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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA 9 NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CATHOLIC MEN HEARS OF GEORGIA’S LAYMEN’S WORK Very Rev. Joseph D. Mitchell, D. D., Vicar-General of the Diocese ot Savannah, who, with the editor of The Bulletin represented the Catholic Laymen's As sociation of Georgia at the first annual convention of the National Council of Catholic Men in Washington September 20 and 21, surprised the numerous dele gates from all parts of the United States with his account of the work being done to mitigate religious prejudice in Georgia. It is no exaggeration to say that his address was one of the best received talks at the convention. Father Mitchell told the story, now so familiar to ail Catholics in Georgia and to many elsewhere, of how in five short years the press of tne state had replaced its anti-Catholic spirit witfi the spirit of Christian fairness. He told of the work tne Lay men’s Association is doing in letting the people of Georgia know what (Jatnoiics really believe, of how it corrects misstatements in the daily and week ly press, of how it answers attacks from other quar ters, and of the other activities of the organization. The delegates knew in a general way that some work was being done by Catholics in Georgia, but tney had not the faintest idea of its scope. After Father Mitchell’s address, the Georgia representa tives were swamped with requests for further in formation about the Laymen’s Association. Admiral Wm. S. Benson, a native of Macon, and the guest of honor at the recent Atlanta convention of the Laymen’s Association, was elected president of the National Council of Catholic Men at the con vention. Other officers chosen were: Thomas F. Flynn of Chicago, vice-president; Judge P. J. M. Hally of Detroit, secretary; Charles I. Denechaud of New Orleans, treasurer; Michael J. Slattery, LL.D. executive secretary. Senator David I. Walsh of Massachusetts, Arch bishop Edward J. Hanna of San Fransico, and Ad miral Benson addressed a great mass meeting in the gymnasium of the Catholic University, at which Rt. Rev. Joseph Schrembs, presided. Forty church digni taries, the delegates to the convention, and thousands of Washington Catholics attended the meeting and heard Senator Walsh state that the time had come for the laity to take some of the burden from the shoulders of the clergy. The Senator also urged all Catholics to support the approaching conference on the limitation of armament, and he recalled that Pope Benedict was the first great international lead er to call for disarmament or at least for limitation of armament. Admiral Benson Speaks Admiral Benson pointed out the value of the or ganization of the National Council of Catholic Men and the National Council of Catholic Women, under the hierarchy, the National Catholic Welfare Council, Hereafter it will be unnecessary for Catholics to pro test in small bodies; they will have a great national body to voice their opinions, he said. Archbishop Hanna blamed the present day unrest to the drift of education toward materialism, and he declared that the mastery of science, as opposed to Christ, had been shattered by the War. The delegates to the convention were received at the White House by President Harding. They were introduced to the President by Admiral Benson, and each was greeted with a hearty handclasp as the head of the nation smiled and expressed his Cordial greetings. The manifold activities of the National Council of Catholic Men, imperfectly known even to those interested in the work, were revealed by the reports of the various departments at the convention. The report of Dr. Slattery, National Executive Secretary, referred to the assistance of the National Council of Catholic Men against the slurs of the Junior Senator from Georgia against our Bishop, Rt Rev. Benjamin J. Keiley, D.D., of Savannah. Daniel J. Ryan, of the Department of Historical Records, told of the work of his bureau in collecting data about the services of Catholics in the late war, records which are al ready very valuable, but which will increase in worth with each succeeding generation. There are names of over eight hundred Georgia Catholics who served during the war in the records of Mr. 'Ryan’s office. Better Motion Pictures Campaign Charles A. McMahon, editor of the N. C. W. C. Bulletin, discussed the campaign for better citizen ship and better motion pictures, and urged Catholics everywhere to protest motion pictures which were not up to the moral standard. Brandon Tynan, president of the Catholic Actors’ Guild, and himself an actor of note, and Rev. Martin E. Fahy, chaplain of the organization, appealed to the convention to assist them in the work being done for the stage people. Mr. Tynan asserted that sixty per cent of the American actors are Catholics, and they have great difficulty in most places in finding out the time of Sunday masses, and very often the location of the churches. The Actors’ Guild hopes to place cards with this information in every hotel and theatre in the country. Michael Williams, well known to Georgians, de livered an address on “American Catholics in the War,” similar to the one he delivered at the Atlanta convention. He also gave a talk the last evening of the convention on “American Ideals in the Drama”. Justin Magrath, editor of the N. C. W. C. News Service, explained the growth of his department and the work it is doing. The impression brought home from the convention was one of confidence in the organization being per fected under the National Catholic Welfare Council. Catholics constitute at least one fifth of the popu lation of the United States, but they have not been properly organized up to this time. When properly united, they can become a force for good greater than any the country has yet seen. The work has just started. Under the leadership of Admiral Ben son, great strides are confidently expected during the coming year. The B<shops of the United States, assembled at Washington during the convention of the National Catholic Welfare Council, expressed in a cablegram to Cardinal Logue the hope that the peace confer ences between representatives of England and Ire land would terminate successfully. Cardinal Logue has cabled to Cardinal O’Connell of Boston his thanks for the “proof of sympathy”.