The menace., 1917-07-21

SHALL NOT BE SIDE-TRACKED
This does not mean that they should
oppose the submission Of the Curtis
amendment, as fundamental demo
Gratis believe that the people have
right at all, times TO decide these
important questions. Patriots Of
Massachusetts, should recommend the
submission of the Curtis amendment
provided the Anderson amendment Is
also submitted Nth the Curtis meas
ure so that the voters shall have the
opportunity to vote for the one which
represents their sentiments.
Prof. Anderson is one of the most
scholarly and fundamental thinkers
in the Constitutional Convention. HI
is man we'll versed in constitutional
law and a democrat after the order
Of the author of the Declaration of
Independence. He represents in his
amendment the vishes of an over-
Whelming number of the voters of
Massachusetts,. Do you question this ?
Then test it by demanding of your
representatives in the convention that
the people be given an opportunity to
decide by having both the Anderson
and Curtis amendments submitted to
the voters. No honest believer IL
direct legislation can or 1viH vote
against this proposition for to do so
lOould stultify his pretense of beiev-
ing that the people should have the
opportunity to Vote yes or no on all
important measures.
There are several reasons why the
Anderson amendment is by far the
best proposed; not the least is the
fact that 1t Is 80 clear that there can
be no mistaking its meaning and there
can be no opportunity for expensive
legal contests to determine what is
or is not meant by it's phrasings.
This is one of the most vital requi-
sites of constitutional amendments.
The Curtis amendment on the other
hand, while being a masterpiece of
political mechanism which might we'll
have been written by Jesuitical Ro-
manist is ambiguous and contains
terntinology that might easily open
the Wdy for Rome's reneWed efforts
to defeat the democratic aims and
again drag religion into politics.
That our readers may have before
them the Anderson Amendment we
reproduce it below:
No law shall be passed respecting an es-
tablishment Of religion or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof, nor shall the state, county,
city, town, village or other civil division use
Its property or credit or any money raised by
| taxation or otherwise, or authorize any Of
them to be used for the purpose Of founding
maintaining, or aiding by appropriation, pay
ment for services, expenses. or In any other
manner, any church, religious denomination
or religious society, or any institution, school,
society, or undertaking which Is wholly or in
part under sectarian or ecclesiastical control.
This proposed amendment it will be
seen is as concise, clear, unmistakable
and comprehensive in meeting the
demands of the hour as any legis-
lative amendment we have had the
privilege of perusing. That Rome's
entire machinery will be employed to
prevent Prof. Anderson's amendment
from being submitted goes without
saying. Pellitier, whose action in the
Catheron case marked him as the most
offensive embodiment of religious big
otry in America will, qUitk ruthless
politicians in agreement qUith him,
undoubtedly do his utmost to
prevent the people having the op-
portunity to pote upon the Ander-
son bill. The same may be expected
of Lomasney and other shrewd rep
resentatives Of Cardinal 90 'Connells
machine; hence, 1t is important that
every patriot in Massachusetts, at this
time should do "his bit" and this can
best be done by instantly writing to
your representatives in the constitu-
tional convention and urging those
representatives to submit the Ander-
son as 1cel as the Curtis amendment
for the people to VOte upon. Secondly,
you should help circulate at least five
hundred thousand copies of the An
derson righteous amendment among
the voters of your commonwealth. If
you have forgotten the names of your
representatives in the convention you
should Immediately communicate with
the Advisory Committee, of the Free
Press Defense League at Room 303
fremont Temple, Boston, Mass. From
this committee also you can obtain
copies of the Anderson amendment
for the widest possible distribution.
Voters of Massachusetts! patriots
OF the old commonwealth! never
again in all probability during your
lifetime will you have the opportunity
for doing a greater service TO gour
state and to the unborn generations
than you have at the present moment
by acting promptly upon the above
suggestion and getting into line as
quickly as possible for pushing for
ward a great united, onwdrd move
ntent in the interest of the principles
enunciated in the Declaration of In
dependence and the constitution of the
United States and against the wiles
OF political Romanism as represented
by the Roman Catholic machine, no
less than the Knights of Columbus
who indelibly stained the fair name
of Massachusetts a little over a year
ago by the Haverhill Roman Catholic
mob which defed the constitution Of
the United States and the latUs Of
the Commonwealth h of Massachusetts,
when its mGnhers destroyed state and
private property; murderously as
saulted private citizens and burned in
etgA the figure of free speech, thus
exhibiting the fathomless gulf which
exists between those who would pre-
serve the fundamental democracy of
our fathers and the intolerant polit-
ical hierarchy which today as in the
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