reform
/ This committee was finally organized
lin the central bureau with head
quarters in St Louis from which
| thousands Of pamphlets on various
topics had been sent out. the speak
er declared. He told Ct how their
work had been influential in throt-
\ Ting the prejudice created by The
! Menace until the government at
Washington had said that the publi-
cation OF The Menace was bad.
Several years ago he said. their
central bureau had made an attack
upon the red radicalism OF carl
MARI and now every one including
the government at washington was
aware OF the danger and taking &C
tiou 20 prevent it.
Social Program.
"Our program for social reform
is grounded on the encyclical letters
OF Leo XIII. on labor and Christian
idemocracy." the speaker declared.
/ Conditions change. economic as
poets and social ideals change. but
morality never changes. II YOU want
to measure a yard OF cloth yard
stick is the best way OF doing IT,
.