Fiery Cross, Volume 3, Number 16, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 February 1924 — Page 8

PAGE EIGHT

THE FIERY CROSS fciday, Eehruary 15, 1924--.

1RST PUBLIC APPEABANCE IN INDIANAPOLIS

(Continued from Page 6) rocliialism, which is the essence of monarchy. 1 uiirfaiiif nlal American Trinclples on Trial How is It possible for any parochial power to obstruct public schools In America? The answer goes deep to the very vitals of our institu

te the voice of industrialism. Sonietimes it is the voice of ruling caste power; sometimes it is the voice of the Vatican; but whether it be predatory, political or ecclesiastical, always that voice is attuned to the same shrill, snarling key of special interest. My voice is small, but it is an American voice, and so far as it may reach, I would have it carry to America and to all the world the message that democracy Is not dead, nor is

constitutional government, based on bthp consent of the overiied," going to dir. Humanity, especially our hu

manity, will it must triumph over

In the Honeycomb Cobweb in Washington Some Light on the Premature Publication of the O'Ryan Report Is Made Clear by Former Employe of Public Printing Plant The Conditions Now and a Review Looking Backward

tions. The truth, terrible and ter

rifying, is that our institutions have eyery obstruction to tho great and not yet been solidly and lastingly j fjnai accomplishment of freedom and

esiaonsneu. J ne oas:c principles 01 justice. There can be no freedom, Americanism are yet on trial. The j nor justice, nor happiness, if the iailurc to provide, adequately and powers of privilege in ?nv form predemocratloally, for public shool ed- dominate. Our people "themselves unit Inn lies not so much In tlic!nlllst safeguard their sovereignty,

Mn-Hui ui me iiumuuii us in our train it, concentrate it and employ ii 11 lint iftiifil wauL-nnta e .i.. ic

it iui me cuiiiuiuu weiiare.

own national weakness

(iod knows that the cause of education, standing alone, is sufficient to justify a life and death struggle with the hierarchical elements antagonizing its attainments; but this controversy involves other fundamentals: Our triumph over parochialism and propaganda must include other and even more fundamental vanquish incuts. In the present crTBis we are con

fronted by conditions, rather than theories. Theoretically, at the very beginning, this nation safeguarded its institutions through the separation of church and state. Actually that was never accomplished. The pioneers who made America had before them the tragic consequences of church control of govvcrnment. They, at least their immediate ancestors, knew from personal experience the perils and persecutions of religious controversy. They saw clearly the fateful truth that religious warfare was always the culminating result whenever and wherever a powerful church

left the spiritual field and entered ;

the governmental. They knew that every temporal invasion by a religious organization had invariably left a blood-stained trail of selfishness, cruelty and oppression. Therefore, in founding this Republic, they intended that there should

not be, then or ever, any religious interference with government, nor any governmental interference with religion. Somehow, the emphasis came to be placed upon the second, leaving the tirst more a matter of implication. The Constitution provided for the utmost religious freedom, which was wise and just. It did not, however, in specilic, ironclad language, guard against religious license in the field of government. It was no more, and no less, the intention to do one than the other; but the fact remains that the basic lawwas left too open, too much subject to abuse, with respect to churchly encroachments upon sovereignty. For generations, little harm resulted. Now, suddenly, after half a century of unperceived growth, the un-American power'ttaat developed out of the

one-sided freedom has arisen to .curse and confound our efforts in fcehalf of democratic education. In other words, we have not yet brought about the separation of church and state In this country. If you want proof, undisputable, unimpeachable proof, it exists in the fact that today there is a parochial power that can, and does, say to the electors and legislators of America: "Thus far shall you go, and no farther on this issue of education. J'ropaganda and propagation through schools are prerogatives of Pope and priesthood. Public welfare is subordinate to the temporal interests of the hierarchy." 1 say to you, then I say to all America that the winning of this light for democratic eduction involves vastly more than the immediate result of such a victory. Standing between us and that achievement is the reactionary, repulsive principle of church and state, the

