Evening star., 1921-05-23
HOME U.S.P0WER,
Mr.. WEEKS SAYS
War Secretary Tells Presby'
terian Assembly Source OF
Nations Strength.

WINONA LAKE. Ind. May 23.-ln
connection with the efforts or the
Presbyterian Church to promote uni
versal peace. John w. Weeks. Secre-
tary Of War. was asked to present to
the Presbyterian General Assembly
now in session here, a statement Civ
ing his views regarding the function
Of the church in the solution OF the
nations problems. AS result the
following message from Secretary
Weeks was read today to the Presoy-
terian mmisSioners assembled from
all parts OF the country:
The nation is gradually putting its
house into order. but neither the
President. by executive decree. nor
the Congress, by the enactment or
legislation, can wholly return the
luton of our problems, both social
and industrial, will not be very diff
cult when the citizen himself decides
to return to state OF normalcy, ana
it is in this connection that the
church. l think. has duty to per-
form the importance Of which cannot
be overemphasized.
Military Not First Line.
THE first line Of defense Of the re-
public from the enemy without and
the enemy within is not the Navy or
the Army. but the home. This great
nation was founded on the little group
Of sturdy Christian homes that con-
stituted the Plymouth colony, and it
is to the American home that Amer
lea owes it's greatness and power. not
to it's commerce, its mighty fleets. or
its victorious armies. 1t is the source
of our strength and we cannot lessen
it's influence or Importance without
dangerously weakening the very
foundation OF the republic. Keep the
home fires burning and bolshevism
and l. W. W.-ism and anarchy will die
of malnutrition.
ences which are steadily undermining
the home life of America and the
tendency of our modern life is to seek
substitute for the home. In return
ing the nation to a state Of normalcy
our first duty is the restoration Of the
porance Of the American home. The
church is in more intimate relation
ship with the home than any other
agency in the body polite, and in
these days Of reconstruction the
church can. if it will. exert steady
ing and SOLDERING influence in a time
when men are not inclined to think
clearly, and can render the nation and
itself no greater service than to un-
dertake. as it's part in the readjust-
ment of the affairs Of the country, the
establishment Of the old-fashioned
American home"
Bryan Arrives.
Problems of reorganization of church
government and the filing Of the office
of stated clerk were uppermost in
the minds Of commissioners to the
133rd general assembly when business
sessions were resumed today. Much
interest also was attached to the first
in the assembly OF Will
liam Jennings Bryan. commissioner
ha hvt Nf NJ
Bryan arrived last evening and ad-
dressed a popular meeting. He was
greeted enthusiastically.
During the week end there was
much discussion among the commits
sioners regarding the election OF the
stated clerk to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of Rev. William Henry
Roberts. who had held the Office for
thirty-six years 1t has been decided
that the present assembly will elect a
successor to the Rev. Roberts. but ac-
ton has also been taken to limit the
term Of Office to five years. Seven
teen candidates have been nominated.
Urges Ministerial Relief.
Problems confronting the Presby-
terian board of ministerial relief and
sustentation were to be presented to-
day to the assembly by DR.. Henry B.
Master. general secretary Of this
board. DR.. Master says the plans for
pensioning the veteran ministers of
the church and their widows are in a
critical condition through failure to
consider the boards needs and prepa-
ration of the church budget. He asks
the general assembly for relief.
Another report to be presented today
is that Of the special committee on
chapIains in the United States Army
and Navy. This committee recon-
mends that the church provide fund
Of $4,000. from which $500 will be fur
nished yearly to each Presbyterian
chaplain in the Army and Navy for
the purchase Of supplementary equip
ment. This will be in addition to sums
allotted by the government. DIR. Wal
lace Radcliffe Of Washington. D. c., is
,ha hoad NJ corn