Evening star., 1948-05-31
PresbYferians Expect
To Pass 19 Million Aid
Budget Tomorrow
By Cospor Nonnes

SEATTLE, Wash, May 31.-Ihe
160th general assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the U. 8. A.
faced issues of major Importance
as 1t opened today the second half
of it's week-long meeting in the First
Presbyterian Church here. The
assembly, which meets annually,
closes Wednesday.
Passage Of an $18,960,086 be-
nevolence budget for 1949, the largest
budget the church has ever had, Is
scheduled for tomorrow after fur
ther discussion today. Opposition
to the huge sum to be raised by the
churches, women's organizations
and other sources appears to have
diminished. The urgency of over
seas relief and rehabilitation prof.
ects in addition to domestic needs
for the coming year was stressed
Saturday and tday by speakers fav-
oring the proposed budget. The
1949 budget is approximately $780,
900 more than the one for 1948.
A resolution on the question of
separation of church and state, as
raised by the employment of Catho-
lie nuns and brothers in religious
garb teaching in the public schools
of New Mexico, will come before
the group this week. The resolution,
noting that committee Of citizens
of Dixon, N. Mex, has instituted
legal proceedings to bar all sec
tartan religious influences" in New
Mexican public schools, calls on the
denominations General Council to
lend financial aid to prosecute the
case in the State courts.
La Roe Gives Sermon.
Other resolutions setting forth
the denomination stand on do
mestic and international issues are
expected to be reviewed.
I'VE need the Bible in Wall Street,
In the AFL, in the CIO, and in leg
islative halls" Wilbur La Roe, jr,
Washington, moderator of the 1947
general assembly, declared yester-
day in a sermon at First Baptist
Church here.
Technology can destroy our civil
ization unless 1t Is given spiritual
direction. We can destroy our de-
mocracy If we try to build its steel
structure with iron alone and leave
out the other ingredients that go
into its construction.
DR.. J. Hillman Hollister, Wash
ington, pastor of the Chevy Chase
Presbyterian Church, said in his
sermon yesterday at Westminster
Presbyterian Church here "the
church today is growing cold and
Indifferent" Pointing out I'VE may
Judge the church by the things
that happen in this world" DR..
Hollister called for renewal of the
Sire" which inspired the disciples
and q revival Of "the practice of
prayer, regard for each others good
and . passion for new world made
clean, just, abundant and brotherly."
Luce Hits Racial Discrimination.
Failure to eliminate racial dis
elimination against the Negro Is
costing the American people more
than s4,000,0 100000 a year, Henry
F. Luce. editor of Life, declared
y dL dl1 lCllUW.
ship meeting sponsored by the gen.
eral assembly.
Because Negroes are not given
as important jobs as they are cap
able of filling and because they
are not trained for jobs as they
might be trained for. we lose every
year s4,00o,o0O,o00 of goods and
services which otherwise would be
produced and distributed among us,
Mr.. Luce asserted. Here In Amer
lea a man VINO is fully employed
doesn't merely keep himself alive:
he adds to the great American
surplus In which he and all his
fellow-citizens share. That is why
1t makes hardboiled economic sense
to say that by keeping millions of
Negroes down, we lose at least $4,-
O00,O00,000 a year"