The menace., 1917-07-14
The SITUATION
IN MASSACHUSETTS
With Adoption Of Anti-Sectariau
AmendmentAlmos Certain Rome
Wants to Pose as Liberal

Martin Lomasney, leading Roman
Catholic politician has introduced an
amendment into the Constitutional
Convention evidently as a papal ex-
pediency to try to prevent the COM
mittee from submitting the clear-cut,
sound and altogether admirable,
amendment which on the 10Th of June
was submitted by Prof. Frederick L.
Anderson, a leading delegate at the
convention.
The Roman Catholic machine, in
season and out of season, has for
years fought this vitality important
proposed amendment which would
further the complete separation Of
church and state as provided for in
our national constitution and pre-
vent any special favors being granted
to any church or creed.
Only those who oppose the spirit
and genius of our government could
! or would oppose an amendment SO
truly in harmony with the spirit and
principles of liberal democracy. Rome
has, however, bitterly opposed this
proposed amendment denouncing as
"bigots" all persons who stood by the
American principles. Finding that in
spite Of her control of the press
which has prevented any free dis
cussion Of the issue that the aroused
Protestants Of Massachusetts, will in
sist on some measure the Roman
Catholic politician Lomasney comes
forward with his measure which he
hopes, by the aid of pro-papal Prot
estant and pretended patriots, to be
able to substitute for the splendid
and thoroughly democratic measure
introduced by Prof. Anderson which
reads as follows:
No law shall be passed respecting an e.
tabliShment Of religion or prohibiting tn,
free exercise thereof, nor shall the state
county, city, town. village or other civil d.
vision use Its property or credit or any money
raised by taxation or otherwise, or authoriz,
any Of them to be used for the purpose oi
founding, maintaining or aiding by appropri
alton, payment for services, expenses or In
any other manner any church. religious de-
nomination or religious society or any Instl
tuition, school, society or undertaking which
II wholly or In part under sectarian or &C
elesiastieal control.
Prof. Anderson's petition was forti-
fed by the names of great number
of leading clergymen and ministers
Of all the Protestant denominations OF
Massachusetts, together with such
distinguished statesmen and publicists
as Hon. Grafton D. Cushing, former
lieutenant-governor of Massachusetts
1t is the duty of every patriot in
the state of Massachusetts to scatter
the Anderson amendment far and
wide and exert his utmost efforts in
arousing the people to the importance
of urging the constitutional conven.
ton to give the electorate the oppor.
tunity to vote on this vital, proposed
amendment.
We would take occasion at this time
to suggest that all patriots who are
awake to the supreme Importance Of
the great opportunity presented tC
fundamental democrats at the pres
ent time to communicate at once with
our Advisory Committee, Room 309
fremont Temple, Boston, Mass, and
enlist in the work Of distributing one.
half million copies Of the above
righteous amendment.
1t is only once in many, many years
that patriots have the opportunity
they have this year Of placing in
their state constitution such a vital
amendment as this---an amendment
that will 90 more than aught else Ia
take religion out of politics and also
prevent the insa'iahly avaricicus Ro.
man Catholic hierarchy from rettine
its hand into the public treasury.
Patriots Of tNe Old Bay State. the
hour has struck for you to act IN thai
high snirit Of coneecration which has
marked Massachusetts in every great
crisis Of her history.