The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-11-30
HOUSECLEANTNG BY
CHURCHES MAY RESULT

While the Ku-IIluX Khan appears to be on the to-
ooggan' the fundamental prejudice which makes such
movements popular still exists We have had some
sort of an anCathoc movement about once in twenty
years. The Know-Nothings, A. p AIS Guardians Of
Liberty and KuI<lux Khan merely different names
for the same thing
With each recurrence of this antiCathoic move
ment lot or cheap politicians Of the Stephenson type
IN Indiana come up through the boiling froth and gain
prominence and power in politics, only sink back
into their proper place in society when the fever has
run it's course.
The same arguments are used each time the mental
malady returns Mainly the agitators play on the fear
that the Pope of Rome head of the Catholic Church.
is working night and day to make America Catholic"
and that when he gets strong enough he destroy
our public schools. The emblem of the A. p A. move
ment IN the early days was the Little Red School House,
ana the same arguments used in the Guardians of
Liberty movement about twenty years later.
There will be- probably, periodical revvals of this
movement long the Catholics maintain their own
schools and Protestants be made to believe that
members of the Catholic Church owe an allegiance to
the Roman Pontff greater than their allegiance
United States Government.
These periodical attacks don't bother the Catholic
hierarchy because they don't weaken the church
They generally to drive back confession and
communion many of the younger generation who have
fallen away from their devotions
But such movements temporarily benefit politicians
OF the Evans and Stephenson type who ride power
on them.
Chief among the Protestants who become interested
in such movements are the Methodsts and Baptists.
the strength of the Ku-I<lux movement in that part
Of the country is not difficult to understand
But something new is developing. We begin to
hear now charges that Of the Methodists who
have gone into politics professionally are doing the
very thing the Catholics have been in all
these movements and that is striving bring about
a union of the Church and State
Only few days ago DR.. Charles A. L. Reed of
Cincinnati, lifelong Republican and former president
of the American Medical Association charged that the
Methodist Board of Temperance Prohibition and Public
Morals aided by the AntiSaloon League is the "sn-
lister super-government" at WASHINGTON where both
organizations maintain paid obbies
DR.. Reed said in his address that his Indictment
does not and cannot lie against the great body of
Methodists in this country. 1 know them too well
not to know that they periodically devoted to our
most sacred institutions. The trouble is that that great
organization, like the electorate at large is in the
hands of highly organized but sinister minority that
has succeeded in putting the church. as church, in
false position before the world
He charged that this olgarchy is financed bv
Judge Gary, of the steel trust and John D. Rookie.
Teller, of the oil trust.
Dr. Reed said he speaking as a defender of
liberties under representative government that have
been largely destroyed by the Methodist Board and the
AntSaloon League; and that the painful part of his
speech was that his earliest and finest asso
Citations were those with the Methodist Church."
DR.. Reed has voiced what many other Methodsts
and Protestants have been thinking Coming from
such prominent Protestant and Methodist source his
utterances will doubtless lead others to speak out
frankly. 1t may lead to housekeeping movement
the of sincere Methodists themselves to drive
out representatives of the church the professional
politicians who responsible for the situation and
upset the religio- political super-government
The people of this country WORT stand for union
of Church and State, no matter whether the church
happens to be Protestant, Catholic or pagan.