Evening star., 1952-02-11
BY George Cornell

Assoeioted Press Stoff Correspondent
NEW YORK, Feb. IL. - The
United States, which pioneered
the idea of separation Of church
and state, today is graphing WIFE
it anew.
A wave of controversy haserisen
about the concept.
"It has become a very mpor-
tance issue in our country" said
DR.. Allan Nevinssa o leading Amerl-
can historian. And it is a funda-
mental one"
Two opposing questions have
been underscored:
Is.an effort being made to mod
ify the historic division between
Church and State?
~ Has the divorce between, the
two institutions been carried %
an extreme, sapping the Nation
of moral strength?
Problem Rekindled.
Numerous recent events have
rekindled the problem. Among
them:
1. President Truman's move to
send an ambassador to the Vati-
can.
2. The question Of using public
funds for parochial pupils mat
ter expected to be raised anew in
this Congress in connection with
proposed Federal aid to education.
8. A series of court cases. sew
eral of them carried to the United
States Supreme Court, involving
the State and religion.
4. The spread Of released
time" religious instruction ana
kindred religious activity in con-
nection with the public schools.
5. Rallies. lecture tours and q
food Of literature on the subject
throughout the country, usually
under sponsorship of church
bodies.
6. Formation of religious lib
erty" committees and such groups
as "protestants and other Ameri-
cans United for the Separation OF
Church and State" aimed at curb
ing what they consider "a drift
toward church-state union"
Thomas Jefferson, voicing ap-
proval of passage of the First
Constitutional Amendment in
1871, 7 said sthe Nation had thus
built "a wall of separation be-
tween church and state"
Religion is the alpha and
omega of our moral law" he said
but added at lies solely. between
man and his Cod"
However, neither Federal nor
State government has ever oeen
entirely devoid Of religious con-
tent. The question now being
posed is: how much is wise. or
fair, or in the interest of the gen
eral welfare?
"It is a vital matter for the
United States in the present
time" said DR.. Sidney Hook, New
York University philosopher and
winner of a national Four Free
doms Award.
IF further attempts are made
to breach the wall separating
church and state, it will divide
our people at a time when we
should be unified In facing The
most urgent issue of totalitarian
Communism" =,
Lines Aren't Clear Cut.
The problem has stirred discoro
among religious and other groups
although not always on clear-cut
lines. ....
Major religious leaders have de-
plored acrimony in the debate
Here are comments by some lead
ers, indicating the differences:
Episcopal Bishop Henry Knox
Sheriff., president Of the National
Council of Churches of Christ in
the United States of America, said
many Protestants see evidence OF
a movement to break down ou.
traditional practice. He added;
s'Some people frankly don't be-
lieve in it. ~. One of the great
difficulties ofour generation is to
avoid secularization of American
life, without involving relations
between church and state.
But we can't let the fear OF
one danger drive us headlong into
Ianother-which is state control o1
religion"
Father John Courtney Murray
Yale professor and a leadinl
Catholic philosopher, said thai
church and state have been driver
farther and farther apart" II
America.
"While the secularization Of oul
| culture goes on. the church il