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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
AUGUST 16, 1924.
THE BULLETIN
The Ofifcial Organ of the Catholic Laymen’s Association
of Georgia.
• RICHARD REID, Editor.
Published Semi-Monthly by the Publicity Department with
** e Approbation of the Rt. Rev. Bishops of Belmont, Charles-
Savannah, St. Augustine, Mobile and Natchez.
1409 Lamar Building. Augusta, Georgia.
. Subscription Price, $2.00 Per Year.
FOREIGN ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
*• • T. Mattingly, Walton Bldg Atlanta, Ga.
ASSOCIATION OFFCERS FOR 1923-24.
* • ?* RICE » K. C. S. G-. Augusta President
V°V* T P - H - CALLAHAN, K.S.G., Louisville, Ky.Hon.Vice-Pr.
V r» HAV ERTY. Atlanta First Vice-President
McCALLUM. Atlanta Secretary
S. GRAY, Augusta Treasurer.
[. jCHARD REID, Augusta Publicity Director
CECILE C. FERRY, Augusta... .Asst. Publicity Director
VQL - V- AUGUST 16, 1924 NO. 15
Entered as second class matter June 15, 1921, at the Post
Uffice at Augusta, Ga., under Act of March. 1879. Accepted
i*irt9 m a lnsr at s P €cia l rat e of postage provided for in Section
0o, Act of October 3, J917, authorized September 1, 1921.
The Retreat
The 1924 retreat for laymen will be held at Sacred
Heart College, Augusta, from Thursday evening,
August 21, to Sunday morning August 24. The re
treat for women will be held at Mount de Sales
Academy, Macon, from Tuesday evening, August 26,
to Friday morning August 29. Do you need the re
treat? Priests and sisters who devote their lives to
religion feel they do. Are you too busy? Generals,
admirals, governors, senators, judges and leaders of
industry find time for annual retreats. Can you af
ford it? There is no fee required; you may make a
private contribution to help meet the expense.
Reservations must be made by next Monday, August
18 at least. An application blank appears in this
issue of The Bulletin.
The Turning Tide
One of the results of the unfortunate religious pre
judice which prevailed in Georgia in recent years was
the unfavorable publicity it gave the state. Condi
tions in Georgia needed no exaggeration in order to
be termed deplorable, but once unfavorable reports
start it seems as difficult to prevent them from deve
loping from travel as it is to coast an automobile
down a paved grade without having it pick up speed.
The religious prejudice of a decade ago stained
Georgia’s fair name, but the stain was not of the per
manent variety. We Georgians knew that it would
yield to treatment and that the inmate fairness of
the people of Georgia would one day bleach it out.
Those who did not know the heart of Georgia had
no such confidence, and their suspicion of our state
was accentuated by the reports they heard, reports
which enlarged these stains until they hid Georgia’s
entire reputation under a mantle of disreputable
black. That it was not fair is not the point; we are
dealing here with the fact. The damage done by the
reputation Georgia achieved in those days was great
er than could be removed by all the Chambers of
Commerce and civic organizations in the state, and
the resulting financial loss is beyond measure.
The day of religious prejudice is passing in Georgia;
and none are more grateful than we to note that our
friends in other parts of the country are gradually
changing their opinion of our state. An indication
of this is found in the editorial columns of T'hc
Courier-Journal, that staunch and fearless Kentucky
institution, which some time ago had this to say:
Atlanta, the cradle of the Ku Klux Klowns, may
no longer he held up as the laughing stock of
American cities. “The training ground of
Kleagles” has seen the inside workings of the or
ganization and the Knights of the Nightshirt are
daily losing their hold on the prejudices and the
imaginations of the people. Atlanta is no longer
100 per cent Ku Klux and counts hut a bare 10,000
members, according to a dispatch to the New York
Times.
Besides pillow slips and nightshirts, the Klan of
late has had to wash its other dirty linen in public
Its legal battles have been aired in the courts.
Its inside feuds have come to light and a very
different light from the rays of the fiery cross.
Its members, who deemed it Klannish to override
the law in other cases, have invoked the law for
their own personal safety. And then too, came
the reports of failures at the polls, particularly in
Memphis where they had hoped to ride into
power.
No doulTT they heard from the recent municipal
“election in Lexington, where an out-and-out anti-
klan ticket was overwhelmingly victorious.
