Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-10-28
Masonry and the School Bill

has been lnd0rSed Dy Jne oregon GIaHu A|ouSS -
all claims to the contrary notwithstanding.
Today the Capital Journal prints the statement OF W. u
Bristol former grand master OF the Masonic lraerny ~
Oregon which he denounce those Masons VINO are adVo
eating enactment of the school BILL declaring nat the p
posed measure is fundamentally nMasonc and IN con1ct
with the doctrines preceps of Masonry To substan
tiae his position Mr. Bristol quotes at length from the
'bbe" of Scottish Rite Masonry morals and Dogma OF
Free Masonry" quotations from which are reprinted at
length elsewhere in this issue.
True masonry" says Mr.. Bristol does not counten-
ance such intolerance bgotry and infringement upon per
sonal religious rights contained In the schooi Dill
Further, he declares that the action OF Messrs Malcolm
Clifford and others, in championing the Compulsory School
Bill njuring the Masonic fraternity by placing IL III
false light before the people.
Two resolutions dealing with compulsory education nave
in the past presented to and approved by the grand
lodge Oregon Masons the session of 1920 and one
at the meeting but neither these dealt with COM
pulsory attendance in public schools Both dealt with the
courses Of study prescribed in all schools public or
private The first ndorsed the Smith Towner bill placing
representative of education in the presidents cabinet and
the other dealt with the teaching Of the German language
in the schools of Oregon.
The school bill has for it's object the closing of the
Catholic parocha schools but in order to accomplish TINS
it closes the Lutheran, Adventist Epscopalian and all
other church and private schools and forces the attendance
of every child 16 under at the public school, 1t deprVes
the parent Of the right of supervising the education OF the
child and makes the child the ward of the state as in Soviet
Russia. How does 1t With Masonic principles!
This Compulsory school bill is the fruit of intolerance
whereas Moras and Dogma declares that Masonry alone
breaches oeraton the right of man to abide by his own
faith" To forcby close meritorous and deserving lns
tuions like the church and private schools is act OF IN
Justice conflict with the assertion that Masonry
endeavors to restrain from the commission OF injustice
and acts of wrong aud outrage And further inform
ed that "the well informed Mason will not fail to be the
votary of Liberty and Justice He will be ready to exert
himself in their defense
"
The Compulsory school bill is aimed particularly at a
certain established religion yet this Masonic guide declares
MAN had the right to usurp the unexercised
rogae of God and condemn and punish another for his
belief The bill is intended to strike at the Catholics yet
Masonic precept declares:
land Of that faith II had opened
should been Catholics born in the Jewish quar-
il consiannople should have cried ALLAH Allah God 81
give faith
The Compulsory School Bill is an attempt to regulate
other peoples belief and to eradicate all religious nstruc
tion from primary education The child must be taught the
three RS but he must not be taught anything about God
yet this doctrine at variance with the precepts OF Mas
onry set forth in this book which Declares
opinions his private property and the
rights Of all to maintain each his perfectly equal
religious another
absolutely belief
and opening wide M m Pora invites nv TO enter @ ere @ dhe ana
Noom who VIII lead truly vruous and moral life love
One APowsrtu wss God Arqhe hit
Harmony rolls this universe,
In this Masonic bible we arc informed that masonry isl
engaged in her crusadeagainst ignorance intolerance
fanacsm, superstition uncharitabeness and the
Mason does not dogmase but entertaining and ucrng his
convictions, he leaves every else free to do the
same"
Is this what P S. Malcolm and those who advertise
themselves Masons doing in fathering the Ku Kux
Klan Compulsory School Bill which has precptated more
dssension division and strife than any Oregons
history that has aroused all the latent fires of
fanatcism and bgory among the ignorant and superst
tous and unfured to the four breczes the black flag of
tolerance?
Is not Mr. Bristol right in declaring these promoters of
religious and secaran discord ignorant of the true prnci
pals of Masonry? Though paradng Masons are they
not really crusaders for the Ku Klux Klan?
The Portland Telegram has recently moved into its new
building, completely equipped modern newspaper estab
hmen built especially for it. All of which calls attention.
to the rapid strides the Telegram made since passed
into the possession Of M present in 1914 The Tee
in this interval doubled