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TWELVE
THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
APRIL 25, 1942
THE BULLETIN
The Official Organ of the Catholic Laymen’s
Association of Georgia, Incorporated.
HUGH KINCHLEY, Editor
216-217 Southern Finance Building, Augusta, Ga
ASSOCIATION OFFICERS FOR 1941-1942
BERNARD J. KANE, Atlanta President
MARTIN J. CALLAGHAN, Macon, 1st Vice-Pres.
J. B. McCALLUM, Atlanta Secretary
HUGH GRADY, Savannah Treasurer
HUGH KINCHLEY, Augusta.. Executive Secretary
MISS CECILE FERRY, Augusta, Asst. Exec. Secty.
A. M. McAULIFFE. Augusta Auditor
Vol. XXIII
April 25, 1942
No. 4
Entered as second class matter June 15, 1921, at the Post
Office at Augusta, Ga., under act of March, 1879. Ac-
cepted for mailing at special rate of postage provided for
in Section 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorized Sept.
1. 1921. *
Member of N. C. W. C. News Service the Catholic Press
Association of the United S tates, the Georgia Press Asso-
ciation and the National Editorial Association
Published monthly by the Publicity Department with the
Approbation of the Most Reverend Bishops of Raleigh,
Charleston, and Savannah-Atlanta, and of the Right Rev-
erend Abbot Ordinary of Bel mont.
A CATHOLIC MOTHER
F OLLuW ING a nation-wide search for an Ameri
can mother, whose superlative quality of
motherhood would entitle her to the designation of
“The American Mother of 1942,” the Golden Rule
foundation in New York City, has chosen for that
honor, Mrs. William N. Berry, of Greensboro, North
Carolina.
This selection is one that brings particular grati
fication to The Bulletin, which has been pleased for
many years to number Mrs. Berry among its friends
and patrons.
The American Mother is annually selected from
nominations throughout the country submitted by
the Golden Rule Foundation’s Mother’s Day com
mittee, the choice being made on these positive re
quirements:
“She must be a successful mother, as evident by
the character and achievements of her individual
children.
“She must embody those traits most highly re
garded in mothers: Courage, moral strength,
patience, affection, kindness, understanding, home-
making ability.
“She must have a sense of social and world rela
tionships, and must have been active in her own
community betterment in some other service for
public benefit.
“She should be equipped by nature to make friends
readily and to meet people easily in connection with
her duties as the American mother.”
. Mrs. Berry has not only measured up to these
rigid requirements, but in addition she has shown
herself to be a truly Catholic mother, for of her
thirteen children, one is to be ordained a priest next
month, two daughters are Sisters of Charity, and
four more of her sons are wearing uniforms of the
United States Army, Navy or Marine Corps.
The Golden Rule Foundation could have made no
better choice for “The American Mother of 1942”—
or any other year.
THE APPEAL OF THE USO
J T has been announced that the United Service
Organizations will seek to raise a fund of $32,-
000,000 to finance a second year of service to the
men serving with the armed forces of the United
States and to the men and women engaged in de
fense industries throughout the nation.
That the six member groups of the USO. the Na
tional Catholic Community Service, the Y. M. C. A.,
the Y. W. C. A., the Jewish Welfare Board, the Sal
vation Army and the National Travelers’ Aid Society,
have demonstrated that they can cooperate without
competition, and render efficient service, what has
been accomplised since the USO began operations
last year is proof conclusive.
For a definition of the USO that will show why its
work merits the generous support of every American
citizen, let us turn to an address delivered by the
Right Rev. Monsignor T. James McNamara, of Savan
nah, at the recent dedication of the USO Center at
Hinesville, Georgia.
Monsignor McNamara said: “USO is a private reli
gious agency, representative of six great organiza
tions and the great beliefs, Protestant, Jewish and
Catholic. It is not simply six affiliated agencies,
representing Protestant, Jew. and Catholic, it is
an agency supported by funds, freely and publicity
subscribed privately and not governmentally direct
ed. having as its general objective the preservation
of those basic religious truths held in common by
the three great religious groups, truths without
which Americanism has no meaning, truths without
which the American way may be a hollow sham
and an idle boast, truths which find expression
in our Country’s Profession of Faith as set forth in
her Declaration of Independence.