Though the seeds of race and religious preju
dice have been planted elsewhere, it is significant
that the original stock of the klan is dwindling.
No end of well intended publicity has been spread
against the organization, with the result of per
haps strengthening it.
Left to itself, as in Atlanta, where the inside
workings of the organization were dragged to the
surface, the thing is dying of itself.
The Veasey Bill Again
When the Veasey or Convent Inspection Bill was
passed in Georgia, many of its supporters regarded
it as the sounding of the knell which was to summon
the Catholic Church in Georgia to oblivion. The
man responsible for the bill has since been called
before the Eternal Judgment Seat, and the church in
Georgia flourishes as never before. The Veasey' Bill
is still being enforced. Are the hopes of its spon-
tors being realized? This paragraph from the re
port of the Grand Jury of Richmond County recently
Is answer enough:
“Your committee visited the convents of St. Mary,
Sacred Heart, St. Joseph and the Franciscan Sisters.
fV’e also called at the Children’s Home, the Widows
Home, Tuttle-Newton Home, Gracewood Training
school, Lucy Laney’s school and Paine college. In
every instance we were courteously received and wel-
jomed. We have only words of highest praise and
commendation for the good^work accomplished for
the community by these institutions.”
The Tendency Toward Sensationalism
Tlie Pittsburgh Catholic Observer has taken one of
its contemporaries to task for remarks about a “race
riot” in the Pennsylvania city’. “Of course a fight, a
mad dog or any other excitement in the Hill district
will attract a crowd, included in which will naturally
be many negroes,” says The Observer. “This gives
a cue to many space correspondents who then send
out wild yarns about ‘race riots’ yet to occur.”
The New York Catholic News comments that a
“wild yarn” yvidely published about a gathering of
10,000 Ku Kluxers gathered in a field near Rockville
Center, L. I., at a “Ku Klux baptism” has about as
substantial basis as the Pittsburgh “race riot” story.
To which The Bulletin wishes to add that many a
story about anti-Catliolic prejudice in the South has
foundations even flimsier than these. As Catholics
and as newspapermen it is difficult for us to under
stand why’ an incident in the South should be narrated
so differently from a similar occurrence in another
part of the country.
A few weeks ago a misguided indyridual in Massa
chusetts killed in cold blood a Catholic priest for
no other reason than that he was a priest. There
was little commotion among Catholics over the inci
dent, little comment on it in the Catholic press. But
if it took place in Georgia or any other supposedly
anti-Catholic state, it would send a surge of anger
and resentment through the country from coast to
coast.
It is gratifying, however, to sec some papers singl
ing out newspaper reports creditable to the South
and publishing them, as The Antidote did when it
gave space in its columns to the following South Ca
rolina news dispatch in the New York Times:
“Here in the state of nullification, Calhoun, the
Butlers, Wade Hampton and Ben Tillman, the Klan
is absolutely impotent. Out of more than 180,000
white voters, it is probable that if all the members
of the hooded horde were counted they would he less
than five thousand.
“In a two days’ investigation, few of the score of
well-informed residents with whom the Times corres
pondent talked placed the Klan strength at more
than 10,000. In two-thirds of the counties evidently
there are no Ivlansmen at all, and in the other third
the number is small compared to the total population.
“ ‘There are probably a few Klans in the State,’
said former Governor Richard I. Manning, but they
are so few in number and their strength so negli
gible that South Carolina has not had the time to take
them seriously. The gist of the situation, so far
as this State is concerned, is that our people are fairly
contented. We are coming out of the woods, and,
that being so, we have been busy getting our house
in order and working out a program for the better
ment in every way of all of our people. Maybe that
is the answer to the question as to why the Klan is
said to have made no headway in this State.’ ”
Dixie Musinss
It was our good fortune to at
tend the midsummer convention of
the Georgia Press Association at
Waycross during the closing days
of July. The convention brought
to South Georgia editors of daily
and weekly newspapers from the
four corners of the state, “from
Tybee Light to Rabun Gap; from
the Chattahoochee to- the Savan
nah,” as the Georgia political ora
tors say. To one who had never
before attended a gathering in
which “country” editors predomi
nated, the convention was a revel
ation.
