and our political rulers make obeisance before him. On Sunday, January
14, 1917, there were present at this political mass the following
personages: Four cabinet members and their wives; the speaker of the
House; a large group of senators and representatives; a general of the
army and his wife; an admiral of the navy and his wife; the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court and his wife, and another Justice of the
Supreme Court and his wife.

And understand that the church makes no secret of its purpose in
conducting such public exhibitions. Here is the pious Pope Leo XIII
again, in his Encyclical of Nov. 1, 1885:

All Catholics must make themselves felt as active elements
in daily political life in the countries where they live.
They must penetrate, wherever possible, in the
administration of civil affairs; must constantly exert the
utmost vigilance and energy to prevent the usages of liberty
from going beyond the limits fixed by God's law. All
Catholics should do all in their power to cause the
constitutions of states and legislation to be modeled on the
principles of the true Church.

And following these instructions, the Catholics are organized for
political work. There are the various Catholic Societies, such as the
Knights of Columbus, secret, oath-bound organizations, the military
arm of the Papal Power. These societies boast some three million
members, and control not less than that many votes. The one thing that
you can be certain about these votes is that on every public question,
of whatever nature, they will be cast on the side of ignorance and
reaction. Thus, it was the influence of the Catholic Societies which