Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-02-25
'GiIERCYMEN DENY
!. FREE SPEECH CURB
Cav No Attack Was Intended on
Open Forum Of St.
Mary's Church
DID OBJECT TO DEBATER

o., ,..ioI that blow was aimed at
.Jioo,ism when the Open Forum was
I'D from, the diocesan Church Of st.
,y,,r n the parish hall Of st. James's
Tniscoral Church was made today by
rniscopaI clerygmcu. although 1t was
.In,ittod that the debates in the forum
suJ met with disfDvor among some OF
.bo ." vcstrymcn Of the Church OF st.
Mary.
7, was admitted that the moving OF
,he forum has caused wide discussion,
and many rumors of an effort to curb or
sude debate. These rumors, 1t was
aid today. were untrue.
Tho Rev. DR.. G. Woolsey Hodge,
rector emeritus Of the Church of st.
Narr. who was rector when the old
sdi6cc was erected forty years ago. said
that he was present ut the meeting OF
ths yestrymcn of st. NIary's. at which
tbe moving Of the Open Forum was dis
clIssed.
"Therc was no intention to curb free
snooch." he said. There was also
no opposition TO the Open Forum among
the wealthy members Of the church.
Tho fact that the forum has been moved
from the Church Of st. Mary to st.
.Tampss Church. more fashionable
church, is sufficient proof Of this.
Planned TO Shift Forum
"rhe idea was to have tho forum
20 from church to church. and not be-
come part Of any one church or be-
recognized as part of the work of any
onc church. It was suggested that the
forum be held at various places, in
T., ,,l
"Tu the discussion there was no OBJ.
lection TO free aud open debate of all
questions. but there was some criticism
o( one of the speakers invited to address
the Open Forum. This speaker was a
radical Socialist. whose name 7 do not
recall. But he had been in trouble
with the government and was for
time under surveillance. Some of the
vcstrymen thought that he. was not
proper person TO speak at the Church or
st. Mary.
The Open Forum, which was Or
sanized under the auspices of the
Church League Of Industrial Dcmoc-
racy. was in charge Of II committee
composed of clergyman and women
who are prominent in church or civic
work
Mrs. Edwin c. Gricc. Of 33lS Arch
street. a member Of the committee. said
today:
1T is not happy situation. but
the members of the committee have de
ridcd not TO make statements, They
have chosen the Rev. DR.. John Mock
ridge to speak for them.
Wrong Impression Created
Doctor Mockridgc was unwilling TO
talk. Mrs. Mockridgc. speaking for
him. said that wrong impression had
been created by headline in the Liv.
ing Church over an article written
for that religious publication by the
line read: "Bishop of Pennsylvania
Asks Close of Open Forum
Bishop Rhinelandcr made no such
request, said Mrs. Mockridge. "IIe
merely suggested that the Open Forum
benoved from the diocesan church to
some other church. which would bc
more suitable for such meetings. 1t
was merely suggestion, not an order
nor even a request
There was no thought of interfering
With free discussion. II some of the
rcstrymcn Of the Church of st. Mary
objected to the character of the debates
Mt the Open Forum ! know nothing of
that. 1t may be true.
'ut wv 'uhuRC tdunOl DC tdllCU an
attack upon the Open Forum"
Forum Not Part OF Church
A. the Diocesan Church House it
was said that as the Church of st.
Mary was the diocesan church il was
not desired to have it. thought that the
opcu Forum was part of that church.
as everything coming from st. Mary's
mad TO some extent the stamp of ap-
proval.
1t was pointed out by q member of
the church that when Bishop Rhine
lauder spoke before the Open Forum
he expressed his belief that iawlcss
radicals should be dcportcd. Soon
2iterward. the Rev. Or. Augustine
Llmendorf. in speaking before the
forum, spoke against the dcporting of
Aliens who were found to have danger
ously radical views. This was looked
upon IN some quarters rs opposition to
INC bishop. II was said that the Open
that
Leading members of The Church of
81 Mary are taking an active part in
me plan TO build "A great Epscopsl
cathedral here. Some OF these are said
70 have opposed the continuance of the
Open Forum at st. Mary's for reasons
based upon the church building prof