Evening star., 1950-05-24
Presbyterian Report
Warns Of Hysteria in
Communist Inquiries
By Cospor konnes
Stor Ssoff Correspondent

CINCINNATI. May "a. - The
162d General Assembly of the
Presbyterian Church in the o. S.
A. will act today on a Social Edu-
cation and Action Committee re-
port which includes a warning
against hysteria in investigations
Of persons accused Of Communist
affiliations.
Freedom must be protected
against government if the people
are to be secure from the excesses
of those elected to authority over
them" the report declared. I'VE
are disturbed by the abridgement
of the freedom Of speech through
intimidation and coercion by
groups the impairment of the Sc
curity Of the people in their per-
SON through the excesses Of sin
cere but misled citizens and their
representatives. We deplore the
injury suffered by the innocent
victims Of undemocratic security
measures"
"We are deeply concerned about
the hysteria which fear and
suspension are arousing in the
public mind. We destroy a man
when we loosely and falsely make
the charge a Communist or a
Fascist We are in danger of
bearing false witness against our
neighbor unless we have evidence
to support such a charge"
The statement urged that q
non-partisan board be appointed
to search and recommend pro-
cedures that will afford the maxi
mum internal security consistent
with the preservation of the in
alienable rights Of free men,"
President Truman's decision to
attempt to manufacture the hy-
drogen bomb was called a dis
turbing action by the report.
H-Bomb Protested.
A call to stop the production
of hydrogen bombs and "all other
weapons of mass destruction" was
urged in the statement. It i'm
piled that a decision on this issue
mo man can take upon him
self alone the destruction. the dis
ease, the suffering, the crippled
bodies and broken hearts. the ut
ter moral and spiritual demorali-
Zation the people must suffer when
they choose, or have thrust upon
them, such weapons and war;" it
said.
should be made by the elected
representatives of the people and
not by any one aim, including
the President.
Congress was urged to prosecute
vigorously its Investigations of
interstate gambling and rack
eteering activities" and to pass
legislation that would bar Inter
state shipment of slot machines
and other gambling devices" as
well as transmission of gambling
information across State lines"
mo good cause can be pro-
NOTED by a practice so evil" the
statement said. 1t listed give
away programs. bingo parties,
raff1es and bridge games as unde-
sirable activities for Embarrassing
purposes when there was betting
in connection with them. =,
Point 4 Plan Backed.
President Truman's Point 4 pro-
gram to help backward nations of
the world was indorsed as an
imaginative and courageous step.
But the report said such a pro-
gram must be administered by the
United Nations to avoid the fear
of recipient countries that it was
merely imperialism" under new
guise.
On the international level, the
statement called for support of the
United Nations and warned
against "unilateral actions" that
sidestep the U. NJ; asked Congress
to ratify the genocide treaty to
outlaw destruction of a people be-
cause of race or religion, and
voiced approval of the new Dis
placed Persons Act allowing more
refugees to enter the United
States. In this connection it called
on the denomination to provide
1000 more assurances this year
for displaced persons coming to
the United States.
Strict separation Of church and
state was advocated, with the re-
port calling on the President, the
Secretary of State and Congress
to avoid ANY official relations
with the Vatican"
On domestic issues the report:
/. Supported Federal aid to ed
ucation to be given ito the States
according to their needs" and to
be administered by them with a
minimum of Federal control, with
out discrimination on account of
race. and without subsidizing pri-
vate and parochial schools"
2. Advocated Government hous-
ing assistance where the needs for
low cost housing are not being met
by private business.
8. Praised Government and pri-
vate agencies for achievements in
providing non-segregated housing,
recreation facilities, educational
facilities in public schools and uni
versities, and instances of racial
integration in the armed forces
of the United States" Church
members were urged to work for
a "non-segregated church and a
non-segregated society,""
4. Urged legislation to eliminate