Evening star., 1947-06-20
Letters to The Star

Readers Differ on Lawrence Column
To the Editor Of The Star:
would like to join others in indorsing the
prorouncements of David Lawrence in his
Church in Politics" deliverance of June 16
Many sincere church people, both Protestant
and Catholic, were astonished at the stand
taken by the bishops of the Catholic Church,
in urging the President to veto the overwhelm-
ing vote of our legislators on labor activities.
1t is not for any one to judge another's mo-
tives. but no matter what those motives may
be which prompted this remarkable ecclesias-
tica entry into the political field, the implica-
ton is left that the church has risked the in
evitable result of being charged with pitting
class against class, where Christianity looks on
capital and labor as counterparts and not as
antagonists. One is useless without the other
and we have no authority in the scriptures
or in reason, not to say experience, to do other
than seek to urge an, understanding between
employer and employe. For any church group
to go as far in implied distrust of the good
faith of our Nations legislators as this recent
criticism of our legislators has gone amounts
to challenge by that particular church to our
authorized rulers.
But not only is there this bald fact brought
out in unmistakable words, but, as Mr.. Law
renee says, there is a threat implied which just
now a sensitive Nation is not slow to discern.
A critical election is in the offing, and from
the President on to the most lowly voter the
issues of 1948 are increasingly in evidence, like
an oncoming dark cloud. Will any branch or
contingent of the Christian church use such
an issue to gain favor with either labor or
capital?
The Church of Christ stands for principles
not for mere expediency. Nothing is palmer
than that some definite action should be taken
| by our legislators to correct the abuses which
recent legislation has brought on our Nation
with dire consequences to every department of
commercial life and affecting every family IN
our country. Can the church trust our legisla-
tors to seek the welfare of the Nation or must
our lawmakers be dictated to and even i'm
pugned by any church group in Nation where
church and state are separate?
| JOHN o. KNOTT.
To the Editor Of The Star:
Reading David Lawrence's column Of June
is, accusing the Social Action Department OF
the National Catholic Welfare Conference OF
engaging in partisan politics, one finds it diff
cult to know whether indignation or amuse-
ment should dominate ones reaction
AS Catholic, a former employe OF N. G.
| w c., and student and longtime friend OF
| the late Monsignor John A. Ryan, for many
| years director of the Social Action Department,
| my first sentiment was one of resentment
| Not that Mr.. Lawrence is wrong in contend
ing that the churches should steer clear OF
purely political questions. My resentment was
directed at the vulgar assumption that the
| Taft-Hartley bill is actually no more than
partisan jockeying for the American vote God
| pity the Congress and our Nation, this
/ measure was regarded only as clever move
/ on the political chessboard with the aim OF
| checkmate in 4S, by the men and women who
| debated and voted on 1t!
[ Obviously. the ofncials Of the Social Action