Evening star., 1922-10-11
POLITICS IN OREGON
CLASSED AMAZING
Situation Probably More In
credible Than Any Since
"KnoW Nothing" Days.
SCHOOL: BILL CRITICIZED
Proposed Legislation Said to I'm
peril G. o. P. in an Overwhelm-
ingly Republican State.
SCHOOL. BILL CRITICIZED
By DAVID LAWRENCE.

PORTLAND. Oregon. October Ii
OF all the amazing political situations
in the United States this year. Oregon
presents the most surprising. If not in
credible, set of circumstances since the
DAYS of the far-famed Know Nothing"
movement. which. in the days inme-
diately following the civil war. sought
to array Protestants against Catholics.
and vice versa.
There is actually on the official ballot
which if enacted into law would make
parent or guardian liable to a fine
or imprisonment or both, II he or she
failed to send all children between the
ages of eight and sixteen years to
the public schools during the regular
school term.
ParochiaI schools of all denomina-
tfons, Catholic or Protestant, pri-
vatc institutions Of all kinds. from
musical to military, would be wiped
out. so far as boys and girls below
sixteen are concerned, If the bill is
enacted Oregon has a system of
initiating legislation at the pools and
if enough signatures are secured 10
a petition the proposals are submit
ted to the voters.
Measure Deliberately Planned.
This. however. is no isolated meas
ure thrust into an election accident
ally by the small group of voters,
the issue is playing such a vital part
in the state election that for the first
time in many years democratic
nominee for governor has good
chance of being elected in this over,
whelmingly republican state and
largely because he has Endorsed tho
bill, while his republican opponent
fought this movement in the .pri-
maries and won by a scant margin.
Who sponsored the bill? The Of
secretary of state of Oregon. con-
tanning the views of the supporters
and opponents of the measure, frank
ly gives "as the inspiration for this
1920. by the Supreme Council Of the
Ancient and Accepted Order of Scot
tish Rite Masons, Southern Jurisdic-
tion. There are only two Jurlsdic-
tions in the United States. so the ac-
tion of the southern body. which met
The Grand Lodge of Oregon. A. F.
and A. NJ. and the Imperial Council
of the Mobiles of the Mystic Shrine
all indorsed the same resolution In
June. 1920.
Text Of the Resolution.
! 1t is printed in the official pam
phlet and reads as follows,
"Resolved. That we recognize ano
proclaim our belief in the free and
compulsory education of the children
Of our nation in the public primary
schools. supported by public taxation.
upon which all children shall attend
and be instructed in the English Ian
Suage only, without regard to race
or creed, as the only sure foundation
for the perpetuation and preserVa-
tion of our free institutions guaran-
teed by the Constitution OF the
United States. and we pledge tho
efforts of the membership of the or
der to promote by all lawful means
the organization. extension and oe.
velopment. to the highest degree +ps os
such schools. and to oppose the
efforts Of any and all who seek to
limit. curtail, hinder or DESTROY inc
public school system of our land
Do all the Masons here subscribe to
this doctrine? Not bit OF It, the
writer talked to many Masons ias9 ., OF 1ase nign
luton had ever been adopted. and
who are actively fighting the enact
ment of the law. The newspapers
are CARRYING paid .as1,.s advertissmeaes sen aes
gree. inspirator general in Oregon:
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite,
urging voters to vote yes. Mr.. NAL
CONS advertisement states that the
bill proposes no religious restric-
ton: 1t contemplates no HHliIalion
of the right of the parent to teacn
religion to his child in his own way
and according to his own belief: 1t
raises no issues of religious differ
ence," but 1t is purely measure to
insure that all children by attending
the public schools shall be taught
alike during their grammar school
years, so that their outlook may
grow to be a unified outlook for the
common veal and for their country
and it's institutions" .... e..
Fight WaEed by Khan.
Were it not for the fact that the
Ku Klux ,Klan here Is strong, and
that its candidates came within 500
votes of winning the republican
nomination for governor in the usual
type of anti-catholic fight waged by
the Klan, the claims Of the support
ers Of the bill that they are not aim
irg it at Catholics, but all denomtna-