The Irish standard. [volume], February 08, 1919, Image 3

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

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Saturday, February 8, 1919
Is Sir Conan Doyle in Communication
With the Spirits of the Dead?
(Written by J. Godfrey Raupert, K. S.
G., for Central Bureau Press
Bulletin.)
The following article is the first,
of a series of five short treatises on
the subject of Spiritism by Sir J. God
frey Raupert, K. S. G., of England,
now sojourning in this country. The
author 4s an acknowledged authority
on this subject, having conducted re
searches in this particular field for a
number of years his authority is
readily evidenced by his books, some
of which are: "Modern Spiritism,"
"The Dangers of Spiritualism," "Spiri
tistic Phenomena and their Interpre
tation." Moreover, Mr. Raupert's work
as a writer and lecturer has received
the recognition of Rome. "With the
sanction of the Holy See, says the
British 'Catholic Who's Who' (1918),
Mr. Raupert has given courses of lec
tures on the modern psychical and
occult movement of thought at Semi
naries and Catholic institutions in vari
ous part of the world." And only a
few months ago the Papal Secretary
of State, Cardinal Gasparri, conveyed
the blessing and encouragement of the
Holy Father to the author in a letter
dated Oct. 31, 1918.
In this letter—which emphasizes
the timely character of an educational
campaign regarding the danger of
Spiritism—the Papal Secretary says:
Indeed, among the evils which
at the present time are causing havoc
ot humanity, we may number those
occult practices of Spiritism, which, if"
permitted to spread unchecked,
threaten to inflice on countless per
sons the loss of body and soul.
"Therefore, His Holiness can but
esteem worthy of praise and of real
benefit to humanity the work that is
accomplished either by word or. by
writing, in order to save men from
the meshes of such intricate and peri
lous practice... .His Holiness encour
ages your whole hearted zeal
The subject is particularly timely,
since after practically every war a
sort of religious revival takes place,
the faithful seeking consolation and
shelter in their faith, while those who
have not true faith turn to various
forms of superstition. This contention
is being borne out by the prominence
given to "communion with the dead"
by such men as Sir A. Conan Doyle
and Sir Oliver Lodge. It was in view
of the emphasis laid on Spiritism at
this after-war moment that the C.
Bureau requested Mr. Raupert to pre
pare these articles.
I
I know of nothing in our modern
literature which so forcibly and clear
ly reflects and illustrates the Zeitgeist
as the recent statements and articles
by Sir Conan Doyle.
The age in which we live Is, as
all thinking men know, increasingly
departing from belief in the Super
natural as revealed in the Gospels
and the traditions of Historical Chris
tianity, and is relapsing Into paganism,
eyen though this paganism hides It
self behind attractive and "scientific"
and even academic terms. But the
human heart cannot altogether exist
without some contact with that un
seen world which It knows to exist
and with which It feels itself to he re
lated. As a consequence a very dis
tinct blank is created which causes
the* distressed mind to cast about for
some kind of substitute which is cal
culax A to fill this blank and to satisfy
Its cravings. Spiritism, in
The Facts and Fallacies
Of Modern Spiritism
ltB
modern
scientific form is, beyond doubt, the
most attractive and acceptable sub
stitute for this lost Supernatural that
could be presented. It satisfies, or
claims to satisfy, longings which all
men experience more or less, and
which in a sense constitute the very
basis and conditions of any kind of
religious life and belief. One can,
therefore, fully understand how it
comes to pass that statements such
as those of Sir Conan Doyle and Sir
Oliver Lodge' are creating a world
wide attention and why the interest
In the subject is such a keen and
widespread one.
Now it is not proposed in these
articles to raise the question as to
the reality and objectivity of the
phenomena themselves. They have
been under the observation of experts
—In many Instances men of a pro
nouncedly sceptical turn of mind—
for a long series of years and, for all
practical_ purposes, the final verdict
has been given. It Is absolutely cer
tain today thai, under given condi
tions, abnormal phenomena occur and
that these phenomena are due to some
kind of intelligence Independent of and
apart from the experimenter. The man
who donbts this today Is simply igno
rant of the facts of the case, and un
acquainted with the evidence which
exists. The basal claims of Spiritism,
therefore, are folly admitted. The
Catholic Church has never doubted
then and indeed has mafatiin^ their
reality when modern science was still
wrapt in its materialistic slumbers and
vehemently denied the existence of a
spiritual world and spiritual beings.
What we are concerned with is the
interpretation of these phenomena and
the nature, character, and aim of the
spirit-beings, who are the causes of
their production. It is here, the church
contends, where modern science is as
utterly astray as it has admittedly
been astray in its hitherto in
terpretations of the observed phenom
ena of matter. It is setting up hypo
theses which the facts of the case do
not warrant, and it is erecting a sys
tem of religious thought upon conten
tions which are mere fallacies.
