The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-11-09

Charles Emerson Burton, secretary of the General Council of the Con- gregational and Christian Churches of the United States, has made public correspondence with the standing committee of the Union Congregational church, uppe r Montclair, N. J., concerning the relationship between resolutions on the social order passed by the General Council at it's biennial meeting last June and the Coun- ell for Social Action which was es- tablished at the same meeting as a co-agency with the mission boards.
 In a general resolution on the social gospel and economic prob lens, the members of the General Council by a vote of 130 to 17 de- clared that i've set ourselves to work toward the abolition of "our present competitive profit seeking economy" and toward the inauguration of a genuinely cooperative social economy demo- cratically planned to adjust pro- duction to consumption require- ments, to modify or eliminate prl- vate ownership of the means of production or distribution wher- ever such ownership interferes with the social good"
 The standing committee of the Upper Montclair church through its clerk, George E. Voorhees,, wrote:
 "We find tendency on the part of some people to interpret the resolutions as definition of pro- gram or a set of marching orders for the new Council for SociaI Ac- ton. Others take the position that this is not the case but that the Council for Social Action Is free to work out its own program on its own lines. Can you as scc- retary of the General Council give us your individual opinion as to the relationship between the reso- lutions and the new Council for Social Action?
 Ut is of course equally impor- tant to us to know the proposed sources from which@ the $60.000 budget for the Council for Social Action is to be derived"
 Dr Burton replied:
 q take 1t from your letter that the request for interpretation has reference chiefly to the general resolution on the social gospel and economic problems. My interpre- tation is that 1t does not constitute platform for tho guidance of the Council for Social Action and can not be considered as its marching orders. This interpretation agrees with the genius of the General Council which is a body for taking counsel together and on occasion making recommendation to other bodies, Such recommendation are made to the mission boards. These recommendation are not effective unless and until they are adopted by the bodios to which they are referred. When the Gen. eral Council passes resolutions af- fecting the interests of any board or body, they may be ignopad or honored in the wisdom of the body concerned.
 Resolutions Listed
 "As secretary of the General Council, in giving official notifica- tions following the biennial meet ing, l addressed the Council on Social Action through its director, Hubert O. Herring, transmitting copies of actions taken by the General Council which affected the work of the Council for Social Ac- tion. These transcripts were se- lected from forty resolutions or major subdivisions of resolutions. Eight of these resolutions in ad- dition to the act setting up the Council for Social Action were specifically referred to that council as follows; CD a plebiscite on peace; (2) asking suggestions of procedure in case of war; (3) ur- ban and rural relations, lO puri- fieation of moving pictures; (5) alcoholic beverages; l6) the rights of the minorities; (7) Asiatic quotas; (8) the following resolu- ton which was not voted by the General Council was referred to the Council for Social Action for consideration;
 Whereas, the selfish profit seeking system of economies has resulted in human misery and want in the midst of abundance, Resolved, that the General CouD.. ell of the Congregational and Christian Churches endorse and use all available resources of af,, tcclHk pupNS bPHftoh Hfe eSSfAf action to help usher in a new so- eial order characterized by CO., operative effort for the common god and motiyated by the desire to serVe,'
 "seyenteep other resolutions or major divisions of resolutions in the field of the Council for Social Action were voted by General Council but not referred to the Council for Social Actiopi that IS, one or rural life, five on alcohol, two on war and peace, eight on race relations, and the general resolution on the social gospel and economic problems,
 "The interpretation is that no resolution which was not specific ally recommended to, referred to-, or otherwise eommitted to the Council for Social Action is a part of it's program, Naturally the Council for Social Action should be attentive to the opinion of any group within our fellowship, inv cluding the local church, the dis- triet association, the state confer eDpe and especially the General