Evening star., 1942-03-21

to rs church bodies In ~ countrie
dominated territory which Joined tn
DR.. William Patton Of London,
the World Council, who is now in
this country, points out that the
war Is having an advantageous effect
on the progress Of the World Coun-
Gil. He believes that the need for
hanging together provides the
churches Of Europe with all the i'm
petus necessary for a steadily in
creasing World Council membership.
The World P, Council maintains
contact with church bodies through
out Europe by means OF an involved
but wholly legal system Of inter-
church communication which oper-
ates through the lines of all bellig-
erents.
World Council stan members in
Geneva are closely related to the
personnel Of the Ecumenical Chap
laincy Commission. The commits
sion's neutral members are prob
ably the only individuals in Europe
who are permitted to travel freely.
In this unique position they can
approach church leaders in all
countries and serve as a clearing
house of information which keeps
church groups in contact with each
other.
An unsatisfactory alternative
method operates under the terms Of
the Geneva Convention of 1929.
Should a British church leader wish
to send a message to German
churchman he would be permitted
to do so through the international
Red Cross, provided; the message
did not exceed Is words and was
written on an open card.
Cooperation Increasing.
DR.. Henry Smith Leiper. foreign
secretary of the Federal Council OF
Churches, who is the American ex-
ecutive of the World Council. said
this week the war is proving daily
that a coming together" OF the
churches is imperative.
He emphasized that In almost
every country, except Spain and
Latin America, Catholics and Prot
estants are cooperating more close
" than ever before. In Great Brit
ain, he pointed out. the Sword OF
the Spirit movement. which was
originally launched as an inter-
faith movement but gradually came
under Roman Catholic auspices. Is
now drawing closer to the Protestant
groups again It's Protestant coun-
terpart-the Christian Fellowships-
and the Catholic Sword Of the Spirit
are beginning to set up "lialson
committees" he revealed. He also
discovered that group OF Roman
Catholic. Anglican. Free Church p and
Church of Scotland leaders recently
arrived at complete agreement on
plan designed to initiate joint ac-
ton regarding international and So
cial questions.
The World Council is now discuss
ing plans to hold a postwar meet
ing Of its entire international mem
bership, assuming an Allied victory
or an armistice. In the event OF an
Axis victory, the world body would
probably be forced to 60 under
ground"
Plans for this postwar gathering
will be discussed at meeting OF
the North American Provisional
Committee of the Of the council
to be held in Rochester, N. Y, on
March %. The Rochester meeting
will also discuss the wartime re-
sponsibilities OF the council. par
ticularly the work Of Its Geneva
office. and the relation Of the Cana
dian and United States section IN
setting up a permanent North
American Committee.
Church Taxation Grows.
A growing trend toward tight
ening up of regulations governing
the taxing Of church-owned prop
erty was highlighted this week by
the action of the government OF
the District Of Columbia in ordering
the municipal real estate tax levied
against all or portions Of properties
Of 13 Roman Catholic orders.
1t was the third time within re-
cent months that the District OF
Columbia has ordered church prop
erty returned to taxation. A few
weeks ago realty taxes were levied
against substantial holdings OF the
Washington Cathedral and other
church properties. During Novem-
Der of last year taxation was Or
dered against property belonging to
the Washington Federation OF
Churches. Second Church OF Christ,
Scientist, and several Roman Cath
olic groups.
Last December the' deputy attor-
nev general Of Colorado declared,
in formal opinion, that while
properties used specifically for re-
lieious, charitable or educational
purposes are exempt from taxation,
farms and vacant lots owned by
such groups are not.
During January of this year the
State Supreme Court of Michigan
ruled that property Of churches and
other religious organizations may
be seized and sold by the State Tor
non-payment Of taxes.
Informed churchmen believe that
the present tendency of government
to tax church property not specif1-
cally used for well-def1ned religious
purposes will, in all likelihood, be-
come a lively issue throughout the
country. They expect resistance to
this trend by the churches, although
the resistance is expected to be
modified because Of present wartime
needs.
There is, however, a school Of