The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-09-24

Dear Editor:
 see Maine has gone democratic. Is that because Bishop Murray left for St Paul to succeed Arch- bishop Ireland, the noblest re- publican of them all? Answer if you will, but don't answer If you are liable to be called to order by the episcopus.
 Yours for Free Speech.
 Clercius Dioecesis Campifontis.
 Our Springfield friend would perhaps be less fearful of episcopal ire were he a member of the cleri- cal body of the Diocese of Hart ford. Here the inferior" clergy are allowed all the liberty that is good for them and for the church. The bishop lets them think and talk. He assumes, apparently, that they will keep within the bounds of justice and truth, good manners and saving common sense.
 The Transcript does not fear to venture an answer, but what can it say? While in Connecticut Bishop Murray was a registered republican. Everyone knew his politics, and nearby everyone ad- mired his frankness. He amused the bishop of the diocese, and he did not infiict his political prefer ences on any member of the epis- copal household.
 Whether the bishop of Portland registered as 8 republican on go- ing to Maine, I do not know. ] venture to guess that he did, and that he allowed his priests and people to follow their political pre- ferences. If the letter given above falls under his eye he will laugh at the apparent innocence of the author. l. say apparent inno- cence," because the Campifontians are not always so simple as their post would suggest.
 It was perhaps advantageous for gressive chancellor was regis tered republican. He could ap- proach the leaders of his party and explain to them that measures im- pending Catholic disaster were un- fair and should not become law. They welcomed him as one of
 
 In St Paul Archbishop Murray will have to travel long distance if he is to parallel the political journeyings of the Most Reverend John Ireland, who was Civil War chaplain and who took to politics as the eagle to the air. During the World War Bishop Murray, or rather, Father Murray, was per- haps the hardest working patriot in Connecticut. He would have been chaplain, and an overseas chaplain,' had circumstances allow cd. But the work which he &C., complished was as helpful to the cause ~as that of any man who found his way to the front. His his prestly labors, because there was always a charitable and q Christian flavor to his war work. His republican preferences were not infected on others. at least while he lived ip Hartford. Evi- dently Maine did not like the poli- tics of the bishop as the recent election demonstrates.
 Our Springfield correspondent brings to mind an episode in which IIe EultOF OI iHe lEuuscTtDI udu an uncomfortable part. One eve- ! ming, after calling on Mayor Kin sella who was at the point Of death, he was confronted with q rather positive lady who declared to him that every member of the bishops household was republi- can. As the editor of the Tran script happened to be a member of the accused household, he asked the lady where and how she had gathered the information. She re- sponded by asserting that ,''the whole town knows that" I replied that I was not quite sure that the whole town knew that" In fact. I declared. I am a member of the bishops household and do not know "that." Indeed. doubt 'thut" very much. have never heard meraber oi the bishops household declare or acknowledge how he voted. with tho sole ex- ception of Bishop Murray.
 As the interviewer seemed ioath