The New York herald., 1920-01-19
ARCHBISHOP HAYES
GIVES SHORT REPLY.
!. TO ". H. ANDERSON
Observing All Laws, He Says,
Catholic Church Sees No Need
in Emphasizing One.

Archbishop Patrick J. Hayes does not
believe In the churches trying to run the
country. and he has said so plainly and
quite caustically in a letter to William
II. Anderson, superintendent of the Anti
saloon League of New York
Mr.. Anderson wrote to the Archbishop
inviting him to attend the Law and
Order" meeting which will be held at
eleven o'clock this morning in the as
sembly hall of the tower OF the Metro
politan Life Building under the auspices
or the league. To this almost one thou
sand cIergymen have been invited. The
principal speaker will be John r. Kramer,
federal prohibition commissioner.
Archbishop Hayes. however. viii not be
there nor. will he be represented. Instead
he has written letter, which, because OF
rumors of it's contents said to have emin-
ated from the office of Mr.. Anderson, the
Archbishop made public yesteday.
I'm reply to your communication of jan
uary asking me to be present or be rep
resented at q meeting OF the clergy or
New York city and vicinity under the
auspices of the AntiSaloon League /
wish to say that cannot sec my way TO
accept your invitation wrote the Arch
bishop. Permit me to assure you that
the Catholic Church awaits no such oc-
casion to lay stress OH tho plain duty OF
obeying the law of the land. Obedience
to authority in church and State is the
very breath of Catholic discipline.
1T is extraordinary that the federal
prohibition amendment should be singled
out for particular attention above other
sta atutes equally binding. The American
people can be trusted to obey every con-
stitutional law.
II think that the function of the
churches is to teach the virtue OF obedi-
ence and then leave the enforcement OF
law to the properly constituted agencies
of government.
Mr.. Anderson will read the letter ot the
Archbishop to the assemblage.
II have not q word to say. replied Mr.
Anderson when he was asked if he desired
to comment on the letter of Archbishop
HAYES. 1T is free country, and If Arch
bishop Hayes wi. he's TO give out his letter
to me there is nothing to stop him.
This will be the second public appearance
here of Mr. Kramer the first having been
in the Lutheran Church OF the Atonement
last evening. Mr.. Kramer is one OF the
most active laymen in the Lutheran de-
nomination.
All the denominationai meetings usually
held Monday morning will be omitted that
the clergymen may attend the law and
order" gathering.
Clergymen Of this city object to certain
paragraphs In ten page pamphlet mailed
to them to which were attached the names
of almost one thousand pastors who reside
in New York State outside of New York
city. The paragrap PHI most offensive to
them is:--
THE danger point in New York State is
New York city. which is the centre OF
notification and seditious activity de-
signed to prevent enforcement of the pro-
hibition amendment"
One of the objectors was Bishop Luther
B. Wilson, resident Methodist Bishop in
New York, who for years has been presi-
dent of the Anti-Saloon League Of Amer
ica.
II think that New York city is going
to recognize and observe the law just as
other parts Of the country are going TO
do he said. "It is my privilege to have
personal acquaintance with some of the
strongest men in New York city, and q
finer type Of Christian manhood than ex-
lists here have never found anywhere"
The Rev. Dr. Harlan G.. Mendenhall,
moderator OF the Presbytery OF New York
said
"The laws are enforced in New York
city Just as they are in other cities of the
United States. The ideals of our citizen
ship are as high as those of citizens else
where