Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-10
SENATOR BREWSTER MAKES REPLY
TO THE letter OF BISHOP WALSH
CONFLICTING VIEWS ON SCHOOLS

The following statement was mail
ed to the Journal by Senator Ralph
o. Brewster. Portland, as a reply to
that OF Bishop Walsh recently pub
iished in the journal:
On October 18th at Wateryille,
Maine, before the Maine State Sun
day School Association, delivered
an address on Religious Education
and the Public Schools" in which /
referred to the growing recognition
OF the necessity for some form Of re-
ligtous education in the development
OF a democracy recognizing the exis-
tence of God.
AS protection to our American
public school system against the en-
croachment Of any and all religious
sects. / advocated the adoption of
constitutional amendment prohibit
ing the appropriation Of public school
funds to sectarian Or parochial
schools. With this safeguard adopt
ed, ! suggested that we might then
wisely try. out in various localities
the system which is now in operation
In over two hundred cities and towns
in our country,-in the town of Bar
Harbor within our own stately
which public school children, upon
receipt of the written request of their
parents, are excused for a period each
week to receive religious instruction
in the church home of their parents.
On October Goth, in a signed state
ment given to the public press, Bis
hop Louis s. Walsh, Roman Catholic
Bishop of Portland, in charge of the
Roman Catholic Diocese of Maine,
stated that my address was nine
tenths falsehood with few grains of
truth" and that he would later reply
more in detail.
On October 9th the newspapers of
the state carried four column
statement by him dealing, to some
extent, with my address at Mater
vile and to some extent with. many
other matters not germane to the
issue.
Insofar as personal attacks upon
myself or my family or my associates
are concerned, have no desire to re-
ply. One who attacks another or de-
tends himself Is necessarily. taking a
personal view of government, and 1
believe We are very much concerned
in these days with the discussion of
principles and measures, and that
any distraction of the popular
not be helpful.
OF the Roman Catholic faith in
the State of Maine sincerely re-
greet the untempered pronounce
ments of their religious head and
l do not believe the citizens of
Maine will Unfortunately condemn
members of the Roman Catholic
faith for actions and words for which
they are in no American sense
responsible.
Aside from the personalities en-
bodied in the statement. Bishop
Walsh also refers to the weaknesses
or many so-called Christian church,
es.' This reference to Protestant
churches as "so-called churches" or
clubs" seems to imply the basic err
for or the assumption that there is
only one authoritative church and
this is implied in other portions of
the document where he refers to "the
Holy Catholic Church" as recited in
the Apostles creed and in the Nicene
creed failing to point out that these
dld not refer at all to the Roman
Catholic Church which was practic-
ally unknown at the time of the
adoption of these creeds. and at
which time the Bishop of Rome was
not making at all his present claims
to power.
1 regret this failure to recognize
the American principle of equality of
all religious faiths before the law. I
understand that it is a fundamental
American principle that each man is
at liberty to follow his own religious
belief without obstruction or dispar-
asement by his neighbor.
do not think, however, that it is
necessary for me to hold any brief
Tor the great principles of Protest
antlsm which have established Them
serves in the mind of America during
the past three centuries. That can
De sufficiently done by the churches
ana church members of this state.
Insofar as the principles which
discussed in my address at Water
vile are concerned, four main points
seem to emerge from their discussion
by Bishop Walsh.
FIRST: The attitude of the Roman
catholic church authorities toward
the American public school system.
second: The question of the con-
stltutionality of the law recently en-
acted IN Maine requiring the reading
or the Bible in the public school.
Ihlrd: The position of Bishop
Louis >. Walsh representing the Ro-
man Catholic church in Maine re-
garding the diversion of public school
Iunos to sectarian or parochial
schools. '''"'
Fourth: The question of the propri-
ely and the adequacy of my sugges-
non as to excusing children from the
puoiic schools to attend schools of
lenSi ous instruction as requested and
selected by their parents.
IN the hrst point, quoted Bishon
Natsn as definitely stating that he
wouiu NOT permit the children of his
taith 70 attend the public schools, be-
20 use tnsy would not receive there a
III, !s.iah character and civilization"
Blshop Walsh denies that he ever
made any such statement. NV renIv
Is Ihat he made this statement in The
nan or the House of Representatives.
IN augusta, on Thursday, March
19z3, before the Committee on Edu,
catlon OF the Slst Legislature at the
nearing upon the proposed constit,-
tional amendment. He made This
statement in the presence of several
hundred citizens of Maine. both
Roman Catholic and Protestant. and
the accuracy of my quotation is
vouched for by Senator Harmon G.
Amen, chairman of the Committee
on Education, presiding at the hear
ing; representative Mark A. Bar
wise. House Chairman of the Com
mlttee on Education; and by Nayor
William r. Mcdonald of South Port
land, who was present at the hear
ing as an interested listener and
was sitting only a few feet from
Bishop Walsh when he made the
statement. Several other rep
resentative citizens of Maine with
whom I have talked also votch for
the accuracy of the quotation, but
l prefer not to quote them unless it