“While seeking to sustain the morale of our armed
foreesTUSO throws around the soldier the mantle of
religious conviction, not by a way of preachment,
but rather by way of an intelligently directed recrea
tional program that unobtrusively has a religious
motivation. It sees a man, whether that man be in
uniform, or out of uniform, as the American Found
ing Fathers saw him and as God created him. It
would create an environment which would stress and
not obscure man’s inherent dignity—a dignity that
is his because he is a child of God and not simply
a creature of the State."
The USO campaign will be launched on May elev
enth. Let us pay our tribute to the heroic de
fenders of Bataan and Corregidor by a generous re-
tponse to the USO’s appeal ou behalf of their com
rades in arms.
THE VATICAN AND JAPAN
C ONFIRMATION of the establishment of diplo
matic relations*between the Vatican and Ja
pan, at the request of the Japanese "'Government,
has, according to the NCWC News Service, led to
press comment that proved particularly interesting,
and while the matter was not actually reported in a
sensational manner by American newspapers, some
editorials expressed alarm and some publications,
where certain editorial leeway was taken, said things
which, as it turned out, were unwarranted.
It was not surprising that some publications, which
seem to misunderstand or misinterpret the position
and action of the Holy See on frequent occasions,
should view the announcement with alarm as a
sign of official Catholic sanction of the Axis, despite
the abundance of evidence that the Holy See has more
than once condemned Axis ideals, while still main
taining a neutral attitude in regard to the war, and
without ceasing efforts to bring about a peace with
justice. *
Now that it has developed that there was no
occasion for the “viewings with alarm” and the
matter has been reduced to a routine, though impor
tant—development, the NCWC News Service has set
down various guesses and speculations, together with
facts which have discredited them. Such as:
That the U. S. Government made diplomatic
representations against the conclusion of relations
between Vatican City and Tokyo. Later, President
Roosevelt himself, asked the direct question whether
or not such representations had been made, re
plied in the negative.
That the recognition was a project of the moment
and to be guaged as a war time move. The
truth is that since 1922, long before the present war,
Japan had more than once, asked for diplomatic
recognition and the Vatican had agreed; so that the
Holy See simply continued to adhere to its previous
acceptance. In 1922 the Japanese Diet failed to
ratify the agreement entered into. When the last
request was made, the Vatican was merely consis
tent in not reversing itself.
That diplomatic recognition at this time repre
sented an un-neutral act on the part of the Holy See.
It has been pointed out that the same recognition
was accorded to Great Britain by the Vatican after
the outbreak of the first World War in 1914.
Thus, not only was the Holy See consistent, but had
it changed its positon on Japan’s application, then
indeed it would have laid itself open to a charge of
Un-neutrality.
That—and this was presented as a serious charge—
the Vatican by according diplomatic relations, recog
nized the occupations made by force by Japan in the
present War. It was specifically noted in some arti
cles that there w'ere more than twelve million Catho
lics in the Philippines, and some writers jumped to
the conclusion that the Holy See had recognized
Japan’s sovereignty over the Islands. The truth
of the matter was, the status of the Holy See’s
Apostolic Delegation to the Philippnes had not been
changed, nor is any change contemplated. This is
the delegation that has represented the Vatican in
Manila since 1902. Of course, it has no relations
with Japan.
As a matter of fact, no shadow of recognition of
Japanese occupation is involved in the relations now
established with the Holy See. These are for Japan
proper, Korea and the island of Formosa. These
three areas were the ones for which the Apostolic
Delegation in Tokyo has been previously maintained
They do not include Manchujuo, conquered by Japan
before the present World War began.
Those who have been so willing to believe the
Dixie Musings
X
X
Many friends throughout Geor
gia will regret exceedingly to learn
that Mrs. Reyburn L. Watkins
immediate past-president of the
Savannah-Atlanta Diocesan Coun
cil of the National Council of Cath
olic Women, recently suffered i
-Severe spinal injury as a result of
a fall at her home in New York
and it is understood that it will
be several months before she will
recover from the effects of the un
fortunate accident.
