The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-12-17
CAN A CATHOLIC BECOME
PRESIDENT?
BY n. ID. Cochran

Governor Smith may or may not be a candidate
for presidential nomination, but he is
discussed as outstanding possibility. If he were
Catholic there is every reason to believe he
would be nominated by much than the twothirds
vote required In Democratic conventions.
Therefore the availability of Catholic for Presi-
OF the United States is legitimate matter for
frank and open discussion. Thus far there has been
much open discussion by antCathocs and very little
by Catholics themselves shall discuss this topic as
frankly and fairly as know how.
TO begin with there is nothing in the American
Constitution which bars any natveborn American
citizen because Of religion. II understand
the attitude of those who are opposed the election
Of Catholic President, they believe that member
of the Catholic church, even though g natvebo
American Citizen owes allegiance to the Pope OF
Rome that is superior 60 his allegiance to the Govern
ment of the United States They believe also that the
Catholic church still holds to its belief that the Pope
should have. by right, temporal we'll spiritual
power.
To get anywhere by frank discussion 1t should be
understood that the great body of American Protes-
ants who believe this honest and sincere in their
belief. distinction should be made between the
great body of members of such organizations the
Ku-Klux Khan, for example, and the few designing
politicians who get into positions of leadership. The
late Khan boss In Indiana Stephenson, an example
of the insincere and disreputabIe leaders.
Assuming that the rank and file Protestants are
honest and sincere in their belief which believe,
the only way to convince them that they are mis-.
judging patriotic Catholics is to prove to them that
their belief suspicion IL you please founded
upon fact.
In recent radio talk Bishop Dunn, a Catholic
said that Catholics believe in a separation state
and church. The historic fact that almost sodly
Catholic countries as Italy France and Mexico have
actually separated church and state lends to
this statement. However, stating this atti-
tude OF Catholics to be fact because L don't know
whether it is or not hope frank open discussion
will clear 1t up that all of will know the truth
do believe, however that there are two kinds
or Catholics, there two kinds of Professionals
the tolerant and the intoerant also believe that the
heads or church organization will grab political
power IL they get away with They are human
beings whether they happen to be Catholics Metho-
dlsts or something else. In the United States the
Methodist church exercises political power than
the Catholic church does In Catholic France or In
Catholic Mexico; and this country Is predominantly
Protestant.
have seen somewhere a quotation from Daniel
OC0nnell to this effect: I'VE will take our religion
from Rome but not politics" I have also read of
president Grants statement that I'm the United
states there are three political parties the Republican
party the Democratic party and the Methodist church
Governor Smiths eligibility the presidency de-
pends really upon what kind of Catholic he is If
as citizen he holds the Constitution OF the United
States superior to the will Pope as the
law OF the United States that's there is to It.
How much of his religion he takes from the Vatican
is nobody's business but his own.
About the only fear Protestants have of a Cath
ole for President is that he might be influenced as
President by the Pope. II there is no reason for
such fear no harm to anybody concerned
by frank discussion of the relation American Cath
ole citizens to the Constitution and the Pope