The first of these fallacies is that
science has discovered something new
and wonderful and of deep importance
to human nature. No more ridiculous
and wholly groundless claim has ever
been made. The practice of necrom
ancy—the invoking and consulting of
what were believed to be the spirits
of the dead is as old as the world.
Traces of this practice can be found
in the history of all races and nations
and it may indeed be regarded as the
distinguishing characteristic of the pa
gan civilizations. The Jews, no doubt,
had become familiar with this practice
during their captivity and in their
contact with the Babylonians and had
introduced it amongst their own peo
ple. But the Jewish rulers and law
givers, so far from regarding these
practices as of any solid value to the
religious and social life of the people,
had always emphatically condemned
them and had enacted severe laws and
penalties against them. A witch, whom
we would today call' a medium, was
not allowed to live, and no true son
of the people was permitted "to seek
the truth from the dead." This fact
is beyond doubt to be ascribed to the
circumstance that, as Sir William Bar
rett, a confirmed spiritist, points out,
all these practices "tended to obscure
the divine idea, and to weaken the
supreme fatih in and worship of the
One Omnipotent Being, whom the na
tion was set apart to proclaim. In
stead of the arm of the Lord beyond
and above them, a motley crowd of
pious, lying, vain or gibbering spirits
would seem to people the unseen and
weariness, perplexity, and finally des
pair would enervate and destroy the
nation." Many experienced but disillu
sioned spiritists of all times and na
tions have emphatically confirmed the
wisdom and reasonableness of this at
titude of mind and have supported it
by serious and incontrovertible facts.
Our own age furnishes us with an
endless variety of striking incidents
and experiences which impel the cau
tious student of the subject to an iden
tical conclusion. All such incidents,
unfortunately, are calmly brushed
aside by our scientific spiritists, sim
ply because they are seen to run coun
ter to a belief which they are deter
mined to embrace and from which
they hope so much for the good of
distracted mankind.
But they should at least command
the serious attention of all conscien
tious and right-minded persons and
lead them to pause and reflect ere
they embark on practices and adopt
beliefs, fascinating and plausible no
doubt, but fraught never the less with
perils to both body and soul.
It will be shown in these articles
In what these perils mainly consist
and what are the fallacies underly
ing Stav Conan Doyle's contention.
Catholic Relatives
of Ex-President
Late Theodore Roosevelt Was Con
nected by Many Ties With
Catholic Church.
It is interesting to recall certain of
the Catholic relatives of Theodore
Roosevelt, says The Columbian
These included: Mother Eliza Ann
Bayley Seton, Archbishop James
Roosevelt Bayley, (grandson of James
Roosevelt, who founded the Roosevelt
Hospital, New York, and son of Guy
Carleton and Grace Roosevelt Bay
ley) Guy Carleton Bayley, Jr., Miss
Rosalie Bleecher, Roosevelt Bayley,
Archbishop Seton, and
MiSB
Roose­
velt, who became a Catholic in New
York last year.
Mrs. Roosevelt's mother, Mrs. Edith
Tyler Carew, of New York and Rome,
was a devout convert who lies buried
in one of the old Roman cemeteries
near her villa.
Nicholas Longworth, who married
Alice Roosevelt, counted Catholic rela
tives by the score, some of them hav
ing been: Archbishop Wood of Phila
delphia, (great-uncle) Mrs. Sarah
Worthington Peter, (grand-aunt) Mrs.
Maria Longworth Storer (aunt) the
Mrikehlonew de Chambrnn, etc.
RAIL STRIKE IN
LONDON SETTLED
Satisfactory Adjustment of Dis
pute on All Lines Is Un
officially Announced.
PLAN DRASTIC ACTION
Trades Union Leaders Are Contem
plating Proceedings to Deal With
Revolutionary Move Leading
to Unauthorized Walkouts.
London, Feb.^7.—It is unofficially
stated that a satisfactory settlement
of the London railway dispute has
been reached. It is said the settle
ment includes the tubes and all Lon
don railway systems.
The Union of Locomotive Engineers
and Firemen issued notices ending the
strike.
Londoners have not known another
week so demoralizing to business since
the air raid week in September, 1917,
when tliere was a bombardment of
the city almost every niglit. The
trouble has been due to strikes by
railroad workers.
Many thousands of commuters, de
pending on the Southwestern and
Brighton railroads to get them to
town, arrived at their stations to find
there were no trains, the people
soon gave up hope of reaching the
city and finally returned "Borne.
