Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-12-28
Methodist Group Hits
Un-American Probers
And Catholic Church
by the Asseeiefed Press

NEW YORK, Dec. ga Meth
odist organization today claimed the
House Un-American Activities Com
mittee and the Roman Catholic
Church were seeking to break down
separation of church and state
in this country.
The organization is the Commits
sion for Propaganda Analysis of the
Methodist Federation for Social
Action.
The federation is an unofficial
democratic fellowship of liberal
clergymen and laymen within the
church. Founded in 1907, it was the
original source Of the social creed
Of the Methodist Church.
It's president is Bishop Robert N.
Brooks. Vice presidents are Bishops
James c. Baker, Lewis o. Hartman,
w. Earl Ledden, Francis j. McCon-
nell, William T. Watkins and Dean
Walter j. Muelder.
Committee Cited Group.
Several weeks ago the House COM
mittee cited it as among the more
conspicuous fronts for Communist
activity" in welfare work and kim
dred fields.
In reply the Federations Com
mission for Propaganda Analysis
released a 5,000-word report today.
1t will be presented at the Fedora
tons annual meeting at Penn COL
lege. Oskaloosa, Iowa.
Citing nearly o score of articles,
editorials and incidents as support
its belief, the report said in part:
To those who have followed the
work of this House committee and
who are familiar with the political
policy and propaganda of the
Roman Catholic Church, it is not
strange that only Protestant organ
izations are attacked in the re-
port.
Father Coughlin Mentioned.
ain the past 10 years the COM
mittee has issued propaganda which
has tended to reinforce the Her
archy's political position, particu-
larly with respect to American
foreign policy.
For example, the House COM
mittee never investigated Father
Charles Coughlin or the general
identity of his propaganda with
that Of Joseph Goebbels and the
effect of spreading anti-Semitism
in America and transferring to it
the blessing Of Almighty God.
Protestant supporters of, Father
Coughlin-such men as the Rev.
Gerald L. K Smith and his followers
have Jared singularly well at the
hands Of the committee and have
even been called as friendly wit
nesses to advance its general propa-
ganda line.
ut appears. from an examination
Of the committees work through
the years, that it has branded as
American any one who actively
opposed Franco. Mussolini and
Hitler and worked actively for peace
with the Soviet Union.
This parallels the position of the
Hierarchy and the Vatican State
which made concordate and other
friendly agreements with Hitler
Mussolini and Franco.
The Protestant position in gen.
eral has sharply opposed the delu-
sior1s Of racial and religious superb
ority which characterized the prop
uganda not only Of Franco, Musso-
lini and Hitler but also of Hirohito.
I'm general. the Protestant posi-
ton has upheld free public schools
and-separation of church and state
Says Propaganda is Exploited.
After developing this thesis, the
federation report stated:
An examination of the anti
Protestant propaganda which has
come from the House committee and
has been ardently exploited by the
Roman Catholic Hierarchy confirms
that this propaganda is intended to
make the word Communist as
potent a stimulus to automatic re-
lection as the word hereto was
during the Holy Inquisition-as
potent a stimulus as the word Jew
was in the Hitler regime in Ger
many"
The report then said that "by
linking communism with Protestant
m and with the defense of public
~chools and the Constitutional
Guarantee of separation of church
and state" the two groups hope to
make these things las odious from
the propaganda standpoint as the
u.ord 'coy,onIlniSn'