Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-02-21
The Religious Prejudice Charge
Is Secuted by President
Wilson.
Writes Protestant Editor That
Tale Is Absurdly and Utterly
False.
OUGHT NOW TO BE SATISFIED

For some time past there has
and narrow-minded circles charges
that reflect upon President Wood
row Wilson and Secretary Tumulty.
While they were given no credence
by sensible people they we're annoy
ing for the reason that they were
calculated to create i'll feeling and
stir religious strife. 1t is therefore
with pleasure that good people will
read the letter of w. w. Prescott,
editor of Protestant magazine,
and the Presidents reply thereto,
which should set the foul lies at rest.
They are given in the Associated
Press dispatches of Wednesday,
which we reproduce in full:
In letter to w. w. Prescott,
editor of the Protestant Magazine
published here, President Wilson has
denied emrhatically that his cor
respondence is handled with relig-
ious prejudice by his Secretary,
Joseph p. Tumulty The correspond
ence made public today by the
magazine follows:
''The President, Washington, d..
c., January Is, 1914.--Sir: / learn
from personal interviews and cor
respondence that there is wide
spread feeling among Protestants
that 1t is practically impossible for
any communication relating to the
activities of the. Roman Catholic
church to reach you personally, for
the reason that all such letters are
withheld from you by your Private
Secretary, Mr.. Tumulty II is un-
fortunate, both for you and for the
country, that such an impression
prevails, and that 1t seems to have
some foundation. ~
'sBefore dealing with this subject
in this magazine. l. am writing to
ask for statement from you which
might be of service in restoring con-
fidence among some of the best
citizens of this republic. Any re-
ply, however brief, showing that this
letter actually reached you, would
be source of satisfaction.
When you were Governor of
New Jersey I wrote you concerning
some criticisms of your course in
which you were charged with show
ing favoritism to the Roman Catholic
and your reply placed the
matter in such a light that | did
not deem 1t necessary to make any
reference TO the subject. My desire
is to deal fairly with public men, and
hence this letter.
Thanking you for any attention
which you may give to my request.
am, yours very truly,
"W. w. Prescott"
The Presidents reply under date
Of January 10, 1914, follows:
"My Dear Sir: Allow me to
acknowledge the receipt of your let
Ter of January Is and to thank you
Tor your candor in writing me.
II beg leave to assure you that
he impression that any part of my
is withheld from me |
N any circumstances by my Secre-
AIRY on account of religious predilec- |
ions on his part is absurdly and |
Utterly false. | venture to say that |
no President ever had more frank !
and satisfactory relations with his |
Secretary than have with mine. The |
whole OF my correspondence is con-
'tantly open to ine. Mr.. Tumulty is |
more prompt perhaps to call my at
tention to matters in which his |
prejudice is supposed to be engaged |
han to other matters of relative |
ndifferences.
"Of course I need hardly add !
hat ! am not speaking from an i'm
preston, but from knowledge OF just |
low my correspondence is handled. |
sincerely yours,
Woodrow Wilson"