Evening star., 1943-03-04
Father 0'LeaN
Sees Easier Flow
Of Foreign Theories
6. U. Former President
Speaks at Testimonial
Dinner by K. Of c.

Many of the theories and philos-
ophies that have been kept away
from our borders in the past prob
ably will come with greater ease at
the end of the war;" the Very Rev.
Arthur A. OLeary, S. j., recently re-
tired president of Georgetown Uni
versity, said last night at a testi-
monial dinner in his honor at the
Mayhower Hotel.
1T is hard to say whether our
Government will remain the demo-
cratic Government it has been," he
declared. 1T may become socialistic
or communistic, or it may become
dictatorship-it's difficult to know"
Catholic organizations such as the
Knights of Columbus should keep
on preparing" to meet these eventu-
alities, he said.
Father OLeary called attention to
the shortening of distances due to
advances IN air Transportation,
pointing out that we now are next
door to Europe, Asia and Africa"
and 1t is "only 26 hours to Moscow"
In the next 10 years, he said, Ireland
will be only commuters trip from
the United States. This drawing of
nations closer together will con-
tribute to the influx Of foreign the
or1es, he declared.
Notables Attend.
Many Washington notables. in
cluding public officials and Knights
of Columbus officers, were among
the $50 friends who, under auspices
OF the Washington Council of
Knights of Columbus, attended the
dinner in the Chinese room of the
Mayflower to pay tribute to Father
OLeary. Speakers lauded the work
OF the retiring Georgetown president,
native of Washington, who in De-
cember closed his seven-year term
to become assistant pastor of st.
Aloysius Parish.
The Right Rev. Msgr. Patrick H.
Mccormick, acting rector of Catholic
University, described Father OLeary
as man whose presence radiates
charity, kindliness, friendliness, and
whose gentleness predicates strength
and depth of character" Father
Mccormick spoke of his own close
personal friendship with DR.. OLeary.
A message from Francis B.
Matthews of Omaha, Nebr.. supreme
knight of the knights of Columbus,
praised Father OTeary as "deserv-
ing of the homage OF us ALL" g..
A watch, gift from members of the
Washington Council, was presented
by F. B. Myers, grand knight of the
council
Il can find no words sufficient to
express my gratitude, Father
OLeary said in replying to the
tributes Il can only say am deeply
and sincerely grateful for the honor
you have paid me-"
Guests who were introduced in
cluded Frank Wilson, chief of United
States Secret Service; William E.
Leahy, president of Columbus Uni
versity and director of selective
service for the District; Msgr. Peter
Guilday, professor of American his
tory at Catholic University; Asso-
ciate Justice Jesse c. Atkins of
District Court. District Attorney
Edward M. Curran, Corporation
Counsel Richmond B. Keech, United
States Marshal John B. Colpoys,
Maj. Edward J. Kelly, chief of
metropolitan police, and James P.
McKeon, State deputy of the knights
of Columbus.
Rover Is TOastmaster.
Alfred A. McGarraghy, vice su-
preme master of the fourth degree
for five States in this Knights of Co.
lumbus area, presided at the dinner
as chairman of the Testimonial
Committee. Leo A. Rover, former
District attorney and a past grand
knight OF the Washington Council,
was POSTMASTER.
Irish songs were presented by
George O'Connor, president of the
District Title Co. and by Bernard
Fitzgerald. The Rev. James A. Mag
.ner, chaplain Of the Washington
K. c. Council, gave the invocation
and Rev. Paul McNally, director of |
the Georgetown Observatory, pro-
nounced the benediction.
Declaring Father OLeary "lucky" |
to have retired to the comparatively |
untroubled life of a parish priest,
the Very Rev. Lawrence c. German, |
new president of Georgetown, joked:
when I took over at Georgetown
I found no oil in the tank, no food
in the larder-and in a short time
there will be no students. I wish l
were in your shoes"
Father OLeary served Is years on
the Georgetown faculty, including
ID years as professor of ethics and |
chairman of the department of
philosophy, before leaving the presi-