Evening star., 1925-10-21
Religion and Law.


President Coolidge, in an address to
the National Council of Congrega-
tlonal Churches, has delivered time
iy admunition that men and women
cannot he made good" by law.
though shcy may uc punished for
yvrongioing The disposition il many
quarters today has been to make the
people good" through legislative
enactment AS the President has
wisely pointed out. this cannot be
done Furthermore, unless the people
are fundamentally good are funda-
mentally governed by sense of
morality founded upon religious be
lief. there is little chance of the
proper enforcement Of the laws them
selves.
The Presidents message was not
only to the clergy, but to the people
themselves He urged them to hold to
The relsious beliefs and training OF
their fathers The country, he de
clared. needs more religion" to meet
the problems which it faces today.
If there are any general failures
H. the enforcement Of the law it is be
cause there have first been general
failures III the disposition u observe
the law he said More laws he indi-
Gated. are not the remedy needed TO
day. and he added. Il can conceive uf
ro adequate remedy for the evils
which beset society except through
the influences Of society"
~ i customary in the uttorauces
Of President Coolidge, there Is 4 world
Of hard. common sense IN ms address
u the Congregationalists. His effort
constantly is to get the people t. keep
their feet on firm, solid ground. He
has observed the efforts Of many per-
sons 10 throw the blame on the Gov
ernment for the lawlessness OF today.
The President announced his entire
faith in the local and national gov
el'nments of this country, and pointed
out that II always is easy to criticize
IA, Government FOR failure to reform
all morals, 20 prevent all crime anu
generally 10 abolish all evil. But this
j. not the province of government,
IL the opinion of the Chief Executive.
The chief function Of government Is
n maintain order and provide Sc
curity for persons and property and
T. see that justice is administered to
all The people themselves must make
use Of the opportunities presented
them 10y government to lead law
abiding and moral lives. If they do
not thus help themselves all the laws
in the world will not help them, no
matter how well meaning these laws
may be. The law Of man must depend
upon the righteous authority of the
Almighty, In the opinion Of the Presi-
dent.
But despite the crime wave which
the President admits has followed il
tie wake Of the World War. he has
lost no faith In the onward and
righteous march Of the American peU-
pie. He sounds no note OF discourag ge-
nleut. lie pointed t. the fact that
amid the complexities OF modern life
we ar" still maintaining unimpaired
tie foundations of our Institutions
constantly increasing the rectitude
with which the great business affairs
Of our country are conducted. al the
waile improving our educational
facilities, answering more and more
generally I" the calls Of public and
private charity. continually euiarging
the field uf arr. giving mere and more
attention Ia huruauities ana becoming
luorr ana NOR" responsive to spiritual
things" The President inte'prets
rhesr facts a. Indicative Of an abiding
fuiih Of tne American peopIe in re
li,-iyu