Evening star., 1932-03-08
PROTESTANTS HELD
CRUSADE LEADERS
AGAINST B|COTRY
Responsibility of Majority
Stressed by Educator
at Seminar Here.
ALL FAITHS BARE NEED
FOR UNITED TOLERANCE
Catholics, Jews and Others Sound
Appeal for Common Stand
Against Godlessness.

Progress in religious liberty must de-
pend primarily on the attitude of the
Protestant majority, Prof. Carlton ]. H.
Hayes, professor Of history at Columbia
University, declared today at a lunch
con session of the seminar of Catholics,
Jews and Protestants being held here
to war on bigotry. Newton D. Baker,
Secretary Of War during the Wilson
administration, presided.
The seminar, sponsored by the Ma
tional Conference of Catholics, Jews
and Protestants, opened yesterday after
noon at the Willard Hotel. Radio ad-
dresses by Bishop James E. Freeman
OF the Washington Cathedral, Rev.
Francis j. Haas, director of the Ma
tional Catholic School of Social Sery-
ice, and Rabbi Abram Simon of the
Washington Hebrew Congregation were
heard late in the day.
Challenge to Majority.
THE majority religion has always the
chief responsibility in assuring, as well
as proclaiming, religious liberty" Prof.
Hayes asserted. "As minorities. Jews and
Catholics have been particularly eager
Tor equality OF treatment in politics
and society; more eager to obtain these
things than the Protestant majority to
grant them. Thereby friction has been
increased.
Our ultimate task is not merely to
promote amity among handfuls of in
tellectuals. but to effect a revolution in
attitude Of the masses. We have made
great progress in mutual respect and
trust among a large class OF our more
thoughtful and idealistic citizens. Prot
estant. Catholic and Jewish. But what
about the masses? Are they sympathetic
with our endeavors; are they progress
ing from the letter to the spirit of real
religious liberty.
The test of genuine religious liberty
Is not the admission to political and
social equality OF only such persons as
DelleVe about the same as we do or are
1nd1f to religion. It is whether We
admit such persons who believe quite
Inherently from ourselves and are zeal
Gus IN the practice of their religion.
While believe that am right, must
sincerely respect your belief that you
are right. Herein, it seems to me, lies
the true and only practical way out of
the difficulty"
Historians Head to Speak.
4iA4o dACClAIOOil EEdTLS B.. GREENE
of Columbia University, recently presi-
dent Of the American Historical Asso-
citation, was to address the seminar. He
was to be followed by DR.. Cyrus Adler,
president Of the American Jewish Com
mittee, and president OF the Jewish
Theological Seminary. general dis
cussion was scheduled for the evening
meeting.
The seminar opened this morning
with a general discussion of THE Ele-
ments of Constructive Program for
Improving 1nter-Group Relations"
Prof. William H. Fitzpatrick of Columbia
University, chairman of the seminar.
presided. After a spirited exchange of
opinions as to how better understand
ing and tolerance could be fostered
among faiths, the delegates divided into
small groups for more detailed dis
cussionS
Yesterday Bishop Freeman called on
all religions to present a united front
to the attack Of atheism.
Declaring that "to be insular Is to
be msolent," Bishop Freeman said that.
under the stress and strain of modern
living, old lines of racial or tribal di-
visions are being effaced and fellow
snip and comradeship are becoming in
creasingly indispensable.
Fears Atheistic Influence.
There are threatening and malevo-
lent forces that would undermine and
destroy what We hold as a rich herit-
age" the speaker declared. Possibly
no such designed or persistent attack
mas ever before been made. 1t declares
frankly and boldly that a society of the
Goddess shall supersede those ideals
ana institutions that We commonly
hold as indispensable to wholesome
social and economic conditions. Such
an attack cannot be successfully met
and resisted by ranks that are torn
oy rivalry or excess of party pride.
Ihere Is kind of unity that i'm
per1led conditions imperatiyely de-
mand: Such unity, may venture to
say does no violence to the autonomy
or solidarity of the forces allied to
combat common enemy"
Dr. Haas said that "the man or woman
VINO raises the voice of bigotrv is
traitor to his country and a criminal
before God. We are here not tn i'm
pugn one another's beliefs, but to in
dlct the forces that prevent us from
living and working happily together"
ne USED George Washington to illustrate
many OF his points for increased good
VIII ana understanding and emphasized
the need of common action to conouer
intolerance among all groups.
Rabbi Simon Urges Tolerance.
Rabbi Simon also paid tribute to
George Washington as a protagonist of
religious tolerance. I'VE propose at this
conference" he said, ito drag into the
open our prejudices and misinterpreta-
tlons, examine them effectively and
submit them to the light of critical and
unbiased study. In that way only shall
we De able to sweep away the errors
and lay new foundations for an edifice
of fraternal relations among people of
opposite SectS and faith"