Evening star., 1937-10-05

everyday Ian ~
guage, means that
there are people -.
In the United
States who believe that no Catholic
should ever be President of the United
States and that no Jews or Negroes or
sons Of foreign born should be elected
to high ONCE in our Government.
There is good deal Of hypocrisy
about the issue. 1t isn't a pro or anti
Roosevelt or pro or anti New Deal
matter. Some Of the same people who
are opposed to the continuance Of
Hugo Black on the bench of the Su-
preme Court because he admitted he
was , member of the Ku Klux Klan
wee probably among those who few
4nonths ago were privately denouncing
Mr.. Roosevelt because he had a number
Of Jews in his administration.
For several months there has been
an anti-Semitic propaganda circu-
lated by group which has been ac-
cusing President Roosevelt of undue
friendliness to Jews. Likewise there
has been a propaganda denouncing
Mr.. Roosevelt because he gave Cath
olic, Postmaster General Farley, SO
much power in his administration.
Nonsense Has Supporters.
There are some people who to this
day think that Catholic elected to
high Office would take orders from
the Pope" and would owe allegiance to
n hiDhor hop
ment. Such nonsense is widely be-
leved in the country districts in Amer
lea and unfortunately in some city dis
tricts. too. where this propaganda of
religious intolerance is distributed.
President Roosevelt made a grievous
error in nominating Hugo Black to the
bench, but it was an error Of judgment
and not in any way sanction on his
part even remotely of the motives and
purposes of the Ku Klux Klan. 1t is
true the President knew about the
Klan charge when the Black nomina-
ton was being debated. Then was the
time for him to have looked into it
and to have withdrawn the nomination
OK at least to have permitted his
lieutenAnts in the Senate to let the
motion pass which called for an
inquiry by the Senate Judiciary Com
mlttee. ''@
Haste Leads 10 Error.
But Mr.. Roosevelt thought the KlAn
. dead issue. He probably never be-
Neved 1t would raise the fuss 1t did.
Mr.. Roosevelt Was 50 intent on having
his way and WAS so concentrated on
the notion that he was putting
liberal" on the bench that everything
else was subordinated in his mind.
Far from excusing the President. this
convicts him Of haste and impulsive-
ness which has been at the bottom of
20 many of his mistakes, as, for in
stance, the decision to put the air.
mail in the hands Of the Army flyers,
. circumstance that led to the unnec-
essary deaths Of 10 young men.
But to say that the President would
have allowed Mr.. Black to be confirmed
If ne had estimated or evaluated the
reaction Of the country accurately, or
ii he could have known what a Juror
Mr.. Blacks confession Of membership
would have made, Is to ignore Mr..
Roosevelt's record It was he who
stood up for Al Smith in 1924 and 1928,
when the same Klan forces were trying
to prevent a Catholic from becoming
President of the United States.
This problem of discrimination
among racial and religious groups is
not a pleasant one to discuss, for it
contains the ingredients Of much mis-
understanding. But discrimination
does exist in American politics not
vithstanding the direct provision of
the Constitution which says that no
religious test shall ever be required
for public office.
Bolted for Religion.
The Democratic party has the dis
tinction Of being the first to nominate
. Catholic for the presidency, but it
also has the shameful record that
several States in the South bolted the
Democratic ticket for the first time
when Al Smith was nominated in 1928.
The prejudice was present in the
North, too, where millions Of Demo-
Gratis bolted the ticket rather than
vote for Catholic. Some contended
It was prohibition-and doubtless it
was in certain instances-but four
years later Mr.. Roosevelt, Protestant,
who had declared for prohibition re-
peal, carried every Southern State.
Determination in business and the
professions IS well as socially In the
United States often can be traced to
racial and religious differences. The
record OF some of our public men is
not too clear on this point. For many
Of them belong to ostensibly non
sectArian organizations, social to be
sure, which make it . point never to
admit . Catholic or Jew no matter
how they meet all the qualifications,
including the element Of individual
compatibility. So long As things Of
This kind exist in free America, the
Black episode will have = very grave
importance.
Determination Emphasized.
Today millions Of persons who were
not Of voting age . dozen years ago
have learned that the Ku Klux Klan
existed for the purpose Of preventing
Catholics, Jews and Negroes and for
eign born from holding ONCE. Moth
efs Of newborn babes know that II
the Ku Klux spirit prevails, their sons
may never aspire to the presidency Of
the United States. And in many an
instance . mother feels that whether
her son may ever attain such = high
ONCE at least he has An equal oppor-
tunity with any other Americana born
child.
The Khan issue is not dead in Amer
lean politics and probably never will
Be till 1t Is thoroughly exposed to the