Evening star., 1932-03-09
PRESS |SPRA|SED
FOR RELIGIOUS AID
Elimination of Prejudices Is
Discussed at Three.Day
Seminar.

The work Of the American press In
allaying religious prejudices was the
focal point for speakers at this after
Moons session of the National Confer
ence Of Catholics, Jews ard Protestants,
which is holding three day seminar
at the Willard Hotel. Newton D. Baker,
Secretary of War in the Wilson ad-
ministration, will close the seminar
with an address to be broadcast over a
Nation wide lookup tonight.
Ten section meetings this morning
were devoted to findings ways and
means Of improving intergroup rela-
tions, eradicating bigotry and develop
ing programs for the future. Men and
women prominent in arts, letters and
religious life of the country led the
group discussions.
Prejudices Scored.
Religious and racial prejudices were
scored as menace to the life of the
Nation" by Robert 3. Ashwortn, editor
OF the Baptist, when he opened the
luncheon meeting this afternoon. Other
speakers at the same session were Byron
Price, chief Of the Washington Bureau
OF the Associated Press; Michael Will
hams OF the Calvert Associates and
eoltor OF the Commonweal, and Alfred
M. Cohen, president of B'nai Birth
and editor of B'nai Birth Magazine.
inere Is need of press service to
supply material of an fnter-racial and
nter-religious character" Mr.. Ash
worth declared When we started as
editors of the Baptist, we circularized
other religious bodies, asking them to
seno US Items of general interest. The
response was practically nil. We should
DC glad to report the best that other
reI!glouS bodies are doing"
AFTER citing the declaration" Of 81
Protestant journals on the Macintosh
case, Mr.. AshWorth said: why could
not the Jewish, Roman Catholic and
Protestant papers band themselves on
some issue OF mutual interest? 1t would
make definitely for increased under
standing"
Help Given by Newspapers.
Mr. Price pointed out how newspapers
help eradicate prejudices by greater dis
semination of information.
Mooern newspaper influence is based
on tne amount OF information printed, -
Mr.. Price said. There is less preaching
anu more dissemination Of facts today
than in former years, Newsnaners held
10 eliminate misunderstanding by tell
ing people more about theis fellows.
ANY one we know better we like better"
he used the Associated Press as an
example OF the kind of cooperative
organization that banishes ignorance
ara pleJuolces by serving as a clearing
mouse Tor exchanges of views and facts.
just as the press association is COM
posed OF all kinds of groups that work
IN harmony through distribution of
KnoWieoge and news, SO is such an
organization as the National Confer
ence nelplul by the interchange of
views, Mr.. Price declared,
HOW 10 offset the widespread publicity
given 10 the battles of bigotry" rather
IMAM 70 the treaties of peace" was dis
cussed by Mr. Williams.
The cause of better understandino
between Protestants, Jews and CathoIics
suffers from the eagerness of the secular
press TO emphasize the Sensational
rather than the normal and Commend
able" he stated.
Advertising Proposed.
In lamenting the treatment of the
more orthodox and restrained types of
religious addresses by press associa-
tions and daily newspapers, Mr.. VIII
hams suggested purchase Of advertis-
ing space by the orthodox bodies for
use in setting forth their views.
Mr. Cohen, a State Senator from
Ohio, closed the series of afternoon
addresses by declaring that the press,
while reporting all laudable acts of q
race or religion, should deal with
eNldoers as individuals and not as
members Of group.
Shall ner-do-wen Jew or one
who Is no Jew at all, charged with q
crime. be catalogued in a newspaper
as a Jew merely because his name
happens 10 ~ the same as mine?"
Senator Cohen inquired. Shall q
usurer be called 'ShyIock,' which for
most people is synonym for Jew?
Has the Chinese no culture that can