Evening star., 1949-01-27
Group for Separation
|0f Church and State
Gives Program Here

to the principle of separation of
church and state opened a one-day
program this morning with a Board
of Trustees meeting centered on
setting up plans for gaining its
objectives.
The group, known as Protestants
and Other Americans United for
Separation of Church and State,
gathered this morning in the Ma
tional City Christian Church to hear
the treasurer's report by E. H. De
Groot, jr., Washington attorney, the
annual report of the Board of Trus-
tees and to discuss new business. The
meeting was closed.
The Board of Trustees yesterday
issued a statement calling on Con-
gress to defeat "the declared inten-
tions of the Roman Church to Sc
cure public funds for sectarian
schools either directly or by SUD-
terfuge."
Don't Describe Legislation.
Declining to name any specific leg
islation that may be considered BY
Congress, the organization in a
statement issued by its Board of
Trustees charged the Catholic
Church was seeking by aggressive,
high-pressure demands" to gain for
its parochial schools "a portion Ct
the proposed multimillion dollar
Federal grant in aid of public edu-
cation"
Last year a bill for Federal aid to
education sponsored by Senators
Taft, Republican, of Ohio and
Thomas, Democrat, of Utah, was
passed by the Senate, but defeated
in the House. 1t provided for the
expenditure Of $260,000,000 a year,
with each State deciding whether
lprivate and parochial schools may
receive aid from it. The same bill
has been reintroduced in the 8lst
Congress, but no action has been
taken on it.
The statement, called an Address
to All Americans" asserted it is "the
bold and unequivocal avowal OF the
Catholic hierarchy to break down
the principle Of separation of church
and state"
1t cited pronouncement issued
in November by the National Cath
olic Welfare Conference in which
the hierarchy announced its inten-
ton to work peacefully, patiently
and perseveringly" for change of
the Supreme Court ruling on the
question of religion in the public
schools. The reference vas to the
so-called McCollum case in Cham
pa1gn, Ill, on the issue of released
time" for religious instruction in
public schools.
Interpretation Questioned.
"The principle there set forth is
that the churches or their agents
may not enter. any public school
system to teach religion" the pro-
nouncement declared. THE ruling
opinion Of the court, together with
the supplemental concurring opin-
ions, constitutes a historic land
mark in the Interpretation of the
religion clause of the first amend
ment."
The statement also charged that
the Catholic "hierarchy,s novel in
depreciation of the first amendment
as forbidding only the union of one
church with the state but allowing
the union of many churches pro-
vided all are treated equally" as be-
ing another effort to break the sep
aration of church and state.
Claiming the Catholic Church
has at its disposal extensive facil-
tiles of propaganda and political
pressure, implemented with huge
financial resources" to further its
aims, the statement asserted it re-
moves itself from democratic crit
icism by its sacrosancitity."
The organization asserted mot
only Protestant and Jews, but all
other Americans who cherish re-
ligious liberty, can no longer blind
their eyes to the threat, now openly
and officially avowed, to supplant
the American concept Of separation
of church and state with the
medieval theory which has be-
deviled both church and state in
the Western world for centuries"
To Seek 100000.
The organizations Board of Trus-
tees then announced it was opening
three-year drive for 100000 to
further its program. The funds
will he 11sed "for eSearch Y,i1loIioo