Evening star., 1934-08-19
EPISCOPAL Church
CHANGE PROPOSED
Editorial Suggests Reor-
Qanization Which Would
Affect D. c. Diocese.

Drastic changes in the organization
and polity of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in America are forecast In
a lengthy editorial statement pub
lished in The Living Church, national
Episcopal weekly, Milwaukee, yester-
day; and many of the proposed re-
forms have special significance to the
diocese of Washington.
AS stated in an outline sponsored
by Clifford P. Morehouse, editor, the
alterations would include the subSti-
tuition of the title Of Archbishop OF
Washington for the present title OF
Presiding Bishop, now held by Right
Rev. James De Wolf Perry of Rhode
Island, elected to the primary in 1880.
They also would provide for the ces-
sion OF all territory in Maryland now
within the diocese of Washington to
the diocese of Easton and for the
administration of the territory within
the boundaries of the District OF Co
lumba by suffragan bishop.
Text of Statement.
The text of the statement as print
ed is: Our own suggestion. which we
1OI Wlldb Az bA0y ~ wa S~Nt -
the following;
Divide the diocese of Washington,
ceding all territory in Maryland now
included in the present diocese OF
Washington to the diocese of Easton.
Give the presiding bishop the title
of Archbishop of Washington, with
Jurisdiction in the District of Colum-
bia and the primacy of the church.
Let the election of the archbishop be
by the House of Bishops, subject to
the confirmation of the House of
Deputies, and let any bishop or priest
in the church be eligible to such
election. Let the salary be the same
es the salary now provided for the
presiding bishop and the term be for
life, subject to compulsory retirement
at an age to be agreed upon, prob
ably u.
Urge Suffragan Bishop.
Let the archdiocese of Washington
elect a suffragan bishop with delegated
authority to administer the affairs Of
the archdiocese. his salary to be paid
by the diocese.
Let provision be made for other
suffragans to the archbishop for spe-
cial purposes, such as jurisdiction over
groups of congregations having alien
rites, or racial groups, the number OF
such suffragans not to be limited to
the two permitted by present canons.
Let the archbishop be ex ofhcio
president of the House of Bishops
and the National Council, but as
sisted in the latter position by an ex-
ecutive vice president, without right
of succession, who would head up all
the business and financial affairs of
the church"
Mr.. Morehouse comedies that "the
scheme outlined requires considerable
change in the constitution and canons,
both of the general church and of the
diocese of Washington" and adds:
"It could not be accomplished over
night"
Suggests Other Dioceses.
Should the diocese of Washington
"prove unavailable" Mr.. Morehouse
suggests as "other possibilities" the
diocese of Connecticut, the diocese of
Delaware, or a diocese in the Middle
West to be the archdiocese.
Similar proposals recently have
been made, Mr.. Morehouse explains,
in the Scottish Church, and plans
aimed at the same goal of strength
ened communion in America have
been offered from time to time for
many years. A reference to the sub
ject by Rev. DR.. Frederic S. Fleming
Of Trinity Parish, New York. recently
was accorded Nationwide publicity.
Right Rev. James E. Freeman,
Bishop of Washington, was absent
from the city last evening, and his
chaplain, Canon Raymond L. Wolven,
asked to be excused from making a
statement.
The Morehouse proposals. it is un-
derstood, will be discussed at the
General Convention, to be held at At
lantic City october 10.