Mrs. Watkins formerly lived in
Atlanta, but has made her home in
New York since the first of the
year when Mr. Watkins assumed
an important executive position
with the F. W. Woolworth Com
pany.
Under her efficient leadership
the National Council of Catholic
Women made remarkable progress
in Georgia, and her activity in its
behalf, as well as in every other
form of Catholti. action in the
State, won her a host of admiring
and devoted friends, who hope
that her recovery will be rapid
and complete.
Brother Diogene, Superior Gen
eral of the Marist Brothers, whose
death in France has been reported
by Vatican Radio, was condemned
to death by the Germans in the
First World War on a charge of
having given signals to the British.
The restoration of peace in 1918
saved his life, and instead of a
German bullet, he got the Legion
of Honor from the French, who
recognized his valour.
Brother Diogene was living near
Lille when the war started in 1914.
When the town was overrun by
the Germans the people pressed
him to become mayor.
He came into conflict with the
authorities because of his fearless
fight for the rights of the people,
and it is claimed that his protests
saved the lives of many of the peo
ple of Lille.
; : ' t “ v
Soldiers from Fort Bragg, in
great numbers, are taking ad
vantage of the opportunity that
the USO-NCCS Club in Raleigh
offers for sending-letter records
to the folks back home.
One soldier from Fort Bragg
used the letter-record method to
propose to the girl he left be
hind him. A marine promised to
bring his little brother back a Jap.
And, according to H. K. Wither
spoon, who has been making the
recordings, lots of the boys in the
service, who are willing to face
enemy bullets unafraid, suffer
from “mike fright” and stutter
and stammer their messages.
The records run a minute and
three-quarters on each side and
after the recording is finished
the soldier may listen to his
message before the NCCS mails
it to his home for the folks
there to play it on a phono
graph. It is the next best thing
to talking to them in person.
Sometimes the boys come in
alone for personal messages,
usually make recordings together.
One Saturday night five soldiers
came in together. One of them
wanted to send a personal mess
age, and the USO director offered
to clear the room of by-standers.
“You don’t need to”, said the sol
dier, as he cut loose in Polish.
Most of the boys have a hard
time keeping up the one-way
conversation for three minutes,
but one fellow, who will probably
be a senator when the war’s over,
brings his greeting all written out.
According to an Associated Press
dispatch, from “Somewhere in
North Australia,” published in
The Charlotte News, Clarence San
ford, of Auburn, N. Y., and a grad
uate of the University of Alabama,
reported how his life was saved
by a silver crucifix he habitually
wears around his neck.
The dispatch states that while
chasing Japanese planes over the
Pacific, Sanford’s fighter plane
ran out of fuel and he had to bail
out, his parachute landing in the
water three miles from a small is- j Joyce, M.
In the Religion department of
Time, the weekly newsmagazine,
dated March 30, there were re
counted several incidents in which
Maryknoll Misisonaries in the Far
East participated, under the head
ing “Catholic Heroes.” Among the
reports was one which read as fol
lows: “The Jap sailor wasn’t real
ly planning to kill Father Joyce
when he stood him up at ten paces
cm Sancian Island; it was just a
game when he put a bullet through
his cassock. But the missionary
from Maryknoll thought his last
moment was at hand. Now he
knows how he will act if marty-
dom really comes to him. He tried
to look unconcerned, and he pray
ed. Not until hours later did he
realize, ‘quite mortified,’ that he
had said the grace before meals
instead of the Act of Contrition.”
The Father Joyce mentioned is
probably the Rev. John T. Hubert
M., who had been sta-
land. Stripping off his clothing, ! tioned a„t the Mission in Kong-
he swam to shore where he col
lapsed, exhausted. Later he was
aroused by three aborigines, one of
w'hom held his spear to his chest
moon, Kwantung, China.
