The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-10-13
ARMOUR DEFIES FEDERAL TRADE BODY
NEW ILLINOIS
CONSTITUTION
HAS BAD ERROR
Church,,aen and Mas
oy,s Protest Oy,,is-
sion of "A. D.

Springfield, ILL.,. Oct. 13.-(By the
Associated Press.) omission
Of the words "In the year Of our
lord" from the draft of the pro-
posed new state constitution which
is to be voted on by the people Dec.
IL. is described as an error vitiat-
ing the worth of the entire docu-
ment, in communication signed
by several state and local officials
of Masonic organizations, promin-
ent local clergymen and the district
superintendent of the anti-sai0on
league.
Signatures include those Of John
NJ. Upton, worthy grand patron Of
the Illinois Order Of Eastern Star,
secretary of the Springfield consis-
tory and recorder Of Ansar Shrine;
John A. Barber, commander Of Ell
wood commandery OF Knights
Templar; Rev. E. M. Antrim, dis
trict superintendent of the Meth
odist Episcopal church, and presi-
dent of the Civic league; Presi-
dent Hildebrandt of the Springfield
Ministerial association; Rev. w. H.
Nicholas of the Lutheran church,
and District Superintendent G. H
Yule of the Anti-Saloon league.
Can't Ratify.
The communication is addressed
ito the constitutional convention"
and declares 1T seems impossible
to ratify this constitution, as it IL. "
Heury Hooker Van Meter of Chi
cago, organizer of 'The Bible
League" who has devoted his en-.
tire time recently to campaigning
for the new constitution because II
includes provision for bible read
ing in public schools. in an inter
view stated that in his opinion the
omission was fatal, il not inadver.
tent and could, as it certainly
should, be remedied "as q typo
graphic error" or in some othel
way.
I'VE note with conformation
the communication says, "the omis.
sion of the customary words 'Ir
the Year Of Our Lord in connec
ton with all dates in the draft o
this proposed constitution. con
trary as this is, not only to world
wide Christian custom for cen
turtles, but also to American Gus
tom from the foundation Of our M
tion.
Won't ~Strfke Colors."
with Mohammedism and Bol
shevism, backed by the heathe,
hordes of hundreds of millions il
Asia and Africa at the very gate
way of Christendom, outragin:
Christian women and children and
dragging Christian girls into slav.
cry worse than death, mercilessl:
massacring Christians men, womer
and children, we cannot as true
Americans consent to strike oul
colors to enemies of Christianity IL
the state Of Illinois, the home o.
Abraham Lincoln, Dwight L. Mood,
and Frances E.. Willard, nor viii
we acQuiesce with the lowering o.
the standard of the Cross in Amer
lea or the world over, in this yeal
Of Our Lord, 1922, God helping.
I'VE therefore could not con
scientiously vote for the ratification
; of this constitution, without the re
tention therein of the words "Ir
the Year of Our Lord or the letter.
"A. d." the abbreviation there
fore, in connection with the date.
thereof, in accordance with the re
quirements Of all legal documnets
from the formation Of our nation.
Must Insert Words.
1--WE believe that millions of oul
fellow citizens feel as we feel, tha
to do SO now would be virtually t.
deny our Lord at this crucial tim,
in human history, betraying oul
trust to the future, not only violat
ing our faith, but the faith of oul
fathers and mothers and myraid
Of men and women who lived an,
died to make America a glorion
possibility. So we sorrowfully sub
NIT that it seems impossible [,
ratify this constitution as it il
without the retention of the word
designated, In accordance witt
American custom and the custom
of all Christian nations for centur
les Of Christian civilization, tn,
only abiding hope Of humanity. ner