civilization - destroying, war-engendering power of church over state. The very idea, and every influence, of that alignment must be broken anil buried beyond resurrection. In and around, above and below, this question is the Vatican attitude of superhuman, supemational sovereignty. To that extent the cause of democratic education is inseparably linked with the issue of church and state. Both battles must be fought, and won, together. Otherwise all our efforts for an adequate public school system will be transient and futile. The only soil in which free schools can flourish Is that of a strictly American sovereignty, tilled by an undivided allegiance, watered by a patriotism (lint Is undiluted and ondefiled, with the sunshine of democracy always and forever shining upon it. Its Larger Meaning to Democracy But that is not all. In this crucial struggle for the Horace Mann kind and quantity of public school edu

cation, we are fighting a battle bigger even than for the final separation of church and state. Democracy itself, the very life of constitutional government, Is at stake. I do not need to remind you that every great misfortune that conies to .humanity is followed, immediately, by monstrous perversions of power. Let democracy's resistance to evil be weakened by any far-reaching calamity, and in that moment the ever alert forces of reaction will spring upon it, seeking the selfish results of oppression and enslavement. It matters not in what form or in ' whose name the cowardly assault is made. Whether the agency be priestly or political, democracy must pay the price. Today, in the wake of the great war, with its terrible toll of death and debt, a disturbance that has shaken . civilization to the depths, again, reverberating round and round the earth, do we hear the voice of

Imperialism shouting that democracy has failed, that democracy Is receding, that its epitaph may now be written, because Its end Is -near. Sometimes that voice

The great issue in this conflict with parochialism, then, is not alone the question of building our composite people into the highest social and political efficiency, nor of that accomplishment plus the safeguarding of our institutions through the actual separation of church and state. To the doctrine of demo

cratic education and the principle of a religious freedom that works both ways, must be added the cause of civilization itself. The eternal right of mankind to self-government is being challenged throughout the world. If the military forces of an alien power were to enter America, we would repel them with the last ounce of our common strength. But it is a more subtle, more effective, more menacing alien invasion that we are facing an invasion of militantly undemocratic ideas and ideals a slow, sure assault upon constitutional government. There is but one unfailing defense

iifciuusi very Kina oi alienism in America; it lies in adequate, democratic, public school education. The Vatican a Government We must face the ugly and menacing fact that the hierarchy seeking the uses and results of propaganda in our schools is not alone a relig

ious, out also a governmental organization. There is proofon every hand. In every country on earth today we can

discover evidence of its political ac

tivity, although our chief concern should center in its temporal assaults upon our own institutions. The Vatican itself has a governmental character. At this moment twenty-seven nations have duly accredited diplomatic representatives at the Holy See, seven of them bearing the title and rank of ambassador. And more are to follow. In-this connection, I quote a gloating paragraph from a recent issue of the Messenger of the Sacred Heart: "The Argentine Republic, which is one of the most flourishing states of the southern continent of America, is about to raise its legation to the

Holy See to the status of an embassy, as Brazil, Chile, and Peru have already done. The law has been introduced by the government, and the Argentine Congress will no doubt soon pass it, whereupon the

present minister, Sr. Garcia Man-

Billa, a man of great ability as well

as a distinguished poet, will become Argentina's first ambassador to the

Vatican. His appointment will raise the whole number of ambassadors accredited to the Holy See to eight, while no less than twenty-seven nations have diplomatic representatives."

What Hierarchy Does to Education

What does all this mean to America? Particularly, what bearing does it have upon this present aH-important issue of education? I can tell you, and out of the mouth of Catholicism itself. Current History, for January, publishes

a laudatory article on Mussolini's regime in Italy, by Arnold S. Cortesi, Rome correspondent of the New York Times, accompanied by pictures of the premier and the pope, from which I quote: "The most sweeping reforms of all have, perhaps, been made by the ministry of public instruction. The number of schools has been red need by suppressing those which became superfluous in towns which have lost population fn recent years. The curriculum has been revised In such a way that each school, in nddition to

