The Irish standard. [volume], January 25, 1919, Image 1

About The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920

Image provided by: Minnesota Historical Society; Saint Paul, MN

                
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Vol XXXI III. No. 9
Task It So Enormous And Weighty
That It Is Set Aside Until Imme
diate Problems of Peace
(Catholic Press Association.)
Rome, Dec. 26.—American Catholics
will regret to hear that the project
of unification' of Catechetical teach
ing throughout the world is postpon
ed for the present. Only postponed.
And only that, because it is so big, so
important, and because the Holy Fath
er's heart is set on it so keenly. If
it had been a small matter, it could
have been proceeded with now al
most as well as at any other time.
For such a great matter—the great
ness of which becomes more evident
the more it is studied—it is better to
wait until the world has settled itself,
at least a little. That may be taken
as the substantial reason for post
ponement.
Work Has Been Done.
Meanwhile, work has been done. The
great project first became public
through an article in the American
Ecclesiastical Review by Rev. Roder
ick A. McEachen, D. D„ which left
no doubt as to the Holy Father's
interest in and intention to carry
through the work. And that same
priest has been employed in the mean
time in clearing the ground and' lay
ing foundations—catechetical instruc
tion being his specialty. There is a
vast room opening off the highest
Loggia of the Cortile di San Damaso
at the Vatican, in it a vast table, and
on that, a more than vast but neatly
ordinate.d selection of all the cate
chisms. of the world. Ordination. and
selection is the task1 Doctor McEach
en has been turning his attention to
since he was charged here to make
preparations for the real introduction
of the work. For this, it will be re
membered, is far more than the pre
paration of just one uniform cate
chism text. It is the coordination of
catechetical teaching, as big a thing,
in many ways a bigger thing than the
Codification of Canon Law in propor
tion as Law, widely speaking, is not
such a big thing as Faith. And, be
ing so big, it is postponed.
Commission To Be Appointed.
'For the codification a comprehen
sive Pontifical Commission was ap
pointed by His Holiness Pope Pius
and one may well presume that a
similar Commission will be appoint
ed for the unification—if that is the
word, by which it will he known col
loquially in the future—and the diffi
culties of such an appointment just
at present are obvious. Facilities for
Pioneer Chicagoan, Former City
Comptroller, Banker and Hon
ored by the Pope.
William J. Onahan, 83 years old, a
resident of Chicago for sixty-two
years and formerly City Comptroller,
died on January 12 at his home, 1*254
Macalester Place, Chicago. He was
born in County Carlow, Ireland, and
come to Chicago in 1856.
He held his first public office in
1863, being appointed a member of
the School Board on motion of Ald
erman Cbmiskey, father of Charles
A Comiskey. In 1869 he was elect
ed City Clerk, and in 1879 he was ap
pointed City Collector by Mayor Har
rison.
Afterward he. was City Comptroller
under Mayor Cregier and Roche. In
the '80's he was President of the Pub
lic Library and later, when jury re
forms were demanded, he wap made
jury commissioner.
Mr. Onahan was elected president
-of the Home Savings Bank in 1898.
ke was one of the organizers of the
Irish Catholic Colonisation Society.
For this and other work in the Cath
olic Church Pope Leo XIII made him
a Papal Chamberlain. The. Laetare
Medal was awarded to him by Notre
Dame University.
Mr. Onahan married, in 1860, Mar
garet C. Duffy. Six children were
born, only one, Mrs. Daniel V. Gal
lery, surviving.
The library of Mr. Onahan was
We of the largest in Chicago, the
^section devot^l to Irish history and
literature being especially valuable.
