Title: Letter from Bishop William Russell, Bishop of Charleston, South Carolina to all Archbishops
Description: In this letter to all Archbishops Bishop Russell explains the need for the American Catholic Church to create the Committee of the National Catholic War Council to effect legislative change on the national level.
Contributor: National Catholic War Council Records, ACUA. Title: Letter from Rev. John O'Grady to Rev. Mgr. M.J. Splaine, October 9, 1918
Description: In this letter Rev. O'Grady suggests potential members and an agenda for the Committee for Reconstruction. Suggested members include members of both labor and management. O'Grady emphasizes the necessity of the committee being public.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA.
Date: October 9, 1918Title: Letter from Rev. John O'Grady to Rev. Mgr. M.J. Splaine, October 16, 1918
Description: In this letter Rev. O'Grady presents a revised budget for the Committee for Reconstruction and urges caution in choosing its members.
Contributor: National Catholic War Council Records, ACUA.
Date: October 16, 1918 Title: Letter from Rev. Mgr. M.J. Splaine to Rev. John O'Grady, December 6, 1918
Description: Rev. Msgr. Splaine requests that Rev. O'Grady provide a detailed plan for the four bishops of the Administrative Committee.
Contributor: National Catholic War Council Records, ACUA.
Date: December 6, 1918
Title: Minutes of the Meeting of the Committee on Special War Activities
Description: These are the minutes for the meeting in which the Committee on Special War Activities approved and endorsed Ryan's Plan for Social Reconstruction. Note that the plan is accorded no special status in the minutes.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA.
Date: December 10, 1918
Title: Report of the Committee on Social Reconstruction
Description: This the actual plan presented by the Committee on Social Reconstruction. The plan is called "a practical and moderate program." Though it deals with specific issues such as a living wage and vocational training, it does not provide specific solutions.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA
Date: November 20, 1918Title: Letter from Rev. John Burke CSP to Bishop Peter Muldoon, December 10, 1918
Description: Here Rev. Burke, CSP, asks that Bishop Muldoon support the "Social Reconstrution" program and expresses his desire to publish the plan as soon as possible.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA.
Date: December 10, 1918Title: Letter from Bishop Peter Muldoon to Rev. John J. Burke CSP, December 14, 1918
Description: In this letter Bishop Muldoon expresses his general support for the statement. He worries that the document is "a pronouncement on social problems" rather than a "social program." The lack of practical suggestions or methods, he fears, could lead to confusion and frustration among the clergy and the laity.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA
Date: December 14, 1918Title: Letter from Rev. John O'Grady to Mr. Ralph Easley, April 9, 1919
Description: Rev. O'Grady responds here to criticisms of the bishops' plan published by Ralph Easley of the National Civic Federation Review. O'Grady reminds Easley that the Church does not necessarily support labor over business but seeks equitable treatment for all.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA.
Date: April 9, 1919Title: Letter from Rev. John J. Burke to Bishop Peter Muldoon, April 2, 1919
Description: Writing to Bishop Muldoon, Rev. Burke expresses his excitement over public reaction to the Bishops' Program for Social Reconstruction pamphlet. He also notes with frustration difficulties with the New York Diocesan Council whose members are questioning the authority of the NCWC, even referring to these critics as "bolsheviki."
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA
Date: April 2, 1919Title: Letter from Rev. John J. Burke to Bishop Peter Muldoon, April 4, 1919
Description: Rev. Burke passes on news of more responses to the Bishops' Program, celebrating the enthusiasm of Archbishop Hanna, as well as noting the critical reaction of the civic reformer Ralph Easley. Also reproduced here is a communication from the Secretary of the Knights of Columbus, William J. McGinley, to Burke concerning the activities the War Council in the war's aftermath.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA
Date: April 4, 1919Title: Letter from Ralph Easley to P.H. Callahan, April 11, 1919
Description: Here, Ralph Easley claims that a Bishops' Program pamphlet was given to him by "important Catholics" who did not believe that the document had been authorized by the hierarchy.
Contributor: NC War Council Records, ACUA
Date: April 11, 1919 Title: Letter from Bishop William Russell to Rev John J. Burke, June 6, 1919
Description: Here, Bishop Russell relays the fact that some members of the hierarchy had misgivings about the Bishops' Program.
