Evening star., 1935-09-30
FINDS .
CRITICS IN CLERGY
Pastors Give Wide VARIETY
of Replies to Letter of
Roosevelt.

day came a wide variety of answers
to President Roosevelt's request TO
the clergy for information and ad-
vice on national affairs.
Some ministers mixed praise with
criticism, others criticized or praised
only. At least three scolded the
President for his part in the return
OF legal liquor. One recommended
a long. long rest" for business in
stead of breathing SPELL" Others
mentioned the similarity between
Mr.. Roosevelt's letter and one sent
to clergymen some time ago by Gov.
Philip La Toilette of Wisconsin.
There were three replies from
Washington pulpits. the most criti-
cal Of these being Rev. Frederick
Brown Harris Of the Foundry Meth
o6ist Episcopal Church.
Church Left Out.
while the ministry of the churches
has applauded many of the humani-
tartan efforts and goals of this ad-
ministration, whatever may be our
private Judgment regarding some OF
the specific plans adopted to achieve
them" he said, I'VE have been sad
dened that in such crucial days the
church and all it stands for is ap-
parently not even in the landscape Of
many of the social planners.
Personally, have been surprised
and panied TO find again and again
that such wide programs for social
hpttnrronof i
such narrow partisan fences and that
cruSades for social justice are advo-
Gated and led by some whose con-
version must have been very recent,
and even if their hearts have been
changed, apparently their associates
have not"
Recalling Mr.. Roosevelt's SPONSOR
ship of prohibition repeal, DR. Harris
said 'the Presidents moral leadership
has been greatly discounted and
handicapped from the first by the
role he assumed as the leader Of forces
to bring back to a legal status the
liquor traffic"
Criticism Qualified.
DR.. Harris qualified his criticism,
however, with hope the Presidents
letter would not be made the excuse
by some religious leaders" for "vitri-
Ole. politically -tinged criticisms.
Rev Albert j. Mccartney Of the
Covenant-First Presbyterian Church
was disturbed at the resemblance OF
the White House letter TO an earlier
one by Gov La Toilette.
1T must be very humiliating to the
President" he said. Some one in the
White House Secretarial staff o.
among the numerous ghost writers
has blundered terribly. for this IS one
ghost writer that will not down but
will rise to plague him for the rest of
his administration.
"One would think that with the
La Toilette letter before their eyes,
there was sufficient editorial ability
about the White House to at least
attempt a disguise and give the letter
some semblance of originality. Who
ever was responsible deserves TO be
returned to private life or sent back
to the campus
DR.. Mccartney was willing. however,
''to take the letter on its face value
and deem the President sincere IN
soliciting constructive criticism and
suggestions for the social security pro-
gram and the works program and an
swer it with the courtesy and dignity
which the high Office Of President
deserves"
Letter Similarity Noted.
Rev. Raphael H. Miller Of the Ma
tional City Christian Church also OBJ
served the similarity between the
Roosevelt and La Toilette letters, but
said he was not willing to let the
Presidents letter go as a machine
made appeal to the church to help
in a situation in which the church
has not been consulted previously"
The ministers themselves will fall"
Rev. Miller said, ''if they do not meet
the invitation of the President with
thoroughgoing and convincing as
sertion that the wisdom of heaven
does concern the welfare and security
of the Nation Heretofore the church
too often has been called on to stand
by with ambulances and restorativeS
after goddess national policies have
wrought their devastation"
Other pulpit replies were reported
from half a dozen communities by the
Associated Press. They included:
KANSAS CITY.-Dr. George Ham,
ilton Combs of the Country Club
Christian Church: IF I were Presi-
dent I should feel that at this hour
the very best thing I could do would
be to do nothing. The country needs
a long long rest. Business needs more
than a breathing spell. If I we're
President. should champion the doc
trine of abundance rather than Of
scarcity or limitation"
Spiritual Atmosphere Needed.
SEATTLE.-Dr. L. Wendell Fifeld
Of the Plymouth Congregational
Church There can be no successful
leadership until spiritual atmosphere
is developed" He recommended
longer. single presidential term to re-
move the political composition Of an
administration.
LOS ANGELES.-Rev. Cleveland
Kleipauer Of the Hollywood Beverly
Christian Church: People want
to feel a social security largely
through, regular and adequate en-
ployment" He intends to write the
President that "one of the primary
things the Government must do IS
to establish in the peoples minds a
thorough confidence in the moral in
tegrity of our men IN Office
HOLLYWOOD.-Dr Glen r. Phil
lips of the Hollywood First Methodist
Church: II share with many OF our
ministers and laity the deep disap-
pointment in your approval of the
restoration of the liquor traffic to a
place Of power and influence ir our
social and political life. Furthermore.
the approval Of huge naval and mill
tary expenditures is singing rebuff
to lovers Of peace"
WACO Tav nr NJ nou.eor, .,