Unification of Catechism
Texts P^t^ed In Rome
DEATH CLAIMS COUNT W. J.ONAHAN
travel must return to something ap
proaching the normal, and to some de
gree the tension of feeling, at pres
ent inevitable and not likely to dis
appear for many a long day yet, must,
at least, be modified. For this is em
inently a world project. If the Com
mission for Codification was interna
tional, and if every Bishop in the
Catholic world had to be consulted
and the suggestions his canonist ad
visers made, carefully studied, fair
more so is this the case Tor unifica
tion. But, while there is obvious need
that the attention of the Holy See
should be concentrated at once on a
thousand problems immediately aris
ing out of the cessation of fighting,
and involving the consideration of
the peace, which must do something
to introduce a new order of things in
the civilized world—for whatever
part of the world may think, nothing
can prevent Rome and the worldwide
Catholic Church having great inter
est and great part in the establish
ment of this new order—on the other
hand, its Faith remains ever the
same and the study of the unifica
tion of its teaching, which must cer
tainly last many years, can begin to
morrow almost, if not quite, as well
as today.
Received in Audience.
Meanwhile, having finished the pre
liminary worK entrusted to him here,
Doctor MIcEachen is packing his
trunk to cross the Atlantic, home. So,
if American Catholics regret the post
ponement of the great project, which
is peculiarly theirs, as it orginated—
if any universal Catholic project fcan
originate out of Rome—in America,
the Catholic University of Washing
ton is at least the gainer in that the
occupant of the chair of catechetics
will soon be at its service. He and
his sister, Miss Mary McEachen, who
has only lately arrived in Rome and
consequently is not inclined to hurry
back, were received in private audi
ence by the Holy Father recently.
Oldest Small Nation.—Of the smal
ler nations of Europe, Ireland is the
oldest. For more than 700 years Ire
land has been struggling for self-gov
ernment. At present her revenue tax
is $150,000,000. Her imperial rev
enue is thirty-five million dollars
greater than that of Holland, nine
times greater than Switzerland, and
equal the combined revenues of Den
mark, Norway, Switzerland and
Greece.
Mr. Onahan was active to within
a few days of his death and within
the last year was elected president
of the Illinois Catholic Historical So
ciety. May he rest in peace!
NOTftE DAME WILL HAVE NEW
BUILDING.
Notre Dame, 1*7
—Entering on the
last lap of their |50,000 building cam
paign, members of the Notre Dame
council have started an interhall drive,
which, it is expected will bring the
total subscriptions well over"the' mark
set for closing time, Feb. 20th.
Work on the proposed structure
will begin immediately after the close
of the campaign. The building when
complete will serve as a university
social center. Hitherto, most of Notre
Dame's social affairs have been held
in South Bend. A spaciops dan"f
hall and auditorium on the top floor
will hereafter enable the students to
make their activities distinct univer
sity affairs. Bowling alleys and bil
liard and pool parlors will be installed
in the basement of the building a
large foyer and reading room and
lounging rooms are planned for the
first floor K. of C. administration
offices and chambers for the second
and the auditorium for the third. Al
though the Knights are conducting the
campaign the new building will be
open to all students of the university
at all times.
Minnoapafct,
Mbul,
Ireland stood before the world today
as a republic. It's duly elected repre
sentatives had exercised the right of
self-determination to the fullest ex
tent, had even selected delegates to
represent it at the peace conference
as a separate entity.
According to the provisional consti
tution of the republic, legislative pow
ers are to be vested in deputies elect
ed from existing parliamentary constit
uencies. The ministry will consist of
a president and four executive officers
—secretaries of finance, home affairs,
foreign affairs and national defense.
All revenues will be raised on the
vote of the "dail eireann." The con
stitution may be altered upon seven
days' notice. Sir Horace Plunkett,
Prof. Edward De Valera and Arthur
Griffiths will probably be appointed
Irish delegates to the peace congress.
The parliament opened at 3:30 yes
terday afternoon with a prayer by
Father O'Flannagan of Gaelic. Then
the famous round room of the Man
sion house was filled with strange
Gaelic accents, which came haltingly
from unaccustomed lips. The first
brief words in Eglish were spoken at
4:20, when E. J. Duggan translated
the Sinn Fein declaration of independ
ence.
