Evening star., 1951-02-02
Vatican Intervention
Hit by Speaker on
Church-State Issue

IIIuIIH-Jld!E lSSuc
Author Paul Blanchard last
night contended that Vatican in
tervention in American life is no
more welcome than Kremlin in
tervention, and all true believers
IN freedom should oppose both
types of Intervention with equal
courage and consistency"
The writer of American Free
dom and Catholic Power" spoke |
on THE Vatican and the Krem-
lln." at the night session of the
National Conference on Church
and State. held in Constitution
Hall under sponsorship of Prot
estantS and Other Americans
United for Separation of Church
and State. More than 5000 per-
sons attended.
His remarks and those of an
other speaker, DR.. Edwin McNeill
Poteat, president of the organiza-
ton, and past president of Col
gate-Rochester Divinity School,
brought immediate reactions from
Catholic groups.
Sees Deadly Parallel"
Mr. Blanchard cited deadly
parallels" between the policies of
the Vatican and the Kremlin and
described the Soviet dictatorship
and the Roman Catholic hierarchy
as two forms of foreign imperial
ism that are both animated byI
their own type of self-interest."
A former magazine correspond
ent in Rome. Mr.. Blanchard said
the United States should not send
a special representative to the
Vatican unless similar emfssary
also is sent to "the Chief Rabbi
of Jerusalem, the Archbishop of
Canterbury and the Moscow Patri-
arch of the Russian Orthodox
Church"
No successor has been appointed
for Myror C. Taylor, who resigned
a year ago, after having been spe-
cial representative to the Vatican
for 10 years, under both President
Roosevelt and President Truman.
Quotes 1880 Article.
DR.. Poteat, in speaking of the
Roman Catholic in Legislation"
based his address on an article
attributed to Father Francis X.
Talbot, former editor of the Jesuit
Magazine America. The article.
DR.. Poteat said, was published in
the New York Globe of Decem-
Der IA. 1880.
DR.. Poteat quoted Father Talbot
as stating: THE old Protestant
culture is about at the end of itsI
rope. -. Why can't we raise a |
tidal wave that will bring Cath
olic culture into the United
States? Why can't we make the
United States Catholic in legis-
lation, Catholic in justice, aims
and ideals?"
Dr. Poteat asserted that max
ing the United States> Catholic
In legislation would change the
United States from democracy
to clerical dictatorship.
The response by Catholics to
the criticism included a statement
from C. Eugene Nichols, State
deputy of the District knights of I
Columbus. He said it was 'ironic
that conference which seeks to
drive wedge between Catholics
and their fellow citizens should
be convened at a place called Con-
stitution Hall when American
Catholic servicemen are fighting
and dying side by side with their
Protestant and Jewish comrades in
Korea"
Seen as Financial Appeal.
Donald j. McQuade. national
commander of the Catholic War
Veterans, said the conference
Should be understood for what
1t really was-an attempt by
OAo W sam puOllC4Uy dIlO llildIl-
cial support by an appeal to re-
ligious bigotry"
Earlier in the day, DR.. Leo
Pfeffer, assistant general counsel
of the American Jewish Congress,
criticized as inconsistent Protes-
tants who plead for separation
OF church and state but press
for measures promoting their own
denominational interests.
Addressing the conference in
st. Johns Episcopal Church, Six
teenth and H streets NV, DR.. |
Pfefer said "the Constitutional
doctrine of separation of church |
and state means separation even
where narrow sectarian interests
must be sacrificed. Protestants
should not oppose Federal aid to
parochial schools and at the same
time defend Bible reading in the
public school classrooms.
William Rufus Scott, member
OF the advisory council of the
Protestants and Other Americans
United for Separation of Church
and State, was scheduled to speak
at the st. Johns session, but of
flcials of the conference said he
was unable to appear because he
was called out of town on family
hIySipecc