KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS. - An association of apostolate, assistance and mutual aid among Catholic men of North America, Canada and the rest of the continent. It is now the most notable Catholic society, given the multiplicity of its initiatives, the range of its action and the program it sets for itself in almost every field of social activity.
Founded in New Haven, in the State of Connecticut, by the Rev. M. McGivrey, on February 2, 1882, with an initial nucleus of only eleven members, it spread rapidly. On May 15 it constituted itself as a "Supreme Committee," because in the meantime the first subordinate Council had been founded in the same city of New Haven. From then on other Councils were founded in every city and state of the United States, and the Supreme Committee established that a Supreme Council should be instituted, composed of the Supreme Committee and of delegates of the subordinate Councils; subsequently it became necessary to provide for a more complex representation.
The immediate purpose of the association is to foster the practice of Catholic life among the members, to provide insurance against illness and accidents, to help the families of deceased members and in particular to provide for the moral and social education of the associates.
With the growth in the number of members, the association was able to extend its initiatives by providing for the spread of Catholic culture and doctrine also among the masses of Catholic immigrants. In 1914 it offered 50,000 dollars to the Catholic University of Washington to estab-
read a chair of American history, furthermore donating a substantial sum for the purchase of books for the University library. The K. of C. did not limit themselves to promoting greater education among the masses of Catholic immigrants, but devoted a notable part of their activities to greater understanding of Catholic doctrine among Protestants, thus contributing considerably to dispelling existing prejudices against Catholicism.
One of their principal merits was the campaign conducted to establish "Columbus Day"; almost the absolute majority of the American states joined the initiative by establishing that October 12, the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's landing on the new American continent, be a holiday. Among recent initiatives, the program of "Catholic publicity" in large-circulation newspapers and magazines is worthy of note. For this purpose an initial sum of 350,000 dollars was allocated. The apostolic delegate in Washington, applauding the initiative, said he hoped it "will bring untold good by enlightening non-Catholics and leading them into the one Church of Christ." Archbishop Joseph E. Rummel of New Orleans, praising it, expressed the wish that the publicity campaign be extended more to the large-circulation newspapers of each individual state.
At the meeting of the Supreme Council of the association held in August 1948, it was resolved to organize conferences and "discussion meetings" in the major American centers on questions and orientations of current Catholic interest. Another decision called for the expulsion from the territory of the United States of Soviet diplomats guilty of espionage and of subversive activities against the American democratic form of government, in violation of the 1933 treaty of recognition of the Soviet government by the United States. The meeting of the Supreme Council recommended to the American government a "prompt and liberal" application of the measures concerning the admission of displaced persons into the United States.
Another initiative of the K. of C., implemented at the beginning of 1948 and now in continuous development, is that of broadcasting radio programs entitled "Family Theater Radio Program," which are inspired by the motto "the family that prays together stays together." The program, which aims at strengthening family ties and Catholic ethics, is directed by Rev. Patrick Peyton and is transmitted by the great radio station "Mutual Broadcasting Corporation" and by 352 smaller stations. The K. of C. urge, through an active press campaign and through radio, the adoption of a "code" for comic books in order to counter the often harmful effect of the content of such "comics" on youth. The "code" has been defined by the K. of C. as a "great step toward protecting American youth from reading full of seeds of immorality." At the beginning of 1949 the Association counted more than 700,000 members, and is governed by a "Supreme Council" and a "Supreme Board of Directors," as executive body. There exist 2,540 provincial Councils and 61 "State Councils."