Government Steps Into Gap.
Several other local stoppages in
transit were reported. In Southwest
ern England mo3t of the people were
kept away from work by an extension
of the strike. The government
stepped into the gap, using several
hundred motor lorries to convey
workers from outskirts of London,
giving them free rides to their busi
ness places.
The cabinet was in session and Sir
Albert H. Stanley, president of the
Board of Trade, conferred with the
Locomotive Engineers' and Firemen's
associations at the Board of Trade.
A statement was made on behalf of
the cabinet saying the government
stood by its policy of non-interference.
Union Leaders Plan Action.
Following the lead taken by the
Amalgamated Society of Engineers in
suspending the district committee of
Belfast, the Clyde and London for
violating the rules of the organization
by participating in unauthorized
strikes the trade union leaders of the
United Kingdom are contemplating
further drastic action in dealing with
the revolutionary movement leading
to the independent strikes, in England,
Scotland and Ireland.
SECRETARY ORDERS INQUIRY
War Department Empleyee Said to
Have Been Bribed.
Washington, Feb. 7.—Secretary" of
War Baker told the Senate public
buildings committee that the depart
ment of justice had been asked to in
vestigate the charge that J. Wilton
Trainor, a war department employe,
solicited $100,000 as a fee for work
in connection with the Chicago Speed
way hospital project.
The charge was made by William S.
Bennett, counsel for the Chicago Con
struction company, which built the
hospital.
PACKERS AIDED CAMPAIGNS
Swift & Co. Helped Illinois and Kan
sas Candidates.
Washington, Feb. 7.—Swift & Co.
contributed to the campaign funds of
Representative Rodenburg of Illinois
in 1912 and Representative Taggert of
Kansas in 1915, Henry Veeder, counsel
for Swift & Co., testified in cross-ex
amination by Francis J. Heney before
the Senate agriculture committee.
Mr. Veeder said these were the only
cases he knew of In which such con
tributions were made.
STRIKE TIES UP NEWSPAPERS
1
Havans Unions Appeal to President
Menocal for Solution.
Havana, Feb. 7.—The strike of the
employes of the mechanical depart
ments of the newspapers continue and
no newspapers were published. A
committee of five representing the 37
unions which conducted the last gen
eral strike called on President Meno
cal to request him to find a solution
for the strike.
RIOTS IN UPPER AUSTRIA
Considerable Damage Has Resulted in
Town of Linz.
London, Feb. 7.—Disorders continue
In the district of Linz, Upper Austria,
and the town has been damaged to
the extent -ef-many millions of kroner,
according to an Exchange telegraph
dispatch from Vienna.
Balloon Catches Fire.
Salisbury, Md., Feb. 7.—A United
States army balloon in charge of Air
Pilot A'. Leio Stevens of Washington
caught Are from satlc electricity when
7,200 feet over this town, but a land
ing was made before the bag exploded.
Pilot Stevens had four passengers,
Lieut. Col. H. A. Dargue, Lieut. CoL
George B. Hunter, Capt M. J. Phfl
lips and Capt L.
B.
E I I S S A N A
Motford. The five
fought the lire and a safe landing was
soon made'in fast-developing IS-mlls
MRS. T. ROOSEVELT
Salls^Yor France to Visit Grave
of Her Son.
Copyright by Schloss.
Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, widow of
the former president, was among the
passengers'on the French liner Lorraine
which sailed from N^w York. She will
visit the grave of her son, Lieut. Quen
tin Roosevelt, who was killed in an
airplane battle over the German lines.
She also plans to spend several weeks
with her sister, Miss Emily Carew,
who is doing war work in Italy. While
in France Mrs. Roosevelt will see her
sons, Lieut. Col. Theodore Roosevelt
and Capt. Kermit Roosevelt.
EMBARGO IS UPHELD
Senators Defend British Limita
tion of Imports.
Resolutions Looking to Protest by
State Department is Sent to
Calendar.
Washington, Feb. 7.—Discussion in
the senate of the new British import
embargo swung to defense of the Brit
ish policy of protecting her industries
and the Weeks resolution looking to
a protest to London by the state de
partment was displaced and sent to
the senate calendar. Its further con
sideration will require a majority vote.
Senators King of Utah. Damocrat,
and Poindexter of Washington and Mc
Cumber of North Dakota led fn con
tending that England was justified in
defending her industries.
Despite the reference of his resolu
tion to the calendar, Senator Weeks
said he planned at the first opportunity
to call it up again, confident of fa
vorable action.
In defense of the British policy,
Senator Poindexter said: "Taking the
large impartial view, I think Great
Britain was justified. We ought to
look out for our interests as France
and England are entitled to look out
for theirs."