preparing the student for the next grade school, also supplies htm with I a complete education, should he decide to Interrupt bis studies at uny given moment. Formerly his education was not complete until he had finished his course at a university. Religious education has also been made compulsory; not only has the erucltix been ordered to be displayed In all schools, but religions education must also be imparted by teachers who have the approval of the

ecclesiastical authorities The reform which has given rise, however, to the greatest controversy has been the limitataion of the number of students who can receive free education at the expense of the state. ot only has the number of schools been limited, but also the number of students who nay attend each school, a minimum of thirtyfive for each class having been fixed. It there are more applicants than vacancies, the best students are se

lected through competitive examina

tion, the remainder being left free to attend private schools. The

principle underlying this reform has

been this: Formerly, when anyone

could obtain a free education, thousands of young men who would have made excellent carpenters plumbers

or manual workers of any kind, obtained degrees in law, medicine, or engineering, and then wasted their whole lives, be&ruse, having a university degree, they considered it

below their dignity to return to manual labor, while they were, at the same time, unable to obtain em

ployment in their professions, ow

(Bureau Publication and Education) WASHINGTON, Feb. 9. "Senator Reed and his colleagues on the special committee investigating the

Veterans' Bureau deplore what they characterize as a premature publication of the report of General Q'Ryan, the committee's counsel." Publication of the above .sentence recently by this newspaper brought forth a reply from a man living in Covington, Ky., formerly employed in the government printing office in Washington, and he proceeds to give a few facts for the benefit of the public and they come from a man formerly on the inside and who ought to know whereof he speaks. He says : "Pefflaps I can shed some light on that 'premature stuff.' Copy sent to the government printing office naturally passes through the

hands of many men and women. In the past committee reports were not published in the Congressional Rec

ord but just the same there were forty-four proofreaders employed, so you can guess pretty closely where the leak is and there are likely to be half a dozen such leaks between copy and proof. "I know now how much information got by during the world war from the G. P. O. and I also know that it went to Baltimore (head of the Papal See in the United States), thence to the Vatican at Rome. How do I know? I worked there; seeing is believing. Back to Cleveland's Time ' "My mind also runs away back, to be exact, to the time of Grover Cleveland's second term. The public printer at that time was not a Protestant and he hailed from New York. His foreman of printing, strange to say, was the one white man in the entire building who was

wearing Masonic jewelry and heldJ

ats job because of real merit, as well as being supported by such wily politicians as Matt Quay and Don

Cameron. A yellow negro night watchman also wore a blue lodge mark. But in time I learned that many Masons worked there but there were too many of them 'Who kept their lodge emblems out of sight in order to hold their jobs. That's how strong the alien influence was in those days. A great majority of the employes, both men and women, at that time were non-

Protestants. And I want to assert,

without fear of contradiction, that a priest could place more people at work in that institution than a United States senator coulu.

"One of my buddies is still on the job in the G. P. O. in Washington and keeps me posted. On my return from France he tried to get me back into my old job but tbere was nothing doing. I want to say that the non-Protestants control the unions and the unions control nearly all the jobs. They "barred" me out in spite of the fact that I was a returned wounded vet. In Other Departments Also "But things are the same in other government departments in Washington, I mean the same influence is felt in the veterans' bureau, federal boards, and you know what you wrote about the shipping board recently. It's the same old story over and over-. This same influence which is at work trying to undermine Protestants

and Protestantism in all government departments, reaches out and takes in even vocational training. There is a fellow named Neal out at Pittsburgh who knife's every Mason or Protestant who applies; any nonProtetant can get all the law allows.

"In Washington there is or was a year ago a man by the name of

lawyer, and politician

connected with the veterans' bureau

Who denied every fellow who came along if he was a Protestant. That

man is just plain rotten he was so

fanatically inclined.

"Getting back to the government

printing office again, it is lucky for us that Italy was fighting with the

allies during the world war. What would have happened if Italy had been on the German side can be

readily guessed for Italy knew everything going on through those religious fanatics, who hold church before they do country. Also, they believe tfre "end justifies the means," so they stop at nothing.

