Evening star., 1942-04-18

State and Is designed for particips
plan aims TO deepen the spiritual
self sacrifice and participation of
laymen in special war services and
to build family morale to face q
changing world.
In other States, particularly on
the Pacific Coast and In the coastal
and industrial areas Of the East,
churches Of all faiths are strength
ening their efforts to help morale
and civilian defense. 4 Nation wide
survey made by Religious News
Service shows.
Church sponsored defense pro-
grams, whether they receive their
impetus from individuals or from
State or religious bodies. cover the
whole field of civilian enort--from
the setting up Of AFRAID shelters IN
church buildings to the entertain
ment OF soldiers and sailors on leave,
For the most part, the churches
tend to regard their wartime task
as one of indignation" rather than
ont-and-out participation. While
the tendency is to shy away from
the war agency" classification,
churches agree that they should CO.
operate in every way possible with
civilian defense groups.
All Faiths Cooperate.
An outstanding feature Of church
defense activity. the survey shows, Is
the resultant growth Of interfaith
cooperation. without exception,
an inter faith committee on civilian
defense had been set up in every
community within the scope OF the
survey.
In upstate New York, representa-
tives Of the Federation Of Churches
of Rochester and Monroe Counties,
the Roman Catholic Diocese OF
Rochester. and local Jewish syna-
gogues are all members OF the
Rochester Defense Council.
In Boston q Defense bond rally
was recently held on the common.
The principal speakers included q
Protestant minister, q Catholic
priest and q Jewish rabbi.
Gov. Robert Hurley OF Connecti-
cut recently appointed an Inter-
faith Committee to direct defense
program in the States churches and
synagogues. As its first step. the
committee established local commit
tees on unity and amity in all towns
and cities in Connecticut. Radio
talks and mass meetings centering
on civilian defense work will be
sponsored by these community
groups. u.
In Hartford, also, churchgoers OF
all faiths were asked to bring all
the scrap metal they could carry TO
their respective churches and syna-
gogues on a designated day OF wor-
ship. All metal collected under the
so-called Hartford salvage plan"
was to be sold to licensed dealers IN
scrap metal. The proceeds were then
to be converted into war stamps
and bonds.
Los Angeles Prepares.
One of the most elaborate set
ups in the field of church-defense
activity is maintained in Los An
geles. where church bodies OF all
faiths are cooperating with mill
tary and civilian authorities to the
fullest extent, besides carrying on
a variety of wartime welfare duties.
Practically all congregations have
made AFRAID preparations and nave
organized emergency committees
with assigned duties. Many pastors.
priests and laymen are serving as
air-raid wardens and as members
of various civilian defense commit
tees and co-ordinating councils.
Under the leadership OF the
church federation, Protestant
churches have organized their de-
fense activities to . degree un-
equaled by any other area In the
State. according to the Rev. John
l.. Nixon, director OF the Church
Emergency Defense Committee.
Following the outbreak OF war,
this committee was set up to serve
as clearing house between churches
and civilian defense groups; to rec
ommend and otherwise assist with
church projects Of a defense nature;
to transmit information on defense
matters to church groups, and to
organize church volunteers for spe-
cial training and action.
In these capacities the committee
has assisted local churches to for
mulate emergency committees, to
carry out air-raid precautions, to
maintain defense information CEN
ters and to enlist in the Red Cross
emergency shelter program.
At the present time 178 churches,
or more than rs per cent Of those
represented in the federation, are
organized to house $4,000. to feed
% 900 per meal and to provide tenn
porary shelter for maximum of
100000, under the direction of the
Red Cross. Church volunteers are
being trained as shelter administra-
tors, canteen directors and other
emergency workers.
Catholic churches and parochial
schools III the Los Angeles archdio-
cese are fully prepared for emer-
gencies. A survey of work accom-
plished is being made by the ONCE
of the archbishop for the beneflt
/ of the Civilian Defense Council.
Duties for Clergymen.
| With the civilian defense prepara-
tions Of the Nations Capital being
used in many instances as a model
for the rest of the country, special
steps taken in Washington defense
plans with reference to churches
and clergymen become significant.
Under Washington air raid regu-
lations, clergymen, in attending the
sick or on any other errands OF
mercy. will be passed through all
warden and police lines during a
period of emergency and will not be
halted.
They will receive identifying arm
bands, cards and automobile mark
ers. to be used in the performance
of their duties. In addition, clergy
men have been advised by the
Office of Civilian Defense to secure
the assistance of the Air Raid Shell
ter Survey Committee on matters
pertaining to the protection of their