Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-04-24
Republican Leader Declares
Democrat Tried to Raise
Religious Issue.
HOLDS RIVALS ANSWER
is "HALF CONFESSION
Says G. o. P. Sent Out Copies of
Frank Kent Article, Which Did
Not Mention Catholicism.
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

The Fess-Shouse controversy waXed
Ohio, chairman of the Republican Ma
ticnal Committee, reiterated his charge
that in San Francisco speech Jouett
Shouse, chairman Of the Democratic
Executive Committee, had sought to
raise the religious issue.
Referring to the Shouse statement Is
sued last night, in which Mr.. Shouse
denied charges made by Fess, Senator
FeSs said:
IF Mr.. Shcuse believes that a per-
sonal attack on me either juStifieS or
covers up his action in attempting to
rouse religious prejudice and charging
the offense to the Republican National
Committee. he is welcome to that
cuttlef1sh defense
Called Half Confession"
The Ohio Senator said that Mr.
Shouse's statement had been a half
confession and half denial of the report
of his San Francisco speech by the
San Francisco Chronicle" In that re-
port Shouse was said to have asserted
the Republican National Committee had
purchased 10000, 900 copies of a maya
zine article by Robert Cruise McManus
ats cking John ]. Raskob because he
was a Catholic. When Senator Fess
heard of the Chronicle report he put
out a statement saying that the Repub-
lican National Committee had done no
such thing and offering $4,000 to Mr..
ShouSe If he could prove it.
He hangs his half denial on that
newspapers statement that the maya
zine article he referred to was written
by Robert Cruise McManus," said SEN
ator FesS "ShouSe asserts that an ar
ticle written by Frank Kent and pub
liShed In September Scri5neT's Mag
azine was the one he diScoursed upon at
the Democratic gathering in that city
But whether Mr.. Shouse referred IN his
speech to the Scribner's article or some
other magazine article is immaterial.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports
Mr.. Shouse saying the committee cir
cnlated ten million copies AMI then add
ing: 'Raskob is one of the most emf
nent Catholics in America. II he were
a Methodist, for instance, would the
Republican National Committee have
ordered those 10000, 900 copies?'
Believes Press Report.
Here is the vice Of Mr.. Shouse's
dGJiOlE-- dtbLuPb W uIlpIy l4ldL Tie
Republican National Committee circu-
lated a pamphlet containing an attack
on Mr.. Raskob because Of his religion.
Our concern over this story was oc-
caSioned by the charge made by Mr..
Shouse that this committee circulated
the McManus article and direct at
tack on Mr.. Raskob because Of his
religion.
Clearly and unquestionably Mr.
Shouse did inject the religious issue. He
now declares he was misquoted by a
newspaper and that the newspaper was
in error. But in this case the misquot-
ing seems to have been so general as
to admit of no doubt that the news
story was correct and Mr.. Shouse said
the things he was reported as having
said. Not one newspaper but others
having no editorial connections-printed
the same betraying facts. And II that
were not enough, there was, In addition.
a large radio audience which overheard
and remembered the ShouSe "confden-
tial" speech.
Mr.. Shcuse offers his denial, alone
and unsupported, while even a number
of Democratic leaders in San Francisco
have gone so far as to publicly repudi-
ate Shouse in his attempt to inject
the religious issue into politics.
Quotes Democratic Leaders.
-. w. Enrich, one of the leaders
of the younger Democracy of San
Francisco and the party nominee for
attorney general last Fall, declared 1t
would have been better left unsaid
Continued on Page 2, Column Sd