Removal of Troops Demanded.
Later the chairman employed Eng
lish in excitedly suppressing a demon
stration at mention of the name of Sir
Edward Carson, leader of the anti
home rule faction. The only other
time when any language but Gaelic
was used was when Coun^ Plunkett
translated into French an appeal for
world-wide recognition of Irish inde
pendence, insisting that the existing
"state of war" between the English
and the Irish could terminate only in
complete independence. Removal of
the British garrison from Ireland was
demanded.
Twenty-nine Sinn Fein members of
the parliament were present. The oth
ers are in jail.
The walls of the ball were quaintly
embellished with classic statues in
plaster and coats of arms. Past lord
mayors have witnessed many more ex
citing dramas, notably in recent years
at the conventions of the Nationalist
party, when there were impassioned
speeches and hot party contests.
That the proceedings seemed tame
by contrast was due to the fact that
they were conducted in the language
of the Irish tongue. This was a trib
ute to sentiment, and interesting.
Emotion Not Lacking.
It should not be inferred there was
Deep sympathy is felt in Italy with
the family of the Pope, who have been
doubly stricken during the past week.
On Sunday last the Marchesa Eugenia
della Chiesa, wife of the Marchese
Antonio, who is brother to Pope Bene
dict XV., died somewhat suddenly
at the palazza in the Via Tornicelli.
The decelased marchesa came of
the Jacobini family, which has given
piety and modesty, who devoted her
one Cardinal Secretary of State to
the Church. She was a lady of great
life to works of charity and her do
mestic affairs. She succeeded the
mother of the present Pope as presi
dent of the Association of Catholic
Saturday,
Ireland a Republic in
"the Eyes of World
Addnw to Free Nations Asks for Support of
New Republic by Recognizing Ireland's Nat
ional Status and Her flight to Vindication at
the Peace Conference. No Answer Made
by England of Ireland's Challenge of Self-
Determination. First Two Days of Session
of the New Irish Parliament Was Success
ful and Organization Was Thorough and
Firm. Only Associated Press News is Avail
able so far, Which Seeth With England's
Propaganda.
POPE'S FAMILY STRICKEN
/Sgpyt^ac- .•ifl^rnr^ni'
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any lack of emotion or want of feel
ing of responsibility on the part of the
delegates. They evidently felt them
selves men playing great parts in a
solemn sacrament.
The rotunda of the Mansion House
where the congress met, is a dingy old
place lighted by stained glass windows
overhead. The platform and half the
floor were fitted with tables for offi
cers and delegates. The remainder of
the floor and the circular gallery were
reserved for the public, admission be
ing by ticket.
Many Women Are Spectators.
A large proportion of the audience
was composed of women. The number
of young priests was conspicuous.
The meeting lasted only 90 minutes.
The address of free nations began:
"The nation of Ireland, having her
national independence, calls through
her elected representatives, in Parlia
ment' assembled, upon every free na
tion to Bupport the Irish republic by
recognizing Ireland's national status
and her, right to vindication at the
peace conference."
It declared that Ireland was radical
ly diBtinct from England in race, lan
guage, customs and traditions Ireland,
it' said, was one of the most ancient
nations of Europe. She had preserved
her national integrity and vigor intact
through seven centuries of foreign op
pression and never had relinquished
her national rights, which she had de
fiantly proclaimed every generation
throughout the era of English usurpa
tion, "Down to her last glorious re
sort to arms in 1916."
After referring to her geographical
position, the address continued:
"Ireland's independence is demand
ed. By the freedom of the seas her
great harbors will be opened to all
nations, instead of being a monopoly
to England. Today these harbors are
empty and idle.