Work That Must Be Done "Mr. Editor, I know this is striking at the very heart of a certain church power that is running rampant in our government departments and on that account I want to, if possible, strike a fata! blow in what I say, especially insofar as church and state is concerned. It will be no easy task to got rid of these people for our departments in Washington are honeycombed with the.m. . One Texas member of congress tried to "show them up" three years ago but he didn't succeed because their" influence goes on today antl they have the opportunity to change "copy" on a man if they want to; they can even add vulgarities in speech never used by a congressman whom they are after and get away with it. Every claim that Texas congressman made was true; I am in position to know what I am asserting. "This job is too much for nve to

fight alone; it is work for the Klan and MUST BE DONE. How can we best work to accomplish it?"

"they are not of, by, nor for, America."

I speak not of them when I voice the hope and prayer that the entire citizenship of the United States may get together and labor together for the fulfillment of humanity's highest happiness here. My condemnation has been of the political system of the Roman Catholic Church, not of its parishloners, nor of their religion. It is the hierarchy, not the rank and tile of Catholicism, whose attitude I disapprove. There is no feeling of intolerance, nor any hatred, in my soul. I speak not in bitterness, but out of love. I

would that America might be at! peace. We and the world have seen ! enough of religious wrangling and ' warfare. At least in this country

there need be no further conflict. Isay this to you because Protestant and Catholic have- identically . the same interests, at. stake, and Should be found fighting shoulder" to, shoulder for the re-Americanization"1 of our common republic All Americans are men antl women" whose days npo earth are far too short to be spent in any save the way of amity antl mutual helpfulness. The common enemies of mankind are sufficient to keep us ail engaged. Let there be at least one nation within which humanity may attain and enjoy a blessed - harmony of heart and mind. Humbly, and yet confidently, because the combined experience of mankind throughout the ages confirms both its soundness and its necessity, I now make a Christian proposal for the ending of religious and all other disruptive Controversies on American soil. "" Let us establish a court for the settlement of every case of falsehood and fallacy versus truth and rectitude. In that court let every

element "submit its position ;to the. test and verdict of unselfish truth, ' It would take time to establish such a court, but once itwas in operation there would be no delay nor any injustice in its judgments. A generation would be required to impanel the jury, because that jury would be the electorate of the whole country, 'not one of whom would bgj permitted to serve until his or lief; complete competence had been attested by a training. In which neither bias nor selfishness had had a part? Once the common mind of such a jury had been emancipated from

every influence of prejudice and

propaganda-,-" its decisions would be

divinely just. There would come out

of it a new kind of jurisprudence, so generally and eagerly accepted that within a few decades all our humanity might live in harmony without its restraint-or guidance. -I. propose, then, that all of us.

Catholic and Protestant, submit our

differences to denibcratic education?

that is, a. public "school system in wtSch the mind of each and every student shall not be bent and biased by, -any propaganda -industrial, economic, political, or religious. Truth would come out of such -a system "The whole truth and nothing but the truth." Factionalism and strife would , disappear, because there would be no half truth and perverted truth to give them abortive birth. - After all, 'education is but the means to an end. In a higher sense, democracy is but the means to an end.. In -the highest sense,' civilization itselfls but the means to an end. That end is the ' triumph of truth, God's truth and men's truth, out of which alone can come the heavenly blessing of a harmonized humanity hereon earth. America must lead the way.

ing to the. steady stream of gradu

ates being turned out of the universities each year. The state, therefore, has decided that only those students shall obtain free education who, through competitive examination, show that they are worth educating, leaving the rest to pay the

fees demanded by private schools. This reform, of course, does not ap

ply to elementary schools; indeed,

the law making it obligatory for

every child to attend elementary school is being applied more strictly than ever before." Of course, what they call "this reform" does not apply to elemen

tary schools. The hierarchy desires above all else that the elementary pupil shall be taught Catholicism. Therefore, it imposes compulsory attendance upon the youngest boys and girls. Also it provides an obligatory religious curriculum for. all such pupils. An article in La-Ci vita Cathollca. published in Rome, And reprinted in the Catholic World,

gives a summary of that curriculum"

tor preparatory and all elementary grades. It is too long for insertion here, but its-meaning and influences are apparent.

