Evening star., 1933-11-15
HOMAGE IS PAID
TO BISHOP RYAN
AL Smith Among Speakers at
Brilliant Gathering Of
Clergy, Laymen.

recognition of his recent elevation h
the episcopacy as Bishop of the Titulal
See of Modra.
Before a brilliant gathering OF prel
ates, Government officials and laymen
former Gov. Alfred e. Smith, Post
master General James A. Farley, vii
liam Cardinal O'Connell, Archbishop O
Boston, and Patrick Cardinal Hayes
Archbishop of New York, paid glowing
tribute to Bishop Ryan, his administra.
ton and his institution, In series oi
addresses that were broadcast through
out the Nation. The addresses were
delivered at the public reception
to Bishop Ryan following a banquet
in his honor at the Mayflower Hotel
The ceremonies, participated In by 4.
prelates, headed by Most Rev. Amletc
Giovanni Cicognani, apostolic delegate
to Washington. constituted what is be-
lieved to be the largest public gathering
of the Catholic hierarchy ever held In
the Capital
The oratorical program at the con-
elusion of the reception was marked by
serious appeals by some speakers for
learning as contributions to the contin-
uation of democracy, and by the good
natured thrusts of humor i unched by
Gov. Smith.
ArcnDiSnOp Curiey Tfcsiucs'
Most w. Michael j. Curley, Arch
bishop Of Baltimore, as master OF cere-
monies, introduced the speakers. Be
cause the program was being broad
cast, the audience was requested to re-
frain from applause and the arch
bishop paid smiling tribute to the dis
ciplined audiences" of Washington. But
then, he had not presented the former
New York Governor. When he did
as plain "Al Smith"-the audiences
s.discipline" faded with an explosive
burst Of cheers and handclapping to
which red-hatted prelates lent encour-
agement by their own smiling greeting
TO the Happy Warrior"
"Al Smith" was at once his per-
sonable self as he began recounting the
academic honors which no less than
six major universities had bestowed
upon him in recent years.
And every one OF those degrees
those doctorates," he said, came to me
after had passed so years Of age and
at a time when you didn't need doctors
you want.
Referring 10 his appointment last
Summer to the Board of Trustees OF
ca.noc UiTepsity sona Gov to site pe Of saia; any
real use to Catholic University I've
got to get out there on the grounds
and do some real manual labor for
'en, or I've got to DO some real naro
thinking.
"All right, then let's get this on the
record right at the start: It's radio,
and not 'ray-dio.' Now, when I first
said that I felt a little squeemish
about it when they said ! was wrong.
Then one fine day read in news
paper that a college professor said /
was right. Well, knew it all the
time!'
BY the time the audience. which by
now had lost the last vestige of the
discipline Archbishop Curley bespoke
for It, had halted its laughter. Gov.
Smith started it again by saying he
was glad the program still was on the
air because it gave him an opportunity
to talk .'to all my fellow alumnus with
whom have not played foot ball" He
then observed that with his connections
with at least six universities he felt 1t
'shumiliating enough" to watch a foot
ball game between tive OF his alma
matters"
Finds "Alma Matters Confusing.
As he began to settle down to the
real business of his speech, Mr.. Smith
set on another prolonged burst OF
laughter when he told his audience that
he was really more than GLAD" to par
ficipate in the program honoring the
rector of the Washington institution of
learning because, as most of you prob
ably know by this time, once enter
tanned a pretty strong notion Of max
ing my residence here In Washington"
He didn't move here, he added. not
because something happened to change
his mind, but because he couldn't get
enough people to agree with him about 1t.
just before he glanced at manu-
script before him, Gov. Smith indicated
the prelates in the vestments of the
episcopacy on the stage about him. He
grinned and said he was pleased to
be on such program because, think
ing back to his boyhood on the side
walks Of New York, he remembered
''that when the bishop came down be-
low Fourteenth street everybody took a
holiday"
In his speech, Gov. Smith declared
that Catholic University is "an integral
part of the spiritual and social order
it attempts to serve"
"I know that this university has
been a great asset to our Nation"
Gov. Smith asserted. Situated in the
1dR1bd1 Va Jul NOAA4SA9J ~ AAdo 0CCAA
able to bring to the struggles of a
new nation some knowledge of the
age-old culture of the Catholic Church.
Bishop Ryan might challenge the
world to point to any publication or
expression of Catholic University
product attacking our American Con-
stitution or our American principles OF
government Continuing, he said:
THE Catholic University of America
must look forward 1t must constant
ly face and honestly deal with the
conditions of our times. Mems minds
are troubled as never before in regard
tific study of the economic and social
foundations of our Government. We
need TO counteract the selflshness OF
our day, a strong faith in God.
Pledges Support.
In conclusion, Gov. Smith pledged
his own support to Catholic Univer-
sity and congratulated Bishop Ryan
on his elevation to the episcopacy.
Postmaster General Farley, who pre-
ceded Gov. Smith TO the rostrum, paid
tribute to the contributions which re,
ligion has made ID education and
which Catholic education has made to
government and social stability. Early
educational institutions were for the
most part church. founded institutions,
he said, and they gave Christian
moral tone to the Nation"
Education and democracy" Mr..
Farley continued "are natural part
ners. Without the former. representa-
tive government cannot stand. The
pillars of democracy are secure only
when resting upon high qualities OF
the individual citizen"
Citing Catholic University itself, Mr..
Farley declared that its faculty had
produced advocates "of such measures
as the minimum wage, arbitration OF
differences between labor and capital.
abolition of child slavery. the right of
labor to organize and kindred social
movements"
Although concerned with the spir-
ftual values of eternity" he said, "the
Catholic University of America has
%alrav forward mart in fha 1aafnyioi