REVEREND ROSSINI was the priest who presided over the Roman Catholic parish in Wilford Springs. He was an Italian by birth and was educated for the priesthood in Italy. He had been in this country only ten years. He did not mix with the general public and apparently took but little interest in public affairs. Protestants often remarked that one thing that could be said for the Reverend Rossini was that he attended strictly to his own business. The Reverend Rossini was seated in the living room of the priest's home one evening enjoying a cigar, when his housekeeper announced a caller. "Father," she said, "Patrick McBryan is in the reception room and wishes to see you."
"Have Patrick come in."
Patrick McBryan was a local politician. He had held some office for the past fifteen years and was an important factor in every election. At the present time he was one of the city commissioners.
"How are you, Patrick? Have a chair."
"Glad to see you, Father. Are you well?"
"Quite well, Patrick."
The priest rang a little bell on the table by his side. A maid came promptly in answer to this summons.
"Margaret, bring up a bottle of wine and two glasses."
"Yes, Father." She courtesied and left the room. In a short time she returned with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. The priest poured a glass of the sparkling beverage and passed it to Patrick. When he had filled his own he held it up and toasted his visitor. "May you prosper and be granted many years to serve the Holy Church."
"Thank you, Father; the same to you." After Patrick had emptied his glass he smacked his lips and remarked, "Splendid stuff! We don't get anything like that at Hennesy's."
"It is too bad," said the priest, "that a lot of prohibition cranks can pass laws which compel the common people to drink poor liquor; and that where they do not have liberal officers, as we have here, are compelled to buy it clandestinely. It's a shame! The time will come, though, when we will have the votes to repeal this ridiculous prohibitory amendment."
"You are right, Father. It's only a question of time until we will be able to restore the saloons. The expense of trying to enforce the law and the great number of violations will disgust the public and make them anxious to repeal the amendment."
"Another bad feature of this law is that it increases crime. Statistics show that crime is on the increase in this country. Folk are restless without liquor. Of course, I believe that folk should obey the law, but a law that increases crime is a bad law. Patrick, have another drink." He filled the glasses again, and they both drank.
"This is certainly fine, but a little expensive, I should judge."
"Yes, that is another evil effect of the law. This wine was made in the famous Champagne district of France, shipped to Canada and was brought via airplane from Canada here. The runner is entitled to reasonable compensation but, Patrick, I tell you he is unreasonable—even to his regular patrons, charges five times what he should for this wine. It's a shame that the government will pass a law that permits grafters to take advantage of the public in this way."
"Father Rossini, I came to talk with you about a very important matter."
"All right, Patrick. What is it?"
"A Ku Klux Klan organizer is in town and is wanting to organize a Klan here."
"Mercy, mercy! Is that a fact? Do you know it to be true, Patrick?" The priest rose from his chair and walked nervously to and fro.
"Yes, Father, there is no mistake about it. The Knights of Columbus at Asher notified us that he was coming. We located him at the Andrew's Hotel. One of our Knights of Columbus took a room next to his. Last night he heard the organizer and some man, whom he could not identify by the voice, making a prospective list. Our Knight of Columbus stood on a chair near the transom but did not dare to look over to see who was with the organizer."
"God bless the Knights of Columbus! They are rendering valiant service to His Grace, the Pope, and the Holy Church. What was the character and standing of the men whom they were discussing as prospective Klansmen?"
"They were among the very best men of the town."
The priest resumed his seat. "Patrick," he said, "this Ku Klux Klan is a very dangerous and vicious organization."
"Yes, Father, we often hear that in the Knights of Columbus hall."
"Yes. I know we have often discussed it there, but I am afraid that you do not fully realize the danger. The Catholic Church is strong in the United States and growing stronger every day. Stronger not only in numbers but in influence and wealth. We have many men in important public positions, naturally this is to be expected—but Patrick, do you know that we have men in office out of all proportion to our numerical strength? Why? Simply because we are united. Politicians know that if they can get the support of Catholics that they will have back of them an organization that will act as a unit. 'In union there is strength.' The fact that we are united has a powerful influence in the industrial as well as in the political world."
"Yes, I am sure of that. Down at the L. & B. factory we have Catholic foremen in every department, and the employees there don't need to be told that it is advantageous to a Catholic.