Observe, now, how that churchcontrolled education is operating at

this moment in Italy.

The number of free schools has

been reduced. And that in the face

of the fact that Italy has an illiteracy more than six times greater than that of this country, menacingly disgraceful as it is here. Among her population, ten years of age and over, nearly 40 per cent, almost four in

ten, can not read their own language.

More than 30 per cent of their army

recruits had not even the beginning of educational equipment. The mar-1 riages of Italy are 38.7 per cent among illiterates. Yet, despite those conditions, and their inevitable results, the influence of the church is now curtailing educational opportunities. Each school has been made complete in itself. Instead of encouraging high and higher education, the Vatican thus virtually invited and, advises every student to end it all whenever a grade is finished. Free school attendance has been restricted. Why? To discourage the training of young men who might better be "carpenters and plumbers." Do I need to ask how, in God's name, is it possible to peer Into the future and determine both the capacity and

the career of any boy ever born?

Would democratic America tolerate

any such civilization-destroying in

justice to her next generation or con

tinue to countenance any influence

that would sponsor such a monstrous

perversion- of opportunity? Instead,

we demand that the advantages of

education be universal; that no caste,

class or creed "be excluded. Instead

of soliciting exclusion, we would pre

fer the most far-reaching application of the principle of compulsion in school attendance. We are' a democratic nation. Our reliance is not upon ignorance. We have no fear of too much education. If the result should be the greatest possible development of mentality and culture even among those of us who toil, God above would smile His approval, and we, also, with every better and wiser exercise of citizenship. More than that, the eternal law of heredity would be aided, nat handir capped and hindered; with every next generation would come a height

ened level of common intelligence

untl finally pope, potentate nor poli

tician could hope to shackle it for

any selfish purpose. Teachers, In Italy, are approved by the ecclesiastical authorities. Why?

In order that the minds of the young shall be bent and biased by and toward Catholicism. . It can have no other, purpose. , That is what church control means. There parochialism Is nationalized, which is the ultimate aim of parochialism everywhere. No other conclusion Is possible. If either righteously or selfishly, the hierarchy believes in its own exclusive right to

ascendancy, why should it not in the end seek here the educational situation that has now come to pass in Italy? And having made parochialism a public policy, -why is it not equally logical for them, as they are doing, to employ parochialism for purposes of propaganda? " Church, parochialism, propaganda, politics there yon have the complete circle of cause and effect in the whole field of this discussion. Through parochialism the church accomplishes propaganda, and the two together-ecclesiastically-controlled schools,

teaching the supremacy of the hier archy lead directly, through politics, to temporal power.

"Ecclesiastical Legislation'' The Sentinel of the Blessed Sacra

ment, a Catholic publication, Quotes

a person whom it calls tley Venerable

Peter Jujiaa Eymard, a follows ; "The CUr"flastjemore, owes to Canon Law, to theT' bulls, decrees

and decisions of the Holy Roman church, which are out the law, the

teaching of the sovereign pontiff, a filial obedience beyond all control by

the civil authorities, who in this re

gard are without force or sanction."

Read that again, because, it ex

presses, as you and I mast learn, the

attitude of the hierarchy towards

governments the world over.

Applied to this nation, it means

that whenever and wherever the sov

ereign people of the United States, by

constitutionally established process es, through duly-elected represents

tives, enact any statute in conflict

with any "bull, decree or decision of

the sovereign pontiff" who Is the

pope that the Catholics of America

are ordered by the Vatican to disre

gard that law. In all conflicts of

legal enactments -and papal decree

their allegiance is to Rome. They are instructed to set against our sovereingty a higher and to them, more important, more omnipotent alien

sovereignty. Yet we have boasted, and believed, for nearly a century and a half, that the separation of church and state had actually been accomplished in this country. Our constitution provides for religious freedom. As one result of that feature of the bill of rights, we did not insist exclusively upon church marriage ceremonies; civil marriage ceremonies; civil marriages were made the law of the land. To Catholicism ond all its subjects that law is null and void.