"Ireland, irrevocably determined at
the dawn of the promised era of self
determination and liberty that she will
suffer from domination no longer, calls
every free nation to uphold her na
tional claim to complete independence
as an Irish republic against the ar
rogant pretensions of England, which
were founded on fraud and sustained
by overwhelming military occupa
tion.
"She demands to be confronted pub
licly with England at the congress of
nations, that the civilized world, hav
ing judged between English wrong and
Irish right, may guarantee Ireland its
permanent support for the mainte
nance of national independence."
Women, and was president of sev
eral other associations, in which the
Pope Is interested. In this capacity
she exercised a large but reserved
charity, of which few were aware, and
she will be sadly missed by the poor
of Rome.
Died at Prayer—Father Patrick F.
Kavanagh, a well-known Franciscan
historian, was found dead in a kneel
ing posture in his room at the Fran
ciscan Monastery, Wexford, on Tues
day. Father Kavanagh wrote a his
tory of the Rising of 1998, which lias
had a large circulation. He was over
eighty years of age. He assisted at
the marriages of the late John and
William Redmond in Australia.
^?f'v
January
*7 1919 5c
Too Much Red Tape Used in Providing
Jobs for Our Returning Soldiers and
Sailors—Secretary of Labor Wilson
Offers Timely Suggestion to Public
Authorities.
From almost every part of the coun
try is heard the complaint of the re
turning soldiers and sailors of the 11 a"
tional service that they are unable to
find employment for themselves" What
and where is the trouble? Have the
armistice and the demobilization
found us as unprepared for peace as
we were for war? Have they come
so unexpectedly that we have not
matured .plans and methods for the in
dustrial and commercial readjustments
that we knew were sure to come when
the Kaiser should eventually throw
up his hands and shout "Kamerad."
We prefer to believe that it is the
suddenness of this happening rather
than any lack of appreciation of the
glorious work your lighting Yanks
have been doing that is responsible
for the present deplorable situation.
Nevertheless, it seems necessary to re
call the promises and pledges made to
these young men as they went out on
their great crusade to save the civili
zation of the world. At the receptions,
rallies, farewell dinners and other
patriotic functions given at the time,
of their departure they were given
to understand that there would be no
trouble about, their replac.oment in
their old positions or in better posi
tions upon their return. Why then,
do these boys have to go begging for
employment now? Why are they
compelled to resort to Socialist meet
ings to vent their indignation re
garding their treatment?
Too Much Red Tape.
The Civic and Commerce Associa
tion of Minneapolis is lending valu
able assistance to meet the require
ments of the situation, but some of
the soldiers have been heard to re
mark "It's a history of my life they
wanted, not to give me a job." An
other soldier declared, "There was as
much red tape in my application as
for a transfer in the army." It is
to be hoped that the officials of the
Association may quickly take note
of the hint contained in these com
ments, and win the esteem of the sol
dier and sailor applicants by cutting
out some of the red tape procedure in
the matter of placing these appli
cants. It should be remembered that
a man who has passed successfully
all the examinations and investiga
tions incident to entry into the na
tional service must be fairly well
qualified physically, mentally and mor-
The Supreme Board of Directors of
the Knights of Columbus, at its Janu
ary meeting in New York City, which
ended last Saturday, unanimously
passed the following resolution in ref
erence to the liberty of Ireland, which
was cabled to President Wilson at
Paris.
The Supreme Board represents a
membership of approximately 500,000
men in the United States. The resolu
tion was received from Supreme Sec
retary McGinley Wednesday by J. P.
O'Mahony, of this city, who is Nation
al Committeeman for the Friends of
Irish Freedom in Indiana. Following
is the resolution:
Whereas: President Wilson has
stated, "No peace can last or ought to
last which does not recognize and ac
cept the principles that governments
derive all their just powers from the
consent of the governed, and that na
tional aspirations must be repeated.
Peoples can now be dominated and
governed only by their own consent.
