Evening star., 1933-05-20
'BAPT|STS PREPARE
TOORCAN|zE SOUTH
AGAINST REPEAL
Roosevelt Asked Not to Take
Active Part in Opposing
Prohibition.
RESOLUTION AT SESSION
DEPL0RES BEERS RETURN
Convention Upholds President in
Efforts for Employment
and Peace.

Preparations to organize the South
against prohibition repeal were begun
by Southern Baptists today as dele
CATION o. their convention leaders
called at the White House and pre-
sented to President Roosevelt reso-
luton deploring the return of beer and
expressing the hope that he will not
participate actively in the movement to
repeal the eighteenth amendment.
I'VE would regard repeal as calam-
ity to our Nation" the letter given the
President said. We believe that pro-
hlbition at its worst is better than the
legalized sale of Intoxicating liquor for
beverage purposes at its best"
Vigorous Stand Forecast.
This move forecast a more vigorous
stand in the convention Monday night
when the social service report is rem
dered. Steps will be taken then to
unite Baptist forces in the campaign
to block repeal through the legislative
machinery of majority of the 18
Southern and border States.
The delegation calling at the White
House was headed by Dr. M. E, Dodd
of Shreveport, La, acting president of
the convention, and included one rep
resentative from participating States.
They had been directed also to assure
President Roosevelt of the earnest sup
port of the Baptist people in his efforts
to relieve the distressed millions now
without employment. That meant,
among other things, a pledge of Bap-
tist cooperation in the furnishing of
church services to forestation camps
as requested yesterday in an address by
DR.. Julian Yates, chief of Army chap
lains.
the Baptist delegation also conveyed
to the President the hearty approval
CT the convention of his noble appeal
to the rulers of all nations to maintain
peace and to frown upon aggression
on the part of any nation against an
other nation"
These actions, accompanied by
spiritual blessing upon the President,
were embodied in letter prepared by
the convention last night, for presenta-
tion at the White House.
Members of Committee.
In addition to DR.. Dodd the members
OF the official committee consisted of
the following:
M. E. Dodd, acting president of the
convention; j. E. Dillard of Alabama.
H. L. Winburn, Arkansas; w. w. Ever
EFT, District of Columbia; E. C. Collins,
Florida; j. E. Sammons, Georgia; E.
w. Reeder. Illinois; John r. Sampey,
Kentucky; j. E. Smitherman, louisiana;
E. Godbold, Missouri; j. D. Franks,
Mississippi; Francis H. Davis, Mary
land; c: R. Barrick, New Mexico; Zeno
wan; North Carolina; J. w. Storer,
oklahoma; w. L. Ball, South Carolina:
John Jeter Hurt, Tennessee; George
w. Iruett, Texas, and Charles w, Dam
lei. Virginia.
Meanwhile. the convention session to-
day devoted itself to consideration of
vexlng financial problems. particularly
in connection with the handicaps Gre
ated by q $1,000,000 deficit in the for
eign mission field
Ground was laid for this work at a
meeting last night at which II re-
turned missionaries, all in this country
on enforced furlough without salary,
were presented. Three of them, j. L.
Hart Of Chile; I. NJ Patterson of At
rica, and DR.. John Lake of China made
appeals for contributions to mission
work. DR.. Charles E. Maddry of Rich
mond, Va, executive secretary of the
Foreign Mission Board made a strong
appeal for convention action to lift
the burden of debt from the board
The oldest and youngest convention
members were presented, James Lomax
Frazier. aged of Fort Worth, Tex,
and j. M Hillard, age So. of High
Point, N. c., who is said to have at
tended every Baptist convention in the
last 81 years.
Missionary Reports.
At tonight's session, beginning at g
O'Clock, reports will be made BY the
Woman's Missionary Union, the power
full auxiliary of the convention, and
other reports on home missions and
missionaries. Tomorrow prominent
Baptist pastors and lay workers will
occupy the pulpits in practically every
Baptist church in Washington at morn
ing and evening services.
Southern Baptists face the necessity
OF cutting $4,000 or more from the
foreign mission budget, compelling the
holding in this country, without salary,
of 80 missionaries now on furlough and
ready to return. Thirty-two mission
aries in the field, due to come home
on furlough, had to stay there, and
II others resigned through necessity,
Secretary Maddry reported.
For the home missions, j. B. Law
renee of Atlanta, Ga, reported meet
ing obligations on constantly de-
creasing income"
In his report on home missions, Law
renee told the convention the finances
were in such a critical state that the
board had a consultation with bankers
Just before coming to the convention.
He said the debt totaled 81 SAT 900, but
assured the convention he believed the
bankers would play along" with the
church and "see them through"
Last year Southern Baptists spent
only S12l 900 for all home mission work.
he said. That was less than the
amount expended yearly before, he said,
for Indian and Negro work and work
among the foreign population in the