To them it is wholly without "force or sanction." Time . after time has gone forth the papalor priestly decree to ignore it, and today, to them every American child born of a civilly made marriage is illegitimate. This attitude is by no means confined to the marriage Btatute. It is the same with anything and everything of a legal nature that may come under papal displeasure. The Catholic magazine- called America, makes this announcement to American followers of the pope: "Whatever may be affected by pub

lic enactment with regard to the

rights of men and women before the

law, -no Catholic is free to admit

any legislation which tends to de

stroy the center of authority in the home." Why is no Catholic "free to admit" and of course to abide by legislative acts of the government of the United States? There is only one answer, it is because bis higher allegiance is to a religious hierarchy, not .even American in domicile;

whose alien decrees can set aside alM

laws as easily as one law. I Bay to you that without law and order neither private nor public welfare is possible. When established authority be undermined, then the very foundations of society will crumble. Only- our government itself has no rightrto Bay that this law or that law is null and void,, by repealing it or by. establishing its unconstitutionality. For any law to be ignored,- either by- priest or politicians breeds a spirit of lawlessness, a contempt for constituted authority which? s civilization's deadliest

enemy, egainst which no nation can

long . contend and endure. The Supreme Court of the United States is at Washington, and not in Rome.

No government can become im

perialistic without ultimate disaster

to itself and to every land it brings undej subjection. That is the verdict of history, to which there has never been' "an exception. The im

perialism of a church is even worse. When a religion attains and exercises temporal dominion, castatrophe for all concerned is more swift and sure. That is what I condemn not

the America Catholic citizen, but the Roman Catholic hierarchy.

For centuries education was al

most exclusively church controlled. Practically no other education existed. That was the period of the great religious wars., KeUgioeducation .'and ,' religious ;warisre! were simultaneous. Never in alt the an-

;&s of mankind Vas cause and effect

more closely related or more clearly defined.

It made no difference whether it

was Catholicism or Protestantism that had aggressively or in self-de

fense thus usurped this function of the state. Always it led directly and inevitably to civil strife and martial conflict. No religious organization ever has or ever can dominate education without an aftermath of disruptive strife. The degree to which the religious influence prevails in schools will determine, invariably and inevitably, the extent of the resulting disturbancefor humanity.

I do not for a moment contend that ; America will ever submit to a degree of church control of education which would lead to the battlefield, but I do say, with the tragic experiences of centuries supporting me, that each and every bit of ground gained by and for parochialism in our schools will dilute truth, dimin-

ism democracy and feed the flames of destructive controversy exactly in

proportion to the extent of that influence. In the last century and a half religious' education has declined. Simultaneously religious wars have disappeared. That is why I attach such paramount importance to this fight for democratic education. "The national safety, prosperity and happiness" and peace can be safeguarded in no other way. I know that if, throughout the ages, there had been adequate education public school education conducted upon a plane high above propaganda, 90 per cent of the miseries and misfortunes that have befallen humanity would have been averted. And, likewise, as we are Christian citizens, seeking the highest har

mony and happniess for all hu

manity, we must unabatingly and

uncompromisingly combat every

other kind of propaganda in our

schools.

War is the great curse of mankind.

War always has its origin .in religion, racial or economic causes. Unless the world again embraces the fatal folly of religious education, church conflict ' will remain in its grave. To bar parochialism and

leave the gates ajar to tho teaching of racialism- or industrialism, will not insure peace. That blessing will never be attained until education is completely and everlastingly emancipated, from every prejudice and every selfishness. Let Americans Get Together This country contains no element that will not be richly and Increasingly benefitted by the development of public schools, nor any element that will not be injured, financially? socially, and spiritually, through the failure to adopt such a program. All that being true, and It is true beyond

dispute, every element in America,

Protestant and Catholic, should stop fighting each other and unite for the

accomplishment of a correct and

adequate public school system. There are hierarchies and political systems, of alien character and alien domicile, which would not profit by

democratic education . in America,

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