the United States a greater solvent power than has been shown by any other nation, ancient or modern.  Coercive assimilation arouses national feelings, alien elements, and racial self-assertion.  The worst enemy of Canada is the political power which, to please a blatant, ultra-loyal faction, pursues the policy of crushing into uniformity the heterogeneous elements invited to the country and allured to our shores with the bait of liberty.  This patriotism may be well called the last refuge of scoundrels; it is nothing but Prussianism wrapped up in the very folds of the Union-Jack.  Therefore, when in the great work of Canadianization this law of social psychology is not observed, we not only prevent assimilation, but we deprive the nation of the fertilizing contact and invigorating contrast of various ethnical elements and ferment future conflict.

The religious element belongs to a higher plane.  Although independent in its nature of any particular racial feature, yet it co-exists with the love of country, giving to our patriotism something of its sanctity and durability.  But the point at issue here is:  Can the religious element prevent racial assimilation?  In the eyes of many Canadians the Ruthenian’s religion is looked upon as one of the greatest obstacles to his Canadianization.  Under the cover of that specious plea, many agents are at work in our Ruthenian settlements.  With the preconceived idea that their religion with its ritual, language and traditions, is the greatest obstacle to their nationalization and to its inherent benefits, these agents are multiplying their efforts to wean new Canadians from the faith of their fathers.  The last report of the Methodist Missionary Society—­1918, openly states the designs of this Church in the matter. “Many of these Ruthenian people are ignorant and degraded; and under the sinister leadership of their priests are resolved to resist all Canadianizing influences. . . .  For the Christian Church to act at once is the need of the present hour, if the foreign peoples are to be made Christian citizens of the great West.”.  This statement is symptomatic of the curious Christianity that now prevails among the various non-Catholic denominations.  With them Christianity is nothing more than social welfare inspired by a vague philanthropy.  Differences of creed are being cast to the winds, and Social Service is the basic idea of their forward movement, around which they are trying to rally their dwindling forces.  It is then but consequent to have the burden of their message and the policy of their apostolate bear on Citizenship.  The inevitable and perfidious neutrality of state officialdom unconsciously seconds their efforts in this direction.  But the most efficient co-operators in this nefarious work are the fallen-away Ruthenians.  They have a smattering of education which makes them the more dangerous among their own.

This organized opinion and co-ordinated action of the “churches” against the CHURCH should give to all Catholics food for thought.  To be indifferent would be criminal.  We can say with Augustine Birrell:  “It is obviously not a wise policy to be totally indifferent to what other people are thinking about—­simply because our own thoughts are running in another direction.”