Evening star., 1936-11-09
COUCHL|N RETURN
SOUGHT BY BISHOP
Call for Resumption of Air
Activities Is Favored
by PreIate.
By the Associated Press,

BY the Associated Press.
DETROIT, November 9-The de-
cision Of Rev. Charles e. Coughlin to
retire from radio brought today from
his immediate superior. Bishop Mich
ael j. Gallagher, the expressed hope
that "the people will call him back
to the air-where he belongs"
The Catholic Bishop of Detroit, who
had vigorously defended the Royal
Oak prest's right to freedom of
speech, denied suggestions that Father
Coughlin had been gagged" by his
bishop, by Cardinal Pacelli the papal
secretary Of state who recently came
to the United States for a visit. or
any other authority of the church.
Rome" Bishop Gallagher said in
an interview, would not interfere in
q purely national situation"
Father Coughlin, who announced
IN farewell radio address Saturday
night that he was hereby with
drawing with all radio activity in the
best interests of all the people" said
his National Union for Social Justice,
which he described as thoroughly
discredited" in the recent general cleo
ton, would cease to be active. Father
Coughlin said, however, that he would
continue to publish his weekly publi-
cation, Social Justice.
Gallagher Regretful.
pishor Gollauber eypressed recret
that Father Coughlin saw fit to end
his unique radio ministry
4. Few voices on the radio have had
as great an audience" the bishop
said. "I believe he has a message
the people of this country need"
Few people knew what was going
on in Congress when he started his
radio ministry 10 years ago." he said.
He has educated the people in legis-
lation, in government, in social justice.
That is what democracy needs, par
ticularly when Congress is SO one
sided as this election has made it. I
believe Father Coughlin is needed as
q check, as an educator and as a
critics when criticism is necessary.
"I hope" concluded Bishop Gala
CHER, who before the election an
nounced his personal support for
President Roosevelt. "the people of
this country will make him recall his
decision to retire.
Father Coughlin apparently went
into retirement from public life-ex-
cept for his clerical duties-today
Members of his staff said that Father
Coughlin will not be available for
some time to come
Radio Agents Surprised.
In New York, radio and advertis-
ing agents who have been associated
with Father Coughlin expressed sur
prise at his plan to retire from the
air, in view of plans they said already
were underway to sign the Michigan
priest to a 13-week broadcasting con-
tract. James Appel, personal rep
resentative of Father Coughlin, said
he expected him in New York today
We will know more about it when
he arrives, but I expect the contract
will be called off," Appel said.
OF his National Union for Social
Justice, Father Coughlin said:
1T is not dead; it merely sleeps.
Il will live as long as truth lives, be-
cause the 16 principles (of the
union) are immortal"
The union, he said, would adopt a
s-policy of silence toward the New
Deal administration.
Father Coughlin said his with
drawal from the radio field was a
fulfllment of a promise he made at
the Cleveland convention of the Ma
tional Union last Summer to aban-
don the air If William Lemke failed
to poll 100000 votes for President.
"Of the millions Of members OF
the National Union who pledged to
support it's indorsed candidates. I re-
eret to announce that less than 10
per cent of the union members lived
UP to their promises" Coughlin
pointed out.