Evening star., 1948-08-14

NeaQerS Express NOnn1Ct1n
of Ministers Opp
To the Editor Of The Star:
After reading your excellent editorial Of
August 10 entitled, Dangerous Advice" I
could not help recalling q recent article, THE
Reds Are After Your Child" by Dr. Harry d.
Gideonse, president of Brooklyn College.
In the July issue of the American Magazine,
DR.. Gideonse tells just where this dangerous
advice Of the National Council Against Con-
scription" can lead.
A few years ago a group of American Student
Union leaders in Brooklyn College staged 4
campaign against military preparedness. They
ran through the college corridors blowing po-
lice whistles and fiinging open classroom doors
Shouting like wild men, they ordered every
body to stop work at once and join in q peace
strike" That was just before Hitler invaded
Poland and started the Second World War!
While these clergymen may claim no con-
nection with such Communist groups, they
certainly can not help seeing how such advice
plays directly into the hands Of anti-American
leaders.
Every man has right to his personal opinion
and where else but in America is such open
criticism allowed? But when such q group
speaks in the name Of the Christian Church
and offers such so-called advice" in the
name Of religious instruction, it is time for
voices of opposition to be raised in no uncertain
terms.
Your editorial has done a great service In
this matter.
REV. ROBERT E. SHERRILL,
Pastor, Washington Heights Presbyterian
Church
To the Editor Of The Star:
Only once before in my life have I tried to
break into the letters-to-the- editor column
But when both The Stars editor and columnist
attack respected, highly placed men with whom
they differ as ''unpatriotic," 1t may be conceded
that even one of the humblest of the one
hundred assailed may be allowed q reply.
In signing the pastors call to mourning over
the Inauguration of peacetime conscription,
did not do SO as pacifist. In the first World
War, though a minister in charge of church.
served as member OF my local draft board
When the Second World War came, three
of my sons entered the armed services. My
youngest son resigned as county judge to offer
for the Navy. My daughters husband, bonn
bardier, was killed on mission over France.
The son who bears my Christian name, twice
wounded fought in North Africa, captained
company through Sicily, led the first infantry
unit ashore on Normandy Beach on D-day,
and at Aachen his outfit successfully beat back
the German panzer division on Crucifix Ridge
for 80 days and nights-until the correspond
ents and broadcasters referred to the hill as
Dawson Ridge
Last year, was honored with a place on
Secretary Forrestal's Civilian Advisory Com
mittee to the Navy. 1t was pleasure to UNDER
take all in my power to strengthen the notably
useful offices of that great arm of the services.
The ministers on this list have from the
first proposal of peacetime conscription con-
sistently opposed it. As is we'll known, the
annual meetings of most of the great religious
bodies, Catholic as we'll as Protestant, opposed
the peacetime draft in Official resolutions.
They were in line with labor, science, educa
ton and other great groups. When your Mr..
Gould Lincoln invokes the violent utterances
of IS ministers whose warlike expressions
have more than once been welcomed by mill
tarists as slight variation from the almost
uniform expression Of American churchmen,
it is not particularly disturbing. But when Mr..
Lincoln, assuming a superior wisdom, dubs
us "unpatriotic" and omitting argument thinks
it suficient to smear us as Wallacites, that
is disturbing. It Is so because 1t reveals
disposition on the part of one journalist to
take advantage in command Of an organ OF
the press to write without either facts or JUS
tice, without either penetration or discrimina-
ton, a policy which if generally followed would
prove most discreditable to reputable news
papers.
I may repeat, We signers Of the call are
not Convinced of the militarists' dogma, to
the effect that if we had peacetime conscrip-
ton the last two World Wars would not have
occurred. Far less are we convinced that in
atn ANl~ ~~taa
1t is necessary to the adequate defense for
which we stand We really fear it is serious
provocation in time Of international tensions
and a fearful deterrent to our own Nations
advocacy of universal disarmament through
the United Nations Does The Star condemn
the citizens thoughtful examination Of laws?
Does 1t mean that when called upon to sur
render oneself to the armed services, body
and SOUL a youth shall not conscientiously
face and decide what he will do? Does The
Star mean that we shall not regard laws
which prove unacceptable as never subject to
repeal?
It may be q good omen Of the future that
already some military leaders are reported as
feeling out after some suitable modification
Of the order to take 18-year-old youths? Have
they sensed what 1t means to jerk these
youngsters out of school and subject them to
certain influences in the military camps? Let
us hope so. j. M. DAWSON.
Editors note: The Star editorial did not
mention patriotism Mr. Lincoln in his column,
condemned the Day Of Mourning as an un-
patriotic proposai)
To the Editor Of The Star.
The editorial entitled Dangerous Advice
in The Star of August 10, expressing disap-
proyal of aSspecial day of mourning" over the
new draft law, was very timely and appropriate
You mention some Protestant clergynnen'
as proposing dissident move as their counsel
to our young men of America. And In view OF
the knowledge Of this situation brought about
hsr he Of editorial should like