Self-determination is not a mere
farce." Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That in keeping with
these words of truth, we hold that
the right of Ireland to self-determina
tion cannot be denied. And be it
furthur
Resolved, That President Wilson be
asked to use his great influence at the
Peace Conference to the end that the
people of Ireland be permitted to de
termine for themselves the form of
government under which they wish
to live. Signed.
N
4
Build Public Worts
Give SoldierslWork
SUPREME KNIGHTS FAVOR IRELAND
"V"'. /J'
iIm
ally for the ordinary lines of employ
ment.
The City Council and other city
officials are to be commended for
their prompt action in the promises,
and will doubtless soon open up many
other new projects and public enter
prises that will tend to relieve the
situation.
Duty of State Authorities.
We desire to call the special at
tention of the State Legislature and
the State officials to their obligations
and opportunities in this matter.
What have they done, if anything, to
afford employment to our returned
heroes?
The Legislature is now in session,
and surely will not fail to take ap
propriate action along this important
line. The United States Department
of labor has called attention to this
matter in its latest news circular as
follows:
Build Public Works.
Public works of all kinds that will
give employment to men demobilized
from the army and from the war in
dustries should be put under way at
once as a reconstruction measure, ac
cording to secretary of Uibor William
13. Wilson, who, in a statement, out
lining his views on this subject, points
out that not only will the transition
from war-time conditions to a peace
basis be facilitated thereby, but that a
work of great permanent value to the
Nation will be accomplished.
States, cities, towns, in fact, all Gov
ernmental divisions, ought now, he be
lieves, to make up for the reduced
construction due to the war. The
Government's obligation to provide
employment for the returning soldiers
and the necessity fof many forms of
improvement in municipal end state
equipment render such a program es
sential at this time, he holds. Give
every man an opportunity to earn a
living.
Secretary Wilson further says:
"I am not one of those who take
the ground that a country of a Gov
ernment owes every man a living. But
all Governments, all organized society
is man-created, and consequently,
more or less artificial because of the
restrictions that must of necessity be
Imposed for the purpose of enabling us
to live in harmony with each other.
And because of those restrictions, men
have not always the opportunity of
working for themselves, and I am one
of those who believe that all good
Governments will seo to it that every
man has the opportunity to earn a
living. In other words, the Govern
ment does not owe him a living, but it
owes him the opportunity to earn a
living."
James A. Flaherty, Supreme Knight,
New Haven, Conn. Martin H. Car
ol ody, Deputy Supreme Knight, Grand
Rapids, Mich. Wm. J. McGinley, Su
preme Secretary, New Haven, Conn.
D. J. Callahan, Supreme Treasurer,.
Washington, D. C. E. W. Buckley, M.
D., Supreme Physician, St. Paul,
Minn. J. C. Pelletier, Supreme Ad
vocate, Boston, Mass. Rev. P. J. M/c
Givney, S"oreme Chaplain, Bridge
port, Conn. Thos. J. McLaughlin, Su
preme Warden, Newark, N. J.
Directors—John F. Martin, Green
Bay, Wis. Wm. P. Larkin, New York
City William J. Mulligan, Thomposn
ville, Conn. John H. Reddin, Denver,
Colo. W. D. Dwyer, St. Paul, Minn.
Dr. N. A. Dussault, Quebec, Canada
Paul Leche, Donaldsonville, La. Geo.
S. Monaghan, Detroit, Mich. J. J. Mc
Graw, Ponca City, Okla. William F.
Fox, Indianapolis. Ind. Joseph J. Mey
ers, Carroll, Iowa, and Luke Hart, St.
Louis, Mb.
Five Marist Sisters from Tours
IFrance, passed through this country
last week, enroute to the Fiji islands
to act as teachers and nurses in the
.leper colonies. They expect to reach
their destination abont February.
They are the first Sisters' to volun
teer to go to the leper colony to as
sist the Marist Fathers in their work
for the natives. They left France for
this country the day the armistice
was signed.
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