Holy See was eager to recognize occupation .while i and accused, “You Jap ’*■ Sanford
the war still goes on, might have looked at the
record: In the cases of France, Belgium, Holland,
Poland, and the Baltic republics—indeed all coun
tries overrun in the war—the Vatican has continued
its nuncios, thereby refusing to recognize occupation
by force. Even when its diplomatic representatives
have been expelled by the Nazis, it has still main
tained them on its diplomatic list.
It might be well to observe also, the particular
function of mercy performed by Vatican diplomats
in war-time. The Holy Father has charged his repre
sentatives with the special task of war charity-help
ing in all proper ways the refugees, the hungry, the
outcast, to the extent of the Holy See’s resources
to make provision; reuniting families: apprising
relatives of the fate of war prisioners. Extension
of the relations of the Vatican will by so much widen
these works of mercy.
Further, the neutrality of the Holy See in regard
to diplomatic recognition has been shown in recent
days by confirmation of the reports that China has
asked the Vatican for such relations, and that the
application has been favorably received. There are
definite indications that an early exchange of rep
resentatives between the Holy See and the Republic
of China will be arranged.
It is only reasonable, that, the Holy Father wishes
to avail himself of every proper means to keep in
touch with members of the Church, wherever they
might be: thus, it would be clearly unreasonable to
expect that he would deprive the Church of the
means of keeping in touch with the faithful — or the
faithful keeping in touch with their Church — by
rejecting the Japanese request for an exchange of
envoys.
At this time, when the United States is concerned
regarding the plight of many thousands of its citi
zens held prisoners or detained by the Japanese,
our country should be encouraged by the news that
the friendship of a Sovereignty so spiritual and hu
manitarian, as the Holy See, is desired by Rulers of
a Communion breakfast with his
the nation with which -we are at war is the Pacific^] master before the Ceremonial.
said he was about to be impaled
when the native saw the crucifix
and exclaimed “Jesus No. 1 man!”
The then friendly natives led the
flier 25 mile afoot to the Bremer
Island Mission, from which point
a pearl lugger brought him back to
Australia.
Harry Smythe, a member of the
Catholic Laymen's Association of
Georgia, is this year the manager
of the Charlotte team in the
Piedmont League.
Mr. Smythe, who began his base
ball career as a left-handed pitcher
for the Augusta team in the old
South Atlantic League when he
was just finishing grammar school,
has made a splendid record with
teams in the National, American
International, American Associa
tion and Southern leagues. Some
years ago he managed the Mon
treal Club of the International
League for the latter part of a
season.
He is a member of the Sacred
Heart parish in Augusta, where he
operates a parking lot in the busi
ness district of the city during the
winter months.
The Knights of Columbus News
relates that Karl H. Krafve, who
received the major degrees of
the K. of C. with a class initiated
by Alhambra Council' Worcester,
Massachusetts, last month, was
accompanied by his seemg-eyc
dog, who also attended Mass "and
The editor of The Bulletin is
delighted to publish in this issue
that Mrs. William N. Berry, of
Greensboro. North Carolina, is to
day the nation’s No. 1 mother —
not merely because her husband
and her children have always
thought that, but because the title
of “American Mother of 1942”
was bestowed oh her by the Gold
en Rule Foundation of New York.
There must have been times, we
imagine, when the thirteen chil
dren of the Berry family were
younger than they arc now, when
Mrs. Berry thought that she was
the mother of nineteen hundred
and forty-two instead of thirteen.
The Editor of The Bulletin is
one of a group of newspapermen,
commercial advertising executives,
radio station officials and theatre
managers who are taking a first
aid course under the capable in
struction of Vernon Deas, of the
Augusta Fire Department.
In order to develop proficiency
in rendering immediate and tem
porary treatment in case of acci
dent or sudden illness before the
services of a physicial can be se
cured, the editor of The Bulletin
is becoming an adept* in the appli
cation of splints and bandages. To
increase his value in emergency,
the editor of The Bulletin has
been practicing on the office staff,
every member of which is now en
cased and enveloped in roll upoa
roll of Bandages.
Next week the editor of The
Bulletin will learn how to take the
bandages off his patients. H. K.