Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-21

| President Coolidge, with somewhat
more than characteristic caution. ex-
! hibited complete and non committal i'm
| Partially in his greeting to the Roman
! Catholic Eucharistic Congress at Chi
cago. He would have been we'll within
the truth in depicting the United
States, numerically, as almost the
principal Roman Catholic country in
the world. 1t contains roundly 10000
600 persons who own religious al
! legiance to the Pope. France. with
perhaps 10000. 900, is probably the only
nation with more Roman Catholics
than America. The late Cardinal Glib
bons for many years was the only
dignitary of his rank in the United
States. Now there are cardinals, is
archbishops, 1O1 bishops and some
% 900 priests. America is far and away
the richest Catholic country, in point
of the wealth Of those who are af-
fliated with the Church of Rome.
Once upon time. more than so years
ago, the United States maintained
diplomatic relations with the Vatican.
During the World War because of the
central powers activity at the Vatican.
there was considerable body of
American opinion that favored at least
temporary renewal of official associa.
ton with the Holy See.
y 4 X
1t happens that the Washington
diplomatic corps Is overwhelmingly
Roman Catholic in it's personnel. OF
the Is countries represented here by
| Amba ssadors, no fewer than IL have
ENJOYS who are Roman Catholic
These countries are, in the order of
their seniority on the diplomatic list:
Spain. Belgium, Great Britain, Argen.
tina, Peru. Mexico, Italy, Brazil. Cuba
France and Chile. Only two Ambassa.
doris in Washington are non-Catholics
Baron Nathan of Germany and Mr.
Matsudaira of Japan. The percentage
Of Ministers who are Romanists is also
very high. Practically all the Latin
American diplomats Of that rank be.
long to the Roman Catholic Church.
and many of the European Ministers
as well. Sir Esme Howard Is one Of
the first, il not the very first. ENJOYS
Of the Catholic faith ever sent to the
United States by Great Britain.
y X X X
Albert Sidney Burleson of Texas,
who, as Postmaster General, welded
the Democratic snickersnee with
neatness and dispatch during the viii.
markable statement on behalf of Will
liam B. Wilson, Democratic candi-
date for the Senate in Pennsylvania.
Burleson is an incorporating wet
Wilson is a bone.dry prohibitionist.
BILLY Wilson," SAYS Burleson, with
whom I was associated for six years
in Congress and for eight years in
the cabinet, is brave, liberal and toll
Grant. AS every citizen should be.
he is for law enforcement. But I do
not believe he would sacrifice every
principle of free government in order
to please the fanatical element OF our
country, who are ready to burn a
man at the stake should he even
mildly express a desire to take a
little wine for the stomach's sake.
The Keystone State will never have
occa sion to blush because of any word
spoken or act done by william b.
Wilson" other comrades Of cabinet
days in Washington have recently
come out" for Wilson, too.
X \
One Of the genuine orators of Con.
gress. Representative.at-Lar Henry
r. Rathbone Of Illinois, will be the
speaker of the evening at Washing.
toms 150th anniversary celebration of
the Declaration Of Independence.
There's an appropriateness in the Sc
lection Of Rathbone to glorify our
Magma Charta. on the steps of the
Capitol, for he is himself child of
Washington, having been born here
in 1870. The Congressman's maternal
grandfather was Ira Harris, a United
States Senator from New York during
the Civil War. Rathbone's father and
mother were intimate friends of Pres.
ident and Mrs. Lincoln. While they
were a young engaged couple they
were guests in the presidential box at
Ford's Theater the night Lincoln was.
assassinated. Capt. Rathbone, an