St. Paul recorder., 1963-11-21
Chicago K.c.'s Under
Heavy Fire; Charged
With Race Bon


bus last week was rocked by a
Shameful" scandal with repercus-
sions extending all the way to
Rome. The scandal was touched
off by the rejection of membership
to a qualified" Negro Catholic
because of his race"
Blacl1balling of Joseph Bertrand,
a University of Notre Dame grad
uate and a former All-American
basketball star, triggered the res
ignation Of the Grand Knight and
six members of the Chicago Coun-
Gil, drew stern censorship from
the Vicar General of the arch
diocese, and a hot denunciation of
the action by the Chicago Catholic
Interracial Council.
Furthermore, the resign min G
grand knight, Eugene r. Liner,
fired off a hot protest to Rome to
Albert Cardinal Meyer, archbishop
of Chicago, denouncing the BLACK
balling" of Bertrand by bare five
of the Councils 245 members, un-
der an "outmoded law" According
to the law, any five members can
bar membership to an applicant
Cardinal Meyer is currently at
tending the second session of the
Ecumenical Council in Rome.
However, both in his letter to
the cardinal and another one to
Bishop Cletus F. ODonnell, the
Vicar General Liner made it clear
he felt certain Bertrand was re-
jected because he is a Negro. Bis
hop O'Donnell, as the chief pastor
rules the archdiocese in the alb
sence of Cardinal Meyer.
Bishop Calls 1t Disgusting &
Shameful
Responding to Liners protest,
Bishop O'DonneHl termed the coun-
ellis action disgusting and shame
full"
In addition 10 the blasts fired by
Bishop O'Donnell and Liner, the
Knights action was also denounced
by the CIC. In a statement issued
by John McDermott, its executive
director, the interractal group told
the Knights bluntly 10 cease all
racial discrimination, or cease
operations as a Catholic group in
the Chicago area"
The CIC said BertrandNs rejec-
ton has confirmed earlier charges
of discrimination against the
knights. The archdioceSan news
paper, The New World" also edi-
toriaHzed against the Knights ac-
ton.
The weakest statement on the
issue came from Mayor Richard
j. Daley Of Chicago, himself a
stamch Roman Catholic. Tacitly
admitting the council bias, Daley
opined that eventually" the
council will purge itself and start
selecting members without re-
CARDS TO race.
Meanwhile, as the Knights Chi
cago Council No. 1872 reeled under
the avalanche Of criticism, Judge
Victor Cardosi Of Kanlcakee, state
Deputy Supreme Knight issued a
weak statement defending the or
gani2ation's policy as nondiscrim-
inatory.
His statement said in part that
ut has been and Is the uniform
policy of the order to encourage
Negro membership" But observers
retorted that the liIlywh&te status
of the Chicago council plainly in
dBcates that the knights here must
not have done any recruiting OF
Negro members.
They say that while 1t Is true, as
Cardosi stated, that there are
many Negro members in the ma
tional fraternal mems organization,
none has been able TO break the
race barrier and join the council
in the second largest city in the
nation. But in comparatively tiny
White Plains, NY, there are 45o
Negro X Of c members. The New
York City chapter also has a size
able amount Of Negro members.
In Minnesota, in the Twin Cities
a number Of Negro Catholics are
members Of the Knights Of Colum-
bus. This was not always 50. In
1850 two white members Of a St
Pam resigned from the K.C.'s be-
cause DR.. Charles H. Williams
prominent Negro Catholic layman
was refused membersalip in St
Pau1 Council 385.
! Now DR.. Williams son, Tom
Williams b grand lSmg1it Of the
Highland K.C. council in st. Paul
and there saps .Nsgroes In Q num-
49,. - 1S,.1,,, rSkxy ,nO,ynCIla