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Unemployment
grew at a frightening pace, prices tumbled to unheard levels, bankruptcies
were common, many business establishments closed, money was extremely
scarce and actual want stalked the land. The elections of 1932 brought
Franklin D. Roosevelt to the presidency, and with him came the bank
holiday, the N.R.A. with its Blue Eagle and the W.P.A., marking efforts to
overcome the depression and revive the economy of the country, but it
required most of the rest of the 1930 decade to bolster up business and
bring the nation back to normalcy. The succeeding administrations of
Cliffe E. Laborde, K.S.G., and F. Xavier Mouton, K.S.G., still faced
problems stemming from the depression and unemployment, but a slightly
perceptible improvement in fraternal organizations began to bestir itself
after the Blue Eagle and W.P.A. projects made their effects felt.
Nevertheless, the nation was far from the vaunted promise of the Hoover
campaign at the end of the past decade of "a chicken in every
pot."
State Deputy Callahan's insistent call to solidify the ranks and to
hold the membership, became even more insistent during the administration
of the new State Deputy as he took over leadership in the dark summer of
1931. At the state convention that elected him in May, 1931, at Lafayette,
the membership in the order in Louisiana had been reported at 7685, a net
decrease of 56 over the preceding year's figures. The 1931 total included
3970 associate members and 3715 insurance members, and this represented an
increase of 277 insurance members, although the number of associate
members had dwindled more
than 200.
At the 1934 New Iberia convention, State Deputy Rivet
reported only 2491 associate members and 3409 insurance members, a total
of 5900. But the decline in membership had not yet ended, as the 1935
convention at Plaquemine heard. There were then 2461 associates and 3380
insurance members, a total of 5841. However, an earlier report indicated
that associate membership had dropped to 2250 and insurance members 3306,
a total of 5556. This was the lowest since 1919 for Louisiana, and a
figure which has never been reached again to the present time.
However, improvement set in during that year, and
membership began to climb once more. In Lafayette in 1936, State Deputy
Laborde disclosed a state membership of 6032, including 2591 associates
and 3441 insurance members. A further increase was noted in 1937 when
total membership went up to 6105, but the total dropped again in 1938 to
6040. From then on, the turn came in the tide, but with a brief reaction
in 1940 and 1941.
Figures for 1934 and 1935 changed quickly as there
were many suspensions of Councils, some of them three and four times in
one year. Several Councils forfeited their charters. The first victim of
the depression was the newly organized Kenner Council No. 2717, in 1932.
The next year, 1933, State Deputy Rivet was discouraged to announce that
the ever so active Covington Council, which had done so much for
Columbianism in St. Tammany Parish through the work of several notable
figures, had lost its charter, and Mansura Council No. 2415 had been
obliged to merge with Marksville Council No. 1217. Hammond Council 2063 of
Hammond, La., another center of intense activities in Tangipahoa Parish,
also lost its charter in March, 1939, as did DeSoto Council No. 2032 at
Mansfield, La., later. The latter group had done yeoman work in offsetting
anti-Catholic spirit in that area and promoting active Catholicity and
parish work among laymen.
During 1934, the Supreme Secretary had written State
Secretary Zimmermann that five Louisiana Councils were under suspension
from his office: New Orleans No. 714, Houma, Eunice, Hammond and Mamou.
The 1935 State convention adopted a resolution to amend the by-laws that
Councils not in good standing with the Supreme Council and the State
Council would not be recognized. This law was enforced and some Council
delegates were denied a place at state conventions.
The situation was that many Councils, particularly
those in large centers, such as New Orleans, Shreveport, Baton Rouge,
Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles and others, where nearly all people
depended on jobs in the community, felt the depression pinch most
severely. However, in the rural areas, people also lacked money, because
of the record low prices for farm products. There was widespread lapsation,
especially among associate members, but insurance members struggled to
retain their protection. Many Councils strove to hold the membership, but
per capita payments could not be made if dues were not paid. Some Councils
ran several years in arrears, and this led to suspensions. The Supreme
Office had no recourse, being obliged to protect its insurance feature,
and it insisted upon compliance with the law. The State Deputy found
himself in a most difficult position.
Fortunate indeed was the Louisiana jurisdiction for
its leadership in such trying years. The Columbian spirit came forth at
its best. Service and sacrifices were the order of the day. Charity, tact,
discernment and sound judgment were manifested on all sides, and Columbian
zeal never glowed so brightly as in those dark days when State Deputies
Charles Rivet, Cliffe E. Laborde and F. Xavier Mouton directed the
destinies of the order in Louisiana. Other state officers (and district
deputies especially) were towers of strength and ability in continuing the
functioning of the order regardless of conditions, obstacles,
disappointments, defections and
rock bottom financial conditions.
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