the clergy and influential laymen.

System will avoid a conflict of claims for other great causes equally
worthy of our generous support. The war has in this matter taught us at
home a great lesson. There were appeals for the Patriotic Fund, the Red
Cross, the Belgium Relief, the French Aid, etc., etc. They all came to
us in rotation. No apology was made, every one felt in duty and honor
bound, and the money was always there with an extraordinary readiness.
Organization is the first element of success.

* * * * * *

Who will be the promoters of this great work? Naturally the Hierarchy of
the West will be its inspiring and moving spirit. But, should not the
Knights of Columbus, that body-guard of Catholic laity, be called to the
honour of "seeing it through." This great undertaking would be a most
appropriate background for all the activities of our valiant Knights in
Western Canada.

A society, Catholic in principle and membership, must, to last, and be an
asset to the Church, have a definite programme of action in harmony with
its aim and constitution. If it keeps its energies pent up behind the
walls of the council-chambers and only finds them an outlet in social
functions and friendly gatherings, it will soon go to seed or die of dry
rot. When on the contrary an organization, such as the Knights of
Columbus, throws the full weight of its energies in the forwarding of a
great cause, the possibilities of its influence are limitless. The war
activities of the Knights and their splendid results for the Church and
the nation are a tangible proof of it.

Could there be a work more in harmony with the aims of the great Catholic
organization than that of higher education. At the national convention
of 1912, held at Colorado Springs, the committee on Catholic Higher
Education ends its report by saying: "In the newer impetus that will come
to Catholic education as the result of better understanding (its
necessity and value), the Knights of Columbus must make themselves an
important factor. We owe it to ourselves and to that special loyalty to
both Church and State which we pride to claim as the special note of the
order. It is often asked what are the Knights of Columbus doing that
they should be so proud of their organization, and the best possible
answer would be for all of us to be able to point to benefits that were
conferred by Knights individually and in bodies upon our Ca