Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1920-05-01
ARMY PRIEST
Spends Two Fruitful and Pleasant
Days and Is Honored In
Louisville.
Addresses College and High school
Boys and Two Big Public
Meetings.
Makes Convincing and Eloquent
Plea For Hundred Per Cent
characterization.
PENDENNIs CLUB RECEPTION.

Rev. Father Francis A. Kelly
famed as the Fighting Chaplain
Of the Twenty-seventh division, now
Chaplain General of the U. S. A.,
National Chaplain of the American
Legion and Special National Field
Commissioner of the Boy Scouts of
America. spent two busy days in
Louisville this week under the aus
pices of the St. Xavier Alumni and
the American Legion. Father Kelly
addressed the Kiwanis Club, the
Boys High School, the First Divis-
ion at Camp Zachary Taylor and
great audiences on Wednesday and
Thursday nights at st. Xavier Au-
ditorium and the First Christian
church. With him on the stage at
st. Xavier were Right Rev. Bishop
0'Donaghue and many of the local
clergy. Father Kelly was happily
introduced by Col. Thomas ID. Clines
who alluded to the chaplain's ex-
perience at Camp Taylor. His first
words There is only one ism for
this country, and that is the 100
per cent Americanism' of the Ameri-
can Legion" brought out a tumult
of applause. THE armistice," he
said, created a type of a Stacker
much more insidious in his effect
than any Stacker of the war. This
is the citizen who declares he de-
serves a rest after buying bonds and
helping the country win the war.
No one can rest, no one can be idle,
while we have government of the
people, for the people, by the peo-
pie. Our government is the envy
of the world, and while it remains
so, we will have enemies without
and within. 1t is up to the BUSH
ness people Of America to show the
example. and everything depends
upon whether they try to pass the
buck or do their share?"
In the last analysis, Father Kelly
declared, the future of the nation
and be doing. Give your best at all
times, he urged. Father Kelly de-
plored the fact that conscientious
DIRECTORS against military service
were given honorable discharges,
back pay and railroad mileage and
allowed to go home. 1.-The one
trouble with America" he said, 'is
that she has been too promiscuous
in opening wide her arms and well
coming all corners without suspic-
ion, though many of these came
with false doctrines and ethics and
enforcement and seditious ideas
inimical to the interests of the Ann
erican people. America can never
stand for and never know these
doctrines. These radicalists already
are passing among the middle
classes of America. They are SOW
ing sedition in that wonderful labor
party OF America. But l feel there
are enough sound, sensible heads
in the American Federation of La
Dor to save il from bolshevism, an
archism, or any ism but Ameri-
canism. But even so it is up to
you business men, for if you are
to enjoy the privileges for which
our fighting men sacrificed ALL"
The Boy Scouts of America, he
declared, represent the organization
which can make the boy of today
the strong, sane, 100 per cent
American citizen of tomorrow. If
the men of today do not assure the
Americanism of the future, he said,
they are betraying trust given by
the forefathers of the nation. put
your all behind America and Ameri-
can principles" was his closing
plea.
At the Kiwanis Club every utter
ance OF Father Kally was loudly ap-
plauded He was introduced by the
Rev. DR.. Charles w. Welch, pastor
of the Fourth Avenue Presbyterian
church and a member of the club.
When Father Kelly had finished,
James r. Pearson, President of the
club, made brief talk in which he
thanked the speaker for the mes
sage brought to the club, and urged
members of the organization to put
into practice the suggestions that
had been made.
Father Kelly spoke to students
of the Boys High School at chapel
exercises Wednesday morning He
emphasized the need for 100 per
cent Americanism among the youth
of the country and said he wished
every boy in America could have
a course in military training such
as is offered the boys of the local
High School. Students of the school
many os whom were in uniform,
gave the speaker a noisy welcome
after he was introduced by Prof.
J. B. Carpenter, principal of the
school.
AT the Xavier College Father
Kelly was given a Kentucky greet
ing by Rev. Brother Benjamin and
the 500 students of that school who
made the building ring with their
applause. After his address at the
First Christian Church Thursday
night. where he was greeted by
splendid audience, Father Kelly was
the guest at a reception in mis- honor
at the Elks' Home.