New Britain herald., 1922-02-10

Tracing its existence back to most huriblp beginning, thc Y. NJ. T. A. X E, society, after covering q span of 4i sIrtcssiul years. has risen In promi- nencc until today 1t is rated one of tho largest Catholic Total Abstinence so- cietios in the United States.
 Work Is Approved.
 The history of the Tabs Is a recital Of deeds that border on the heroic on the part Of group of earnest advo- c..tes of total abstinence who were ready to face the jeers and derision Of q public that was slow to accept the value of the movement, until now it's deeds are acclaimed by an actively in terested public.
 Dozens Of city officials, past and present and scores of successful busi- ness men and professional men. as well as hundreds Of others, credit the organization with very important role in their success in after life.
 Crowned With Success.
 Few fraternal organizations in this city and elsewhere have attained such a degree of success as that of the . ] have labored ceaselessly. first with the hope Of some day. erecting and owning a building of their own; then, this ob jective attained, elaborating upon it's benevolences and laying plans for even a better home.
 The present building. at the corner Of Lafayette and Beaver streets, is one of the most pretentious fraternal buildings in the state of Connecticut from an exterior and an interior standpoint Its walls reflect the re- work and careful planning on the part of that group of men of the past four decades who have handed down it's facilities as a heritage 10 those who were to come after. Free of all en- cumbrances and with a szeable amount of money in it's treasury-a greater part of which is represented in United States government securi- ties the organization is m D y equipped to maintain its present lead ing position.
 T. A. B. Officers.
 The present officers of the Tabs are: President, James J. Butler; vice presi- dent Francis J. Coffey; recording sec retary. Thomas J. Leonard; financial secretary William A. Forsythe; treas urer, James H. Riley. Jr; sergeant at-arms, Frank Bass; marshal, Will liam Gray; librarian, Frank Riley: chaplain, Rev. John T. Winters; au- ditinS committee. Matthew Egan, John Storey; house committee, w. A. Forsythe, William Boyle, Luke Welch and George Collins
 The Y. M 1T. A. X R. society was by Father Carmody, in the basement of old St. Marys church, at that time standing on the site now occupied by the Corbin Screw corporation.
 Father Carn,ody Organizer.
 Father Carmody was a curate at St. | Mary's church. He was a jealous | worker in the interests of total ab stinence and a prime favorite among | the younger men of the city He as sembled group of his male parish toners on the evening of October 9, | 1881, and to them outlined his plans for an organization the like of which. up to Nndl ttllt, lldu bteli ullIedlu ot in New Britain.
 He pointed out the number and ex lent or moral, physical and social evils produced by intemperance, all of which are open to public observation and bring disgrace upon the com munity, and he eNhorted them to en- -er into mutual obligations to adopt such measures best calculated to rent edy the evils.
 Socicty's Principles.
 With the following four principles n mind, the society was brought into ,xistence: To promote temperance by ldvice and example; to further the practices of virtue and religion; to 'eleve the wants of the sick and bury he dead; and to promote harmony md concord. Of these four, special tress was laid upon sobriety.
 Father Carmody prepared social 'ooms in the basement of St. Mary's school to which the mem- ,ers were invited to come and spend heir evenings as well as hold their ocial and business sessions.
 T. Fl. kchOc First President. The society elected as its first ,-esiden;, Thomas H. kehoe, who to-