Evening star., 1946-06-16
Prejudice Famed by
Church Group Quarrel
Vatican Issue Finds Religious
Leaders Berating Each Other
Bu John II. Cline.

Myron G. Taylor as his personal repre-
sentative to the Vatican until there is
peace in the world, President Truman
has written the latest but probably not
the last chapter in An episode that has
been surprisingly studded with contro-
versy.
The man around whom the dispute
revolVes would be the last to seek con-
troversial position. Although a promi-
nent Episcopalian in his later years,
Myron Taylor was reared in a Quaker
atmosphere, and it may be supposed
that this background played its part in
perSuading him to Shun the limelight
when he was making his mark as one
OF the financial giants of the United
States Eight years ago, however, he
| emerged from retirement to undertake
two important diplomatic missions,
decision consistent with philosophy he
had expressed to some of his friends:
When riches are gained follow the
heart, for riches are of no avail if one
be weary
His first mission was as head of the
EVlan Conference on European Relu-
gees, an agency which managed to find
| homes for most of those who fed the
early tyranny of Hitler's Germany. His
second mission--that of presidential en-
Voy to the Vatican-was announced on
December "a, 1899, by the late President
| Roosevelt This announcement was cou-
pied with an invitation from MI. Roose-
Velt to leaders of the Protestant and
Jewish faiths to join in encouraging
closer association among the seekers of
peace everywhere and was followed by
an expression of confidence that all of
the churches Of the world which believe
In common God will throw the great
weight OF their influence into this COM
mon cause" Mr.. Taylor, preparing to
sail that Christmas Eve for his meeting
with the Pope in the cause of peace
and good will" expressed himself in
these words: Il am doubly pleased that
the opportunity comes through the field
OF religion, that great cornerstone on
which civilization and mans dearest
hope for the future must rest, if human
destiny is to achieve its ultimate tri-
umph over the forces of evil"
But it was not long until evidence of
oissension appeared. Two DAYS after
the announcement the White House
was expressing the belief that when
the few Who have questioned the Presl-
oents appointment Of personal rep
reSentative to the Vatican learn the
facts they will be satisfied" Details
were not made public but the few who
questioned the appointment were ap-
prehensiVe that step had been taken
toward the establishment of formal
diplomatic relations with the Vatican.
which Congress had cut off in 1867 bv
refusing to continue appropriations for
our legation there
Two months later. in February. 1910
an Atlanta, Ga, Baptist leader demand
ed to know who was paving Mr.. Tay-
lor's expenses. The State Department
assured him that Mr. Taylor was paving
his own expenses, and that the appoint
ment does not constitute the inaugu-
ration of formal diplomatic relations"
During that same month Mr.. TAYLOR
was being ridiculed in Rome by a. COL
umnist for II Popolo di Roma, who de-
scrioed the Presidents envoy as "a
newly-rich herb seller'D.
More ominous was the protest on Nav
2, l940, of the General Conference of
the Methodist Church, which formally
asked the President to recall Mr.. Tav-
lor, asserting that his appointment has
1pna frI
sentiment in the minds of great num-
Der OF people which seems calamitous
at this time when there is imperative
need for harmonious united action on the
part OF all those who fear God and love
Righteousness One delegate sought to
strike from the resolution the portion
calling for Mr.. Taylors recall but this
motion was beaten, 393 to 234 with
many not voting. On May l9 of that
year the Presbyterian Church tSouth-
ernp sidetracked a protest resolution bv
close vote, but on May % the l52nd
Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in
the U. S. A. overwhelmingly" adopted
a resolution calling upon Mr.. Roosevelt
to rescind the demonstrations" ap-
| pointment and restating the Assembly
insistance on separation of church and
| state.
During the war years there seems to
! have been less criticism In the summer
of 1914 the Richmond, Va, Ministerial
Union protested Mr.. Taylor's reappoint-
ment, and early in 1945 there was
request from Atlanta for a congressional
investigation of the status of our Gov
ernment to the Vatican" This wear,
however. the protests have grown in
scope and volume
On May % the Disciples of Christ of
this area demanded Mr.. Taylors recall.
On May 81 the Baltimore Conference of
the Methodist Church, in bitter recall
resolution, referred to the Taylor ap-
pointment as an illicit intrigue between
our State Department and the Vatican"
On June delegation assertedly rep
resenting 100000 Protestants visited
the White House to seek Mr.. Taylor's
recall on the ground that "any form
OF diplomatic relation between the Gov
ernment of the United States and the
Vatican is contrary to the historic Ameri-
can principle of the separation of
church and state" This brought from
Cardinal Spellman, speaking at Ford
ham University commencement exer-
clses, the anything but helpful sugges-
ton that the anti Catholicism of
unhooded Klansmen sowing seeds of
dissension and disunion" probably was