Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-10-12
XIX. FLAYED
IN ADDRESSBY
(, FATHER FRICON
I'm Columbus Day Talk He
Says Americanism Means
Loyalty to u. S.

A ringing denunciation of the ac-
tivities of an organization he ap-
parently would not call by name, but
which was understood to be the Ku
klux Klan was embodied in an adj
dress by Father J. b. Frigon on
"Americanism" at a luncheon at
noon today given by the Knights Of
Columbus in honor of the anniver-
sary of the country's discovery. After
paying a tribute to his hosts and 70
the memory of the discoverer of
America, 'the great, the noble. the
Catholic Columbus" Father Frigon
proceeded directly to the central idea
of Americanism which flowed from
that epoch-making event.
Defining Americanism, according
TO Webster, as attachment to the
United States, which. in plain En-
glish means perfect loyalty and un-
alloyed allegiance to the government
of this great and glorious country
Father Frigon went on to say that
''We Catholics do not hesitate to pro.
calm that nobody in this land Of
freedom loves the flag and cherishes
the constitution of the United States
more and better than we do"
With significant emphasis the
speaker continued: you readily un-
derstand, gentlemen. why make
such statement at this particular
time. III we had been told during the
war that there is still enough ignor-
ance, prejudice and bigotry in these
United States to serve as the pre-.
text for such two by four organi
zation as IL disgracing the sacred
ness Of patriotism and our glorious
flag, we would have attributed the
very idea to a nightmare or to tho
vagaries Of lunatic.
at Is certainly news TO our fellow
citizens 30 hear that the 10000 Cath
olic heroes who made the supreme
sacrifice on the battiefields Of Eur
ope were not loyal to the flag and to
che government Of the United States
These boys, most Of whom did not
even wear that"
Right, truth and justice need no
mask" the speaker continued "They
march in broad daylight. We arc
proud of the ostracism pronounced
against US by any element that
chooses bigotry and the secrecy Of
cowardice for its standards Of moral.
ity and patriotism"
Father Frigon emphaticaIly denied !
that the Catholic church WIS a poll |
tico-ecclesiastical organization and
that seeking union between church |
and state in this or any other coun.
try was among It's aims. Nor in the /
past was the state in any country
ever under the dominance Of the
church, he contended. despite WIDE
spread belief to the contrary.
"The Christian princes of the mid |
die ages" Father Frigon pointed |
out, were Catholic as well as all !
tl-eir subjects. They he'd all agreed
that their common spiritual head, |
the Pope, would BE called upon 20 |
settle the various disputes which I
they often had among themselves
This was the origin of the Pope's
influence and power in civil af-
fairs. II was not power which he !
claimed to possess by divine right. !
but simply a power which the prin- |
ces had voluntarily conferred him
for their own mutual benefit. That
is true history"
Toward the close Of his address
Father Frigon used plain language
in refuting what he termed false
hoods biased on ignorance Of actual
facts or on malicious mis-trcatment."
"To say that the Catholic Church
Is concerned with political activities
and is hostile to our public schools
or any other national institution Is
a downright lie," he declared. ITO
insinuate that the Catholic Church
is an enemy Of civil and religious
liberty is a criminal libel. If even
tendencies in that direction were to
appear at any time Catholics would
themselves regard such state Of af-
fairs with alarm and unmaskcd con-
demnation-
Our Americanism as Catholics"
the speaker concluded, ''is clear and
simple. II does not differ IN any
way from the Amcricanism Of all our
truly good, loyal citizens. " know
only one country. one flag and one
government
There was vigorous and prolong
ed applause from the gathering Ct
some 35 present, which included
Col. II. r. Hickok. and a number Of
n-Catholics. The luncheon was
thoroughly enjoyed. Albert Browne