"The Protestants are divided, and we want to keep them divided. If the Ku Klux Klan becomes a great organization uniting the Protestant men of this country (and it is having a marvelous growth) our influence will be lessened. This Klan organization is opposed to foreign immigration. In 1921 there were eight hundred five thousand, two hundred twenty-eight immigrants to the United States." (He went to a cabinet and took out a little book which he consulted). "Two hundred twenty-two thousand, four hundred ninety-six of these were Italians, my own countrymen, thirty-nine thousand, fifty-six were Irish, your countrymen——"
"I was born in America," said McBryan, interrupting the priest.
"Well, the land of your ancestors, then. Twenty-nine thousand, six hundred three were Mexicans. Of this group of two hundred ninety-one thousand, fifty-five, at least ninety per cent are Catholic. Of the remainder—one hundred nineteen thousand, fifty-six were Jews, in whom we have no especial interest. Of the remaining three hundred ninety-five thousand, one hundred seventeen it is safe to say that fully fifty per cent are Catholic. You see that the Catholic Church is gaining through immigration more numbers than all the other churches combined, while the next greatest number go to the Jewish Church. We must keep the bars down to immigration, as it means a rapid increase in membership for our church, and that means an increase in influence and power. Father Vaughn says: 'The tide of immigration is a Catholic one. And it is more: it is from these Catholic immigrants settling in the states, that teeming generations are to come condemning by their overwhelming numbers the sterility of the old American settlers.' Patrick, I am satisfied that if this organization is not put down we will never be able to repeal the eighteenth amendment. In the cities where the Klan has become strong our men have been voted out of city offices and our teachers have been removed from the teaching forces of city schools. The things which this organization has already done are outrageous and the things which they purpose to do are damnable."
"Yes, Father, I know that what you say is true, but the Knights of Columbus are on the job to prevent the spread of this Klanism."
"That is true, Patrick, I know it's true. A blessed organization is the Knights of Columbus! You said that the men suggested good citizens for membership. We must prevent as many of these good citizens from joining the organization as possible."
"Father, how is that to be done?"
"We must put out propaganda to discredit the organization. The press of the country for the most part is very helpful; occasionally there is a renegade paper that supports the Klan, but for the most part the papers that support it are small country papers. As you no doubt know, many of our metropolitan papers are owned by Catholics and many more that are owned by Protestants are under obligations to Jewish and Catholic advertisers. However, we must have a local paper that will quote the law violations of the Klan from the press all over the country and write editorials against it. Springer, the editor of The Journal, is a Catholic sympathizer, and I am satisfied that with proper inducements offered he will line up all right. If we can continually put before these good citizens propaganda to the effect that this is an outlaw organization they will be slow to join. I will see Springer."
"Don't you think that it would be a good thing to get the mayor to make a public statement denouncing the Klan as an outlaw organization and warning the citizens against becoming members or in any way encouraging this organization?" McBryan asked.
"That is the thing to do if we can find the proper person to approach the mayor."
"Jim Stover is the man to see the mayor."
"You mean the president of the Central State Bank?" queried the priest.
"Yes."
"He's a Protestant."
"Yes, but very much opposed to the Klan. A number of Ks. of C. have heard him express himself as bitterly opposed to the Kluxers. He is able to get anything he wants from the mayor."
"You see him, Patrick, and give him to understand that if he stands by us in this fight he can expect more deposits than he has had from Catholics and that the Ks. of C. will return the favor in a political way whenever he wants it—just so they are not asked to oppose a Catholic or support a Protestant who is hostile to Catholics. Patrick, it would be advisable to get a Catholic or a Catholic sympathizer to join the Klan so that we may get inside information."
"I know just the man. His name is Tom Glynn. He works at the mill. He told me that his wife is a Catholic and that he was raised a Catholic but that he had not been to confessional for so long that he no longer considers himself one."
"See if you can't get him to undertake this mission for His Grace, the Pope, and the Church. Tell him that sometime he will want the consolation of the Church, and that if he renders this service I will absolve him and give him my blessing. I think that is all for the present."
"Goodbye, Father."
"Goodbye, Patrick. The Klan is dangerous and an enemy to Rome, but we have the Knights of Columbus, Deo gratias."