Colunibianism in Texas
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the reward was to be published in two papers in each diocese; the State Council was to·pay for the advertisements, and the reward was to be given for showing proof of the authenticity of the "bogus oath." This put the burden of proof on the detractors and offered a powerful incentive for its proof. As late as 1948, after a quiet period of several years, agitation broke out again and the old hoax was once more resorted to. The Banner of Ralls, Texas, published the "bogus oath" as if it were a new discovery about the sinister character of the Knights of Columbus. The Lubbock Council Number 3008 took up the matter with the editor, supplied him the facts in regard to the falsity of the alleged oath, and asked him for an apology and the publication of an explanation. The reply is indicative of the mind of some people. The editor published the data furnished him and clarified the matter, but he would not apologize for the harm he had done to millions of Catholics by having published the "bogus oath" with- out investigating the facts. "Never expect," he said sententiously, "this paper to apologize to anyone for maintaining a free press." His pride and lack of Christian charity prevented him from admitting his error and saying, "I am sorry." The 1928 presidential campaign is another concrete example of how deep prejudice against Catholics is rooted and how widespread is the _ignorance of the true nature of our faith. For the first time since the Civil War the "Solid South" was split in politics in which the religious issue played a prominent part. Al Smith, the plumed knight of American politics, went to defeat principally on a groundless religious issue raised by his enemies who knew they could count on prejudices based on ignorance. . Taking to heart the impressive example of the Catholic laymen Asso- ciation of Georgia, formed in 1916 by some fifteen thousand persons, out of a three million population, to combat bigotry and hatred, the Supreme Council established a few years later the Religious Information Bureau, which has rendered outstanding service since then in making known to all men in this country the truth about the Church and our faith. More significant in combatting ignorance and disseminating informa- tion has been the decision taken in 1948 by the Supreme Council to place paid advertisements in magazines of national and international circulation explaining the Catholic Faith, its practices, and its customs. Once the new plan was launched, advertisements were placed in such magazines as the Pathfinder, Colliers, and the American Weekly, to mention only a few,
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