The Georgia editors are as fine
a body of men as one could hope
to meet. Editors are supposed to
be leaders of thought in their re
spective communities; they looked
the part. But they all looked as
though they might have come from
large communities. There were high
state officials present, and distin
guished-appearing editors of great
Southern dailies, but they could not
be distinguished from the editors
of the weeklies.
There is a great American game
called “passing the Duck”. When
a judge makes a mistake, there is
a supreme court to correct it.
When a doctor makes an error, the
undertaker covers it up. But the
editor can’t “pass the buck”; his
mistakes are for all the world to
see. But that did not seem to
worry the Georgia editors; {hey
were apparently as carefree as
youngsters on a vacation.
An American Stand
In refreshing contrast to extravagant anti-war
utterances of some American religious bodies is the
following resolution adopted by the Rockford Diocesan
Council of the National Council of Catholic Men, held
recently at Aurora, .111.:
“As members of the Catholic Church, founded on
Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, we abhor war and
desire its elimination among men. We affirm that
war can be rendered unnecessary by an aplication of
the teaching of Jesus Christ to the lives of men and
the acts of nations. While we desire the abolition
of war, we realize the necessity of our Government
being prepared to defend itself or others rightfully
in the need of defense, and if occasion should arise
for our Government to take up arms—which God for
bid—we pledge unqualified support and assistance.
We should lend assistance in all matters to our Gov
ernment.”
What the comment of anti-Catholics would be if
Catholics instead of non-Catholics had adopted con
trary resolutions we can readily surmise. But Catho
lics base their views on such questions on firm founda
tions and hence they do not vary with changing con
ditions. Catholic philosophy teaches that an indi
vidual has a right to self-defense, and the right of
a nation to defend itself against an unjust aggressor
is an extension of this right. That was Catholic
teaching before Constantine removed the capital of
the Empire of Constantinople; it is Catholic teach
ing today. When unjust aggression ceases, then and
Cjd®»<hen will warfare at an end,
Editors do, qf course, make mis
takes occasionally. One of those
at the South Georgia gathering who
recently returned in no jovial
mood from the New York conven
tion maintains in his columns that
the New York followers of Gover
nor Smith, the policemen included,
could not pronounce his name. “We
want Schmidt—We want Schmidt 1”
Such was their cry, he says. We
have never known anyone but Ger
mans to say “Schmidt” when they
meant “Smith,” and comparatively
few New Yorkers, especially police
men, are German or even of Ger
man extraction. We are convinc
ed this editor is mistaken on this
point, hut he has as much right to
be wrong once in a while as a
judge or a doctor. Georgia edi
tors may not he right all the time,
but they are upright.
We heard some encouraging com
ments about The Bulletin at the
convention. ‘It is doing splendid
work in pouring oil upon troubled
waters,” on editor of one virile
Georgia weekly volunteered when
introduced to us, and a newspaper
woman from the same county said
she admired its Christian spirit and
read it religiously. Another editor
of a splendid weekly volunteered
a tribute to the “constructive work
The Bulletin is doing,” adding:
“That’s what Georgia needs more
than anything else these days.”
Others were kind enough to compli
ment The Bulletin. Some were kind
enough not to comment. All exem
plified Southern chivalry.
“What is your explanation of the
anti-Catholic spirit so apparent at
times in the South?” we asked a
genial Florida pastor recently. “It’s
imported to the South,” he said.
“Southerners are not that kind of
people. They are too kind-hearted,
too hospitable, loo chivalrous.”
This good priest has a proper per
spective. He was born in Ireland.
His words were uppermost in our
mind the following day witnessing
the open-tiefirted hospitality ex
tended the editors of Georgia at
Waycross. Each editor was the
guest of some family—which in most
cases had never heard of him be
fore—during his stay in the city.
Their every wish was anticipated.
Southern hospitality is not a fig
ment of the imagination, the pro
duct to romance or fiction. It is not
a Southerner’s nature to hate people
because of their religion. Some
times, it is true, some may be per
suaded by misrepresentation that
honesty demands they oppose the
Catholic Church, for instance. But
as the opposition is based on misun
derstanding. it can be removed by
melting the misunderstanding by
facts.
