Evening star., 1927-04-25
NELLIE ROSS HOPES
CATHOLIC WILL WIN
Says Election to Presidency
Would Prove U. S. Is Re-
public in Reality.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Nellie Tayloe Ross, former Governor
Of Wyoming, declared today that al
though she is Protestant, she would
like to see Catholic elected Presi-
dent 'just to prove that this is, in
reality, a republic in which we live
and not one in name only"
Speaking before the National Wom-
ems Democratic Club, Mrs. Ross de-
nounced as unworthy of the precious
heritage of American citizenship any
declaration by policy or practice that
prejudice rather than liberal principles
shall prevail in this government" and
called upon the women of the Demo-
cratic party to back her up in this
stand.
Mrs. Ross spoke at the weekly
luncheon meeting at the clubhouse,
500 Connecticut avenue.
Wants Issue Met.
Mrs. Ross said she was not referring
to any particular potential presidential
candidate, but speaking only of the
principle" involved, and added that
the issue was one that cannot be
lodged or evaded."
There are many factors to be taken
into consideration in the nomination
af a president, 4 she continued. II do.
though, insist ffat one factor that
cannot be taken into consideration is
church alignment.
II believe that the sin of intolerance
is the greatest sin of the age. 1t is
amazing that those who call them
selves Christians can harbor and en-
courage in others a sentiment so in
consistent with the teachings of
Christ"
Mrs. Ross then told Of a recent visit
to Monticello and the tomb Of Thomas
Jefferson, adding:
There, craven in stone, is the cpl
taph which he, himself, composed and
directed should be placed above his
grave. 1t epitomizes the principles
for which he stood.
He stood for the freedom of the
individual upon the principle that all
men are endowed with certain inalien-
able rights that no power on erth,
church or state, can take away. He
stood, likewise, for religious freedom
that is, that in America all men
are entitled to worship their creator
as they please and shall suffer no loss
of civil rights thereby. He stood for
the education of the masses.
Basis of Party.
'tThese are the principles upon
which the Democratic party was
founded 1t is charged that we have
receded from them. Constantly we
hear it said that party activities are
no longer based on principles; that
neither of the parties is standing for
issues that are vital to th,s people.
If this be true, and it is more true
than we like to admit, let us Demo-
cratic women rise in the might that
universal acknowledgements has given
to us and demand that our party
shall stand for something; that it shall
return to the great tenets upon which
1t was founded.
Il am a Democrat because believe
in my heart in the traditional prin-
ciples Of the Democratic party. /
am not afraid of the ampliflcation
of any of those principles to modern
problems, even to religious con-
troversy, which properly has no place
in the politics of this country.
1T looks now as if leading issue
that is going to face us as Democrats
this coming year is whether or not
a Catholic can be nominated to the
presidency by the Democratic party.
1t is an issue that cannot be lodged
or evaded. Distasteful as it is to us
all, it is well to have it brought out
into the open.
whatever may be our religious
creed, this is an issue that chal-
lenges our Democracy. To many 1t
will be and is an acid test.
'T hope that the Democratic wom-
en- of this country will not be found
wanting, but that they will fearlessly
proclaim. individually and from every
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