Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-08-16
27 Councils Have Given Up.
Charters During War
Against Church.
FIVE BOARD MEMBERS
RENAMED UNANIMOUSLY
81 900, 900 Foundation Proposed to
Aid Needy Members as War
Work Closes.


en- jubilee convention at the Mayfiower
Hotel when William J. MCKINLEY, SUI
preme secretary. reported that q
knights CT Columbus councils in Mexico
had forfeited their charters.
In his report Mr.. Mckinley announced
that the order during the last year has
suffered a net membership decrease of
44.136. Suspensions, as in previous
years, he said constituted the principal
item of membership loss. The present
membership of the order Is 547,288, the
report showed.
In all, the supreme secretary's re-
port advised the order "a councils for
feited their charters since the last an
nual convention Of these, 81 we're in
Mexico, and the remaining 7 in the
United States. Explaining the sharp
decrease in the number of Knights of
Columbus councils in the Mexican Re-
public officials of the order said that
the Mexican governments repeated
edicts against assemblies in any way
connected with church activities. and
against the knights of Columbus in
particular, resulted in the gradual clos
ing out of these councils. On June
30, 1881, Mr. McGinley's report showed
there were 81 councils of the order in
Mexico, embracing a membership OF
1850. On the same day of this year,
he reported, there were "a councils,
with l ass members. The comparative
slight loss in membership was explained
by the transfer of memberships to the
remaining councils which manage to
maintain their identities in face of the
governmental opposition.
Total Receipts Given.
In the same report Mr. MCKINLEY said
that the total receipts of the order for
the last year were $5.125, 611.95, while
the total disbursements were $780,
96l II Of these expenditures $685.
$50 97 we're for death and half-maturity
benefits. The expenditures, he said. in
cluded s3,296.52 Of the Mexican fund.
This fund was established four years
ago to aid Mexican Catholics to escape
into the United States. but particularly
for the dissemination in printed PAM
phlets of the Catholic side of the
church-state controversy.
The grand total balance Of the order
on hand June 80 1882, Mr.. Mckinley
said, was S37,035, 51243, as compared
with S35, 534. 564.99 of a year ago.
This afternoon Daniel J. Callahan Of
Washington, supreme treasurer, was to
present his report. Other annual re-
ports to be received this afternoon in
clude that of Luke E. Hart. ST. Louis,
supreme advocate; John r. Martin,
Green Bay, Wis, deputy supreme knight,
and Edward w. Fahey. st. Paul, Su-
preme physician.
Five members Of the Supreme Board
OF Directors were unanimously re-elect-
ed in executive session this morning.
cn1 Of Gu III
tutes the only election for the current
convention. since the supreme officers
will be elected next year.
Many Tour Capital.
The five directors chosen today are
Leo Craig of Sioux Falls, S. OAK;
James Donahoe Of Chicago, Michael j.
Healy of Topeka, Kans.; James H. De-
vaney Of Cascade, Iowa, and Edward
p. Ryan, Spokane. Wash. These di-
rectors will serve for term of three
years Another 5 of the board of Is
will be chosen next year, while the third
group of 5 will be up for reelection
on the following year
While the sessions this morning and
this afternoon are executive, many
members of the order who came to
Washington for the convention are
visiting the National Shrine of the I'm
maculate Conception, under construc-
ton at Catholic University, and the
Franciscan Monastery at Mount St.
Sepulchre, in Brookland.
The annual ball of the convention
will be held at the Mayf1ower tonight.
A special committee of Washington
women has been appointed to take care
of the needs of the visiting women in
i,1o Ind Mrc
Rice wife of the State deputy in the
general committee; Mrs. P. Michael
Cook, vice chairman, and Miss F. Eli
nor Brady. chairman of the young
ladies' committee.
Relief Fund Urged.
Establishment of a million dollars
for relief of distressed men,
bers of the knights of Columbus was
by Supreme Knight Mar
tin H Carmody in his annual report,
submitted in executive session late yes
terday.
In the same report, Mr. Carmody re-
viewed the final chapter in the famous
x. of c. war work, in the pursuit OF
which, he said, a total of S43,233, 1906
was handled by the order. The record
OIL tIllS WOTk was CLOSED lIllS year, IA
years after the war ended.
In recommending that the order I'M
dertake relief work for its members Mr..
Carmody pointed out that while the K
of c. frequently in its so years of OK
istence, has performed general welfare
its World War service
this is the first time it ever has sought
to help its own exclusively
The conditions that have prevailed
for more than two years have given rise
to much serious consideration for the
welfare of our members" Mr. Carmody
declared. Most relief of distressed men,
berS of the order, he explained had been
taken care of by individual councils, but
added he was convinced that establish
ment Of a relief foundation "of not less
than Sl,000000 the earnings of which.
in furtherance and support of the prin-
ciples and ideals of charity, fraternity
and unity. would be used solely to aid
and benefit cur own members and the
needs of the order" would be of untold
value as an emergency fund.
War Record Closed.
Reporting the closing of the record
this year of the K. of C. war work.
Mr.. Carmody said that the total of
1929 1896 was used during the con-
flict for relief and welfare work among
soldiers. sailors and Marines and
since then for rehabilitation, welfare
and educational work for service men,"
This left balance on July l, 1881. he
said, of S76680.92. BY the time a court
decree was handed down in Connecti-
cut giving a complete accounting OF
the orders stewardship, this balance
was reduced to $4,000 and this sum
was set up by decree as a separate
fund TO provide relief for disabled
knights of Columbus war secretaries,
whose disabilities were traced directly
to their service. Thus, the Supreme