Evening star., 1940-04-28
Methodists Hear Dies
As Circulars Protest
Presence al ParIey
Tracts Say Church Aids
Mon Who 'Shumes Things
We Hold Deor'
8y the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., April
27.-While several young men dis
tributed circulars protesting his
presence. Representative Dies OF
Texas, chairman of the House Com
mittee Investigating Un-American
Activities, told the General Confer
ence OF the Methodist Church today
that good, old-fashioned religious
revival" was the only thing that
would save democracy in the
United States.
The Representative referred to
"pernicious inculcation" of Com
munist and Fascist doctrines by
foreign agents in the United States
and said:
There can be no democracy and
no freedom in this country with
out the Christian religion. If de-
mocracy fails in our land 1t will be
because the people turned their
back on God"
While Mr.. Dies condemned "athe-
ism and materialism sweeping over
the world" 20 uniformed policemen
stood guard at the municipal audi
torium entrance to prevent picket
Ing. The young men who had an
nounced plans to picket were dis
trlbuting circulars among the con-
ference delegates.
Dies Castigated.
The circulars charged, "Mr. Dies
committee has become the mouth
piece of disgruntled individuals who
wish to use its avenues of pub
hc1ty to smear their enemies" and
added:
ITO bring Mr.. Dies before the
Methodists is to throw support to a
man who has brought shame and
dishonor to those things which we
as Americans and Christians have
been taught to hold dear"
Herman Will, jr., of Chicago, pres
ident of the National Council OF
Methodist Youth, led the dis
senters.
Auditorium guards surrounded
John Swomley, student at the Bos-
ton University school of theology
and one of the distributors, and took
from him all the circulars he hac
left.
Dies Talk.
Representative Dies, who will ad-
dress an Americanization celebra-
ton here tomorrow, expressed nc
concern over the protest.
In his address, he said that il
Christians were to overcome "athe-
ism and materialism," they would
have to develop "a fire and a zeal
as great as that of their enemies
who viii go to Jail, suffer hardship
and hunger in order to serve their
pagan god of materialism."
There is much, much, that Gov
ernment can't do," he said. "It
can't take the place of God fearing
Christians"
Mr.. Dies said the amazing" thing
about Communism was that 'its
most jealous sponsors are not peo-
pie who are unemployed or people
who are hungry and suffering, but
wealthy people, and people who
have good jobs"
Nye Invited to Speak.
Judge Leslie j. Lyons of Kansas
City, chairman of the confer
ence's Entertainment Committee
announced Thursday he had invited
Senator Nye, Republican, of North
Dakota to speak today because 8
group Of young people" had de.
manded liberal" speaker to coun.
teract Mr.. Dies. Judge Lyons sale
he had not received any word from
Senator Nye, but expressed belief
the Senator might appear next week
The conference tabled today res.
olution which would have placed thu
Nazi flag on the speakers platform
along with flags of all other nations
Ten delegates elected to represen,
German Methodists at the confer.
ence did not appear. Dean Taylor
lay delegate from Fairfield, Iowa
offered the rejected resolution which
called for placing the flags of al
nations on the platform, but the
delegates voted to display the flags
OF only those countries having dele.
rates acflla11v of the mn foroo,.