"I protest," said Mr. MeCumber,
"against criticising any nation for do
ing exactly what we have been doing
or will do."
VANCE McCORMICK CHAIRMAN
Supreme Allied Blockade Council Has
Been Organized.
Paris, Feb. 7.—A supreme Allied
blockade council has been organized
to arrange for a relaxation of embar
goes upon imports into enemy coun
tries. Vance McCormick, the Amer
ican member, has been chosen chair
man. The other members are Lord
Robert Cecil and Baron Rothermere
for Great Britain, Et'ienne Clementel,
minister of commerce for France, and
Dr. Silvio Crespi, minister of food for
Italy.
FOURTEEN MEN ARE INDICTED
Charged With Conspiracy to Defraud
Government.
St. Louis, Feb. 7.—The Federal
grand jury returned indictments
against 14 men charging conspiracy to
defraud the government. Two of the
men are charged with using an in
ferior grade of coffee In filling a gov
ernment order and the other 12 are
charged with conspiring to obtain
clothing sold at Jefferson barracks at
a low rate.
Higher French Mall Rate.
Washington, Feb. 7.—Attention was
called by the War department to the
fact that when letters sent to officers
and enlisted men in the expedition
ary forces are addressed directly to
the town or city in France where the
recipient Is stationed, such mail auto
matically comes under foreign postal
regulations and requires foreign post
age rates of five cents per ounce. When
soldier mail Is addressed, giving the
unit to which the soldier belongs, the
domestic rate of postage, three cents
par ounce, applies.
1
SOVIETS AGREE
TO CONFERENCE
Russ Anarchists Express Willing
ness to Meet Allied Delegation
at Princes' Islands.
ASK DATE BE NAMED
Are Ready to Enter Agreement With
Entente on Condition That Utter.
Will Not Interfere With Rus
sian Internal Affairs.'
Paris, Feb. 7.—The Allies' su
preme council, on receiving the ac
ceptance of the Russian bolshe
vik government of the invita
tion to attend the conference on
the Princes' Islands, immediately
made arrangements to send a joint
committee of two representatives
from each of the five great pow
ers to meet the representatives
of the soviet government.
London, Feb. 7.—The Bolshevist
foreign minister of Russia, Mr. Tchit
cherin, announces in a wireless dis
patch picked up here that the soviet
government is willing to participate
in the Princess Island conference. The
message was sent from Moscow.
The dispatch begins by referring to
"complaints from the Entente press
concerning international revolutionary
propaganda," and declares that the
soviet government is ready, "if there
be occasion, to enter into a general
agreement with the Entente powers
on their undertaking not to interfere
with the Rusisan internal affairs."
It then announces that the govern
ment is disposed to confer on the basis
indicated in the note for the confer
ence at Princes' Islands or elsewhere
"with all the Entente powers or some
of them separately, or even with some
of the Rusisan political groups at the
request of the Entente powers."
In conclusion, the Entente powers
are asked to inform the soviet govern
ment, where its representatives are to
go, also the date and route to be taken.
Won't Predict Action.
Paris, Feb. 7.—When Professor Boris
A. Bakhinotiev, a member of the coun
cil formed by a.ntibolshevist factions
here, was advised of M. T. Tchicherin's
acceptance of the invitation to the
Princes' Island conference, ho declared
he would be unable to say what the
Russian committee in Paris would do.
Me indicated that a copy of the offi
cial message must be received and dis
cussed befo"e any announcement
would be made.
Bakhmetiev said that the dispatch
from Tchitcherin was a surprise.
Called "Ignoble Comedy."
"It is an ignoble comedy," said Rus
sian leaders here when they were
shown dispatches stating that the bol
slievists were ready to go to the Prin
kipo conference.
They expressed the opinion that the
bolshcvii't. leaders would represent to
their ollowers that the Allies' invita
tion was re.-.gnition of them and
•.y.aihi jirc.id the icpnrl that the A1
e!i, f:.*:r'?!g Iheni. had asked for peace,
bus h.jt.ivijT to strengthen tiieir posi
ion.
rVVO KILLED !fj_ COLLISION
Passenger arid Freic/ht Trains Meet
Nonr Wabrvsha, Minn.
Wabashi. Minn.. Feb. 7.—Frank
itutzel of Wabasha, a mail clerk, and
olm l-iein'sc, of Austin, engineer, were
illcd when a passenger train, running
:'om Wa'oi.sha to Faribault, crashed
ead-on into a-freight train from Min
'.c-apolis to LaCrossc, ore and one-half
uiles earf. of here, near Midland June
ion, on the Chicago. Milwaukee & fit.
