Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-10-12
AMAZING PROPOSAL
ON SCHOOLS BEFORE
PEOPLE OF OREGON
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal.)
(Copyright, 1927

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
Ueased Wire Service to The Journal)
Copyright, 1929
PORTLAND, Ore, Oct. 10.-Of all
the amazing political situations IN
the United States this year, Oregon
presents the most surprising #
not incredible set of circumstances
since the days Of our famed know
nothing movement which in the
days Immediately following the Civil
war sought to array Professionals
against Catholics and vice versa.
There is actually on the official
ballot to be voted on November z a
proposal which if enacted into law
would make a parent or guardian
liable to a fine or Imprisonment or
both if 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.
Parochial schools of all denomina-
tions, Catholic or Protestant, private
institutions of all kinds from musical
to military schools would be wiped
out so far as boys and girls below
sixteen are concerned if the bill is
enacted. Oregon has system of
initiating legislation at the polls and
if enough signatures are secured to
petition the proposals are submit
ted to the voters.
This, however, is no isolated meas
IRE thrust into an election accident
ally by the small group Of voters.
1t has been deliberately planned and
the issue is playing such q vital
part in the state election that for
the first time in many years a Demo
cratic nominee for governor has o
good chance Of being elected in this
overwhelmingly Republic state and
largely because he has Endorsed the
bill while his Republican opponent
fought his movement in the primar-
les and won by a scant margin.
Who Sponsored Bill?
Who sponsored the bill? The Of
fetal pamphlet just issued by the
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
act" a resolution adopted in May,
1920, by the supreme council of the
Ancient and Accepted Order of Scot
fish Rite Masons, southern jurisdic-
| ton.
There are only two jurisdictions in
the United States so the action Of
the southern body which met in Port
land in 1920 is quasi-national. The
grand lodge of Oregon, f. & A. M,
and the imperial council of the No
| bles of the Mystic Shrine all in
dorsed the same resolutions in June,
| 1920. It is printed iE the official
pamphlet and reads as follows:
Resolved, That we recognize and
proclaim our belief in the free and
compulsory education Of the chill
dren of our nation in the public pri-
mary schools supported by public
| taxation, upon which all children
shall attend and be instructed in
the English language only without
| regard to race or creed as the only
sure foundation for the perpetual
| ton and preservation Of our / >e in
| situations, guaranteed by the consti-
| tuition of the United States and we
| pledge the efforts of the member
| ship of the order to promote, by all
| lawful means, the. organization, ex-
| tension and development to the high
est degree of such schools, and to
oppose the efforts of any and all
who seek to limit, curtail, hinder or
destroy the public school system OF
| our land"
Do all the Masons mere subscribe
| to this doctrine? Not bit of it. The
writer talked to many Masons of
| high degree who regretted that the
resolution had ever been adopted and
who are actually fighting the enact
ing of the law.
Khan Is Strong
The newspapers are carrying paid
advertisements signed by p. S. NAL
com, thirty third degree, inspirator
general in Oregon, Ancient and Ac-
cepted Scottish Rite, urging voters
| to vote yes. Mr.. Malcom's advertise
ment states that the bill proposes
| on religious restriction; it contem-
plates no limitation of the right of
the parent to teach religion to his
child in his own way and according
| to his own belief; it raises no issues
of religios difference but that it is
purely a 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 uni
fed outlook for the common veal
and for their countrysand its insti-
| tutions."
Were it not for the fact that the
Ku Klux Khan here is strong and
that its candidate came within 500
votes of winning the Republican
nomination for governor in the usual
type of anti-Catholic fight waged by
the Khan, the claims of the support.
ers of the bill that they are not aim
ing it at catholics but all denomina.
tons would not be so much a subject
Of controversy. There are more
catholic parochial schools than any
others and naturally the catholics
cannot be convinced that the meas
| ure is aimed elsewhere.
| In the same official pamphlet
wherein are printed the affirmative
and negative arguments one finds a
vigorous denunciation of the bill ''by
the Oregon and Washington district
Of the Evangelical Lutheran Synod
| of Missouri, Ohio and other states"
Some of the leading business men
and bankers, several of them Ma.
| sons, signed another argument
against the bill condemn.ng it as a
denial of the right of a parent to
choose teachers for his children, a
revival Of the Prussian method of
education and as the system of Boil.
shevist Russia (which treats the
child as the ward of the state
| Ministers i'm Fight
Presbyterian ministers and other
clergymen have joined with members
Of the Catholic Civic Right associa
ton in declaring that what the coun
try needs is harmony, not discord
and pointing out that the measure
will not accomplish the objects
sought even if enacted