BISHOP HAID
From The Charlotte, N. C., Observer
The passing of Bishop Leo Haid
brought sorrow not only to thou
sands of the men and women of
the Catholic faith, but to many
Protestants who have seen and
known of his services to mankind
during the long years he has been
at Belmont Abbey. Holding a posi
tion in the esteem and the love
of his own church people second
to that of few other church digni
taries in this country, he also was
held in the highest esteem by the
people of his adopted state, who
regarded him as a sincere and
zealous servant of God and of man
kind. He was a friend of man and
the greater portion of his long life
of more than three score years and
ten was consecrated to the work in
which he believed he could he of
greatest benefit to humanity and
in which he sought to make the
world better than he found it.
There are several reasons for the
semi-annual meetings of the Geor
gia Press Association. There is bus
iness to be transacted of course. A
more important reason is the fact
that such meetings, being largely
social in their nature, bring the edi
tors of the state closer together, and
enable them to understand one an
other better. These meetings bring
the editors in contact with various
parts of the state; they see Geor
gia’s possibilities. Being not only
thoughtful men but leaders of
thought they are impressed with the
fact that what Georgia needs to re
alize on her potentialities is not
more suspicion between factions or
more hatred among members of re
ligious denominations; but more
good will and cooperation.
Some Georgia editors are misin
formed about Catholics. We have al
ways had faith in their justice and
fairness as a body, however. Meet
ing them personally, even those who
have erroneous ideas about our
teachings and practices has strength
ened that faith. R. It.
THE BIBLE FOR INDIANS
From The Savannah, Ga., Press
An innovation in the printing of
Biblical history in the language of
Indians, from the Teton Sioux tribe
of the Pine Ridge reservation of
South Dakota, has made its appear
ance in Cincinnati. The work which
is the fruit of much painstaking
and self-denying work on the part
of its author, Rev. Eugene Buechel,
S. J.. who is stationed at St. Francis,
South Dakota, came from the
presses here with the distinction of
being the first time that a history
of the Bible has been translated
into an Indian language. '
“Wowapi Wakan” is the name of
the new book and this turned into
the English language means “Bible
History.” Latin characters consti
tute the words, forming phonetical
ly the language of the Teton Sioux.
About 3 000 copies of the work
have been printed and arc ready
for distribution among the Sioux.
EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY
From The Valdosta, Ga., Times
Those folks who are afraid that
the Catholics will “hog-tie” this
country might remember that it was
a Catholic, Mr. Walsh, who brushed
aside a vice-presidential nomination
which he could have gotten with
out the asking. And vice-presidents
frequently succeed to the presidency
as the case of President Coolidgc
proves.
NO NEED FOR COMMENT
From The Columbus, Ga., Enquirer-
Sun
The Washington News-
Reporter tells of a K. K. organi-
izer who collected about
$500.00 out of the town, and
the K. Iv. organization went
dead. The same thing occurred
in Greensljoro. We don’t know
exactly how much the local men
coughed up, but quite a number
separated from a ten dollar
William. — Greensboro Herald-
Journal.
After reading the foregoing and
thinking the matter over it seems
that there is no ground for any
comment. The story speaks for
itself.
AIDING THE. KLAN
From The Lexington, Ga., Echo
As we see it the Ku Klux Klan
is getting as good service from
those who oppose them as from
those who are with them. Their
greatest desire is publicity and their
opponents seem to be giving them
more of it than their friends.
A STEP TOWARD ANARCHY
From The Sandersville, Ga. Progress.
When the Ku Klux Klan issues
threats against officers of the law
because they have discharged their
duties in making arrests of men
who have transgressed the law it is
time for the people of Georgia who
have any respect for law and order
to give the members of that organi
zation to understand that their
tactics will not be tolerated. The
law can only he administered by
the regularly constituted authorities
and the efforts to trample upon the
rights of the people is a step toward
anarchy which is foreign to Ameri
can conception of right and justice.
The Bulletin is not the only pa
per which thought Father William
A. Tobin’s article on “The Irish and
the Revolution” in The Libertarian
of April worthy of reproduction. It
has appeared also in The Yorkvil'e,
S. C., Enquirer and the Chester, S.
C., Reporter, and possibly others. !'
South Carolina has a tender spot !
in its heart for Ireland, even though
most Carolinians do not know of
the prevalence of Irish b'ood in the
sons and daughters of the state.