'aul rnih-'jnfl.
Sevei 1 of the ousscn^ers were in
ured, but none seriously.
\MEND2i1ENT TO ARMY BILL
House Committee Votes to Abolish
Service. Chevrons.
Washington, Feb. S.--A11 amendment
the army appropriation bill abolish
ng all service chevrons on army nn'
orms was unanimously agreed bv the
nilitary comm'lteo and will he made
a
louse
Monday. The amendment is
lireeted primarily against the silver
•lievron authorized by the general stall
ind required to be worn by soldiers
who served his country and did not
abroad.
POLES AND GERMANS IN TRUCE
Seven Day Armistice on S lesian Front
Is Signed.
Basle, Feb. 7.—Germans and Poles
have signed a seven day armistice on
the Sile8ian front, which may be re
newed automatically, it was reported
in dispatches received here today.
(750,000,000 for Railroads.
Washington, Feb. 7.—Director Gen
eral Hlnes, appearing before the House
Appropriations committee, urged that
Congress appropriate $750,000,000 ad
ditional for the revolving fund, for
which $500,000,000 originally was auth
orized by Congress. He said the ap
propriation should be made regardless
of whether government control of the
roads was relinquished within a few
months, as the money was necessary
for improvements which the roads
tnld be unable to finaaca,
W. W. ATTERBURY
Director General of American
Railways in France.
Maj. Gen. W. W. Atterbury, as di
rector general of American railways in
France, will play an important part
in the reconstruction work of the
French nation, lie formerly was vice
president of the Pennsylvania railroad.
READY FOB LMERGENCY
Federal Troops are on Duty at
Tacoma and Seattle.
General Strike of Practically All
Trades Has Resulted in Paralyz
ing Business.
Seattle, Feb. 7.—Itegular troops from
Camp Lewis are quartered in Tacoma
and Seattle to "stand ready for any
emergency," as army officers said,
arising from the general strike of 45,
000 union men in sympathy with U5,
000 shipyard workers who went out
Jan. 21 to enforce demands for higher
pay.
Brigadier General John L. liayden
commands the contingent of 800 sol
diers in Seattle, and Brig. Gen. Frank
B. Watson haH under him in Tacoma,
36 miles from hero, two battalions and
a machine gun company.
Authority for the use of troops was
granted by Secretary of War Baker
upon advices from Governor Lister of
the situation in Tacoma and Seattle.
Thirty-five thousand union men In
the vicinity of Seattle quit work, la
bor leaders said, but in Tacoma re
sponse was not so general. The prln
clpal industries involved were the car
men, timber workers, barbers and re
tail clerks. Street cars stopped run
ning in Seattle, schools closed, restau
rants and theaters closed their doors,
newspapers suspended and other in
dustries ceased operating. Barber
shops closed and elevators stopped
running.
FRAME PLANS IN SECRET
8enate Committee Will Begin Anarchy
Hearing Tuesday.
Washington, Feb. 7.—The senate
judiciary subcommittee held a secret
session to plan procedure in its in
vestigation of Bolsbeviki, I. W. W. and
other propaganda in the United States,
but postponed hearing of the first wit
ness, Albert Rhys Williams, a writer
recently returned from Russia, who
had been subpoenaed by the commit
tee. Chairman Overman announced
that the first hearing would be held
Tuesday.
PASSES "MOONSHINE" BILL
North Dakota Senate Votes to Make
State Bone Dry.
Bismarck, N. D., Feb. 7.—Passage of
the moonshine bill, which prohibits
personal possession of liquor and of
the bill which changes the standard of
teachers' certificates and adoption by
the senate of the bill which places all
pool halls, theaters, dance halls, taxi
cab stands, etc., under state supervis
ion, featured the session of tbe North
Dakota legislature.
ADMITS FOUR SMALL POWERS
League of Nations Commission In
creases Membership.
Paris, Feb. 7.—The conference com
mission on a society of nations issued
an official statement saying it had de
cided that representatives of Czecho
slovakia, Greece, Poland and Rouma
nia would be associated in its delib
erations. This is in keeping with the
decision to give four additional places
on the commission to the smaller pow
ers.
Hal Chase Is Cleared.
New York, Feb. 7.—Hal Chase,
stormy petrel of baseball, was cleared
on the charge of "throwing" games
preferred against him by the Cincin
nati club. He was declared "not
guilty" by President John A. Heydler
of the National league, who acted
judge, after a week's study of the evi
dence for and against him. "It Is no
where established that the arensed
was Interested in any pool or wager
that caused any game to result other
wise than on its merits," said Heyd
lsr in his decision.