The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1924-07-30
NO CATHOLIC PARTY

In the leading editorial of its issue
of July IL, America, published at New
York, which describes itself as "a
Catholic review of the week" says:
ain a syndicated newspaper article
on the Democratic convention, Mr..
Hendrick Van Loon writes that We
NAV expect as result of the con-
vention, the growth of new party,
purely Catholic party, formed after
the pattern of the Catholic parties
which play such an important role in
the political life of Europe To this
prediction, it is safe to answer:
'There is not a chance. Catholics
in the United States have no purpose
whatever of uniting to form a politi-
cal organization
cit should be said that Mr.. Van
Loon was writing in no spirit of dis
like for the Catholic church. On the
contrary, his article was an indictment
of the Ku Klux Klan, which by its at
tacks upon Catholics and the church
was forcing the issue. Very well,
he comments, turn about is fair play.
Necessity will force Catholics to do
what the Ku Klux Hammers have
done, and form an organization OF
their own
"Mr. Van Loon is taking the Demo-
cratic convention too seriously. The
Catholic church neither asks nor needs
the protection of the Democratic par
ty. Mr.. Bryan was quite right when
he uttered a similar statement, and
the vast majority of Catholics in this
country are convinced that in this re-
spect at least no fault can be found
with him. Here and there, it is pos
sible, Catholic voice has been raised
to advocate corporate action through
the agency of a political party, but
not one in a thousand Catholics who
heard the voice or gave the sugges-
ton serious thought approves it. For
neither socially nor politically are
American Catholics a class apart.
They are found in all classes and par
ties, in all professions and vacations.
1t is by no means probable that they
will disavow their present affiliations
to fight side by side, a class dissociat-
ed from their fellows in the arena of
partisan politics.
"At present, no political party, as
such, attacks the rights which AM
erican citizens who are Catholics en-
JOY in common with their fellow
citizens, regardless of race, color, or
creed. After all, Catholics are a
minority in this country and they
know it. Theoretically they might
form a powerful political minority, a
party of compromise and bloc. Prac-
ticallv. however. their organization in
to a political group would invite de-
feat for every measure in which the
party might interest itself.
"There has never been a Catholic
vote in this country. 1t is to be hop
ed there never will be such. 1t is
unthinkable that there should be, if
by Catholic vote is meant vote
cast for reasons which have no bear
ing upon the real issue, but for the
exclusive reason that the voter is a
Catholic. Were all the political
parties bent upon the destruction of
the civil and religious rights of those
American citizens who are Catholics,
were the legislatures and courts
governed and determined by disre-
gard of the rights of Catholics, the
formation of a political party with
membership restricted to Catholics,
might be useful or even necessary.
At present these conditions do not
exist. 1t is highly improbable that
they will ever exist. That is why
there is no Catholic party and why
Catholics, as body, believe that
there will never be Catholic party"