WHERE DOES THE TRUTH LIE?
By Editor
The "Western Watchman," edited by Father Phelan, one of the most virile Catholic papers published in the United States, very plainly declares that President Roosevelt stated a falsehood in the controversy between himself and the Storers. Mrs. Storer wanted to have Archbishop Ireland promoted to the cardinalate, and pressing the matter too hard, the President recalled Bellamy Storer, who was at that time acting as ambassador to Austria. Mr. Roosevelt states that it was for this reason. But the "Western Watchman" declares: "That we know to be false because we knew that Mr. Roosevelt has more than once interested himself actively in a similar direction (that is, in securing favors for Roman Catholics). There were other ambassadors whom we could name who had done more in that matter than Mr. Storer, and they were not disturbed. The offense that brought about Mr. Storer's recall was not against the chief executive but against his daughter." The "Watchman" tells us that Miss Roosevelt, before she was married, was turned down by Mr. Storer's relatives, and the President took the action he did to resent the slight. The editor continues: "Mr. Roosevelt has done what any fond father would have done if so tried, but we can not so readily excuse juggling in Archbishop Ireland, Archbishop Farley, Cardinal Gibbons, Cardinal Rampolla, and the Pope of Rome in this kitchen war. They had absolutely nothing to do with the squabble and were brought into it only to give it a color of dignity, and take from it its character of triviality and feminine spitefulness." Our readers have the "Western Watchman" on the one side, and the President on the other. We are glad of this, however, that the matter is coming out, disagreeable as it is, because it has compelled the President to take a square stand, just where every American President ought to stand in the matter of relationship with Rome.