Evening star., 1948-11-21
Bishops
Continued From First Page.)

denominations and expenses were
paid by Council of Religious Edu-
cation, a voluntary association of
Protestant, Jewish and Catholic
groups. Pupils attended those
classes only on written request of
their parents.
Refer to EversOn Case.
Although the bishops statement
did not specifically identify the
other case, a National Catholic We'll
fare Conference spokesman ex-
planned last night it was the Everson
case on which the court ruIed in
February, 1947. The decision up-
held a New Jersey law allowing
boards of education to reimburse
parents for transportation of stu
dents to parochial schools.
Az that time, however, Associate
Justice Black, who last March
wrote the majority opinion in THE
McCollum case, contended that the
First Amendment prohibited not
only aid to one religion but laid to
all religion"
Reluctant as we are to criticize
our supreme judicial tribunal" the
bishops statement said, I'VE cannot
but observe that when the members
of that tribunal write long and
varying opinions in handing down
a decision, they must expect that
intelligent citizens of a democracy
will study and appraise these opin-
ions"
In sharply-worded criticism. the
statement went on to say that many
lawyers are amazed to find that in
the McCollum case the majority
opinions pay scant attention to logic
history, or accepted norms OF legal
Interpretation"
Hope for Revision.
The bishops promised they would
work peacefully. patiently and per-
severingly' in the hope that the
Supreme Court Interpretation OF
the First Amendment will in due
process be revised
The original and traditional ideal
Of free cooperation between gov
ernment and religious bodies should
be revived and reaffirmed, they de-
clared. Such an ideal, they added
seeks no special privilege for any re-
llgous group and places no restric-
ton on the religious liberty OF any
citizen.
I'VE solemnlv disclaim any intent
or desire to alter this prudent and
fair American policy to govern
ment in dealing with the delicate
problems that have their source in
the divided religious allegiance OF
our citizens" the statement main
tanned. I'VE stand ready to CO.
operate in fairness and charity with
all who believe in God and who are
devoted to freedom under God to
avert the impending danger Of a
j judicial establishment of secular
ism that would ban God from pub
lie life"
Jeff4rsOn's Intent Cited.
In their condemnation of secular
ism. the bishops cited the "baslcally
religious tradition" in this country
and the intent of Thomas Jefferson
as we'll as trainers of the Constitu-
ton to separate church and State
without preventing cooperation be-
tween religion and the State. They
added that 1t would be distortion
of American history and law" to
say that separation of church and
State means indifference to re-
ligion."
Secularism, the bishops observed
has made great headway and exer-
cised corrosive influence in the
United States because:
ut has banned religion from tax
supported education, and is now
bent on destroying all corporation
between government and organized
religion In the training OF our
future citizens. 1t has undermined
the religious foundations of law in
the minds of many men in the legal
nrofession and has nredisDOsed them