Evening star., 1949-04-22
Priest Charges Plot
ByProfestants Against
ST. Marys Catholics
By J. 7. MnhoeI
Correspondent OF Ths $sor

Spseioi Correspondent OF Ths Stor
ST. MARYs CITY. Md. April
22.-Charges that secret meeting,
are being held in st. Marys County
TO plot curtailment of Catholic
teachings and that members oi
the Roman faith favor a State
church were made here yesterday
during Freedom of Conscience
Week" ceremonies commemorate
ing the 3ooth anniversary of an
act establishing religious tolera-
ton.
AN Act Covering Religion" was
approved by the Colonial Assembly
here only a few yards from the
spot where the English settlers
landed in 1884. It granted the
right Of free worship to those who
professed "a belief in Jesus Christ"
and was the first legislative guar
antee of religious freedom enacted
by any large country Of the world.
While its provisions did not IN
elude members of the Jewish faith,
mutual understanding between all
creeds was so widely practiced that
the measure became known as the
"Act Of liberation"
Lane In Speaker.
Charges by Catholic and Prot
estant leaders came in the course
of ceremonies in the Music Hall
Of st. Marys Female Seminary
here, after Gov. Lane. Former
Senator George L. Radcliffe. and
st. Marys County States Attorney
John H. T. Briscoe had urged "a
solemn rededication to the princt-
pal of religious freedom"
While the State Departments
Voice Of America prepared to
broadcast the speeches to the
world, the Rev. Louis A. Wheeler,
g. j., pastor Of st. Aloysius Church.
Leonardtown, read his charges
from a prepared address.
After telling an audience OF $50
adults and as many public and
parochial school children that
1.-THE Most Rev. Patrick A.
OBoyle, D. D., Archbishop OF
Washington. has sent me to speak
as a Catholic priest on this, oc-
occasion" the Rev. Wheeler said,
5sWe are faced today with a ter
rible revolution against religious
teaching and practice"
Plot Ia Changed.
even in our own county oil
st. Marys, which is sacred soil,
on which q Catholic colony ad-
mitted Protestants and Jews on
equal footing. it seems that there
is today g group Of men, mainly
from outside our county and
State. who plot to curtail the
Catholic Church and her paro-
chial schools.
To-day our very Catholic coun-
try, where generally we live IN
amity and peace and friendship
with our Protestant and Jewish
brethren, is disturbed by secret
meetings in a certain place OF this
hallowed soil that tend to plan an
intolerant procedure toward Their
Catholic brethren"
Father Wheeler did not amplify
his charges, but said that "toler-
ant Protestants are the sources OF
our information that will ever be
kept confidential"
Striking against a Supreme
Court decision prohibiting reli-
gious teaching in public schools.
Father Wheeler said, MAY all men
and even that august body take
heed and reverse that decision IN
the McCollum case, and their
novel Interpretation of the first
amendment of our Constitution. "
Protestant Pastor Replies.
Speaking for Protestants. the
Rev. Asbury Smith, president,
Council of Churches OF Maryland
and Delaware, said, Separation OF
church and state, desirable and
successful in the United States.
was pioneered in Colonial Mary
land by the Catholic Calverts.
"I know of no Protestant group"
he declared, that wishes in any
wise to change the American policy
of separation Of church and state.
It is a fact that today there is a
vigorous campaign on the part OF
our Catholic community to change
the American pattern so, as to
allow tax support to parochlal
schools"
e regret that our Catholic
friends feel it necessary to try to
break with our long tradition OF
separation of church and State.
I think they are mistaken in prin-
ciple. Their policy has already
encouraged anti-Catholic organ
izations as we'll as anti-Catholic
speaking and writing.
Long Dispute Feared.
eff our Catholic friends persist
In this matter. I think we Will
enter a long period OF contention.
Such contention is not to the best
interest of religion, or liberation,
or Of national welfare"
Rabbi Morris Lieberman OF
Baltimore Hebrew Temple re-
ferred to the act as truly sig
niflcant, eternally important, and
q landmark in the evolution OF
liberty"
UNIV 10 Ask Cut in Hours,
Change in Welfare Fund