Evening star., 1953-11-03
Basic Human Rights
Under Attack in u. s,
Presbyferians Say
By the Associoied Press

NEW YORK, Nov. 3.-The
governing body of the Presbyte-
rian Church in the U. S. A. says
the Nation is beset by "a subtle
but potent assault upon basic
human rights" and Congress
sional inquiries have tended to
"become inquisitions."
The church'S general council
says also that loyalty to truth"
is being sacrificed for propa-
ganda purposes, and adds:
Dangerous developments are
taking place in our national life
the shrine of conscience and
private judgment, which God
alone has a right to enter, is
being invaded"
This appraisal was contained
IN letter on contemporary af-
fairs - released yesterday
which the council sent to the
denominations 5000 pastors for
the attention of the 2.5 million
members.
Urges Russian Farley.
Commenting on Russia n
American relations, the letter
cited the Biblical counsel to
treason together" to settle dis
putes. let us beware" it said,
"of the cycnical attitude which
prevails in certain official cir
cles to regard as forlorn hope
any negotiated solution OF the
major issues which divide man
kind we should take the
risk, and even the initiative, OF
seeking face-to-face encounter
with our enemies"
At another point, the letter
said:
Despite the lofty idealism OF
many of our national leaders.
truth is being subtly and silently
dethroned by prominent public
figures"
This was attributed to the cold
war, in which the council said
'falsehood is frequently preferred
to fact if it can be shown to have
greater propaganda value"
Unusual Action.
DR.. John A. Mckay, moderator
of the church and president OF
Princeton IN. j. Theological
Seminary, told neWsmen that not
In many, many" years had the
general council issued pro-
nouncement as broad as yester-
days letter. He said the action
was taken because of a present
exceedingly grave situation"
Speaking of congressional in
quiries, the letter said:
"These inquiSitions, which find
their historic pattern in medieval
Spain and in the tribunals Of
modern totalitarian states, be-
gin to constitute threat to free
dom of thought in this country"
The letter, released at news
conference by DR.. Mackay and
DR.. Eugene Carson Blake Of
Philadelphia, stated clerk OF the
church, said cynical attitude"
In official circles is discouraging
attempts to settle world tensions
by negotiation.
The menace Of communism"
is serious. the letter stated, but
it contended that the threat is
being used to incite unhealthy
fears and suspicious, to suppress
dissent and to smear good citi-
Eens.
Assails Negativism.
Citing what it called a still
more serious" situation, the let
ter said many people, including
both Government officials and
private citizens. attempt to cope
with communism in a purely
negative Way''-merely as a "po-
lice problem"-with mo con-
structive program of action"
The communication added:
This fanatical negativism is
In danger of leading the Ameri-
can mind into a spiritual vacuum.
In the case of a national crisis
this emptiness could, in the high
sounding name of security, be
occupied with ease by Fascist
tyranny"
The letter also said:
THE demagogue who lives by
propaganda is coming into his
own on national scale. Accord
ing to the new philosophy, if
what is true gives aid and COM
fort to our enemy it must be
suppressed. Truth is thus a cap
tive in the land of the free"
Publicly Condemned.
The church council added that |
the terrifying moral conse-
quences' of this are illustrated |
in methods which permit citizens
to be publicly condemned upon
the uncorToborated word of for
mer Communists.
Many of these witnesses, the