The St. Joseph observer., 1919-07-12

Its Dictates.
In line with the thought, now being
expressed 50 frequently. that we As a
people are too much governed, comes
this other thought, based on the OBJ
servation of passing events, that we
are rapidly drifting to a union of
church and state in which the church
is to have the upper hand.
Wherever and whenever that ex-
pertinent has been tried it has ended
in disaster both to church and state.
and it will always be 80. When the
church and state are mentioned the
average American mind imasines that
reference is made solely to the alleged
attempts of the Roman Catholic
church to attain political aycendency
in this country. and the average man
is blind to the attempts Of any otho'.
religious organization to obtain con-
troll OF government and people.
For many months the Herald has
been watching with considerable cur
iosity the course Of an organization
calling itS1lf the Board OF Temper
ance. Prohibition and Public Morals
of the Methodist church. north. This
paper is in receipt Of its published
literature and has studied its meth
DDS. as far as possible.
Tells All About II
The aim and purpose Of the board
| is pretty well illustrated in an inter-
view with its secretary. Rev. Clar-
ence True Wilson. in Geographic
dispatch from Washington to a New
York paper Of very recent date.
"PoliticoIly the board" so says its
reverend secretary, will never con-
sent to the nomination, or if nomi-
mated, the election of any man for
president of the United States who
opposes prohibition or would be luke
warm on its enforcement. 1t will fol-
low this line down to the governors.
sherffs, district attorneys and oth-
ers." 1t will be well TO remember
that this board is the official spokes-
man of great religious organization
and that that board intends TO com
NIT the organization it represents to
certain political program, to secure
the election of officials satisfactory to
it and TO defeat all those who will
not obey its behests. That is a pretty
fair intimation that here is To be
union Of church and state in this
country. Imagine the awful howl
that would go up if a Roman Catholic
committee OF any kind should make
the same statement.
A Drastic Programme
But this particular board proposes
to so farther, according to its secre-
tary. The program Of the board. he
says, lis going much farther in its
efforts to correct the morals and hab-
its of the people Of the nation"
! 1t is going to begin campaign
against cigarettes. 1t is going to de-
mand that the Bible bee puC back in
the public schools, everywhere. An
anti-gambling crusade is to he waged.
( II is limited that dancing is 10 be pro-
hibited. Prize fighting is to be fought.
The continental sunday is to be OPP
posed, and I'VE should see TO it that
we get our American foundation as il
was before the Hun tramplel it out
in most of the American cities"
which means that the Puritan Sab
bath is to be enforced all over the
country.
, We are to presume that as this
same board claims a very large part
OF the credit for the adoption of the
eighteenth amendment, it is going to
enforce its program by other consti-
tutional amendments secured in the
same way it secured the eighteenth .
/ The reverend gentleman has put
the country on notice that it is TO be
ruled by his particular church organ
ization just as soon as it secures the
: necessary power, and the pity of It is
that the American people viii not
wake up to the invasion ON their lib
critics until IT is eyerlaslinsly ZOO late.
Miami Herald.
by wire al my expense. ,. E Hn'rul,