Evening star., 1953-07-26
Review Of The Week: Truce Once More Seems in Reach

at last, and openly, the Velde
committee was looking in the pull
pit for Communists and getting
ready to take its chances on public
reaction.
Witnesses in New York were
heard on the subject of commu-
nism in the churches in secret
sessions two weeks ago. The bishop
was the first clergyman to be
quizzed publicly. The Rev. Mr..
McMichae1 will be next. He will
appear Thursday. Already he has
denied vigorously that he was a
Communist. The Rev. Mr.. Ward
probably will follow. J. B. Mat
thews, fired from the Mccarthy
investigating subcommittee for his
article on communism among
Protestant clergymen, was slated
to appear in the fall.
To succeed in its investigation,
the committee realizes it must pay
special attention to two extremely
touchy points:
l. 1t must not violate the prin-
ciple of separation of church and
State.
2. It must not antagonize public
opinion to the point that its probe
is quashed by the congressional
leadership.
To the charge that the COM
mittee, a political body, is in
truding itself into church affairs,
the group will have a ready, two
pronged answer: First, it is not
doing anything of the kind-it is
investigating individual Commu-
nists; second, clerics have long
been involved in political affairs,
but have never been touched until
(as the committee contends Is now
the case) the political activities of
some entered the realm of sub
version.
Always, the committee will en-
phasize that it has no interest
whatever in becoming involved in
church affairs.
Yet, in a sense, the committee
already has invaded church affairs.
Last Tuesday, for instance, COM
n1ittee members wondered aloud
how the Methodist Church could
allow certain things to go on in
its midst. Where, the question
might be asked, Is the dividing
line between investigating Reds
and probing the internal affairs of.
a large and powerful church?
The committee also found itself
involved in the factjonal dispute
between church federations, a fact
that emerged during the. hearing
despite the reluctance of Bishop
Oman and Chairman Velde to
mention it. And the committee
also touched on the ticklish prob
lem of Protestant criticism Of
what MIR. Velde repeatedly called
"Catholics-ism."
Committee Stroteqy
The committees public relations
strategy has been tipped in recent
days. 1t goes about like this:
l. When the intention to in
vestigate Communist clergymen
becomes well-estahlished, clamor
will arise, just as one arose when
the inquiry into Red teachers was
launched. The committee intends
to ride out this storm and to wait
for change in public sentiment.
2. This change in sentiment will
come, the committee believes, after
several clergymen refuse to an
swer questions on fifth amend
ment" grounds-anomalous for a
minister of the Gospel-that such
replies might tend to incriminate
him.
8. The extent of public support
will depend, the committee feels,
on the attitude of such reluctant
witnesses. Certainly the witnesses
will do nothing to aid the COM
mittee in it's quest of the Com
munist menace.
4. Finally, the committee will
find former Communist who will
describe the anatomy of the Red
apparatus in religion. BY this
time, the committee is sure, the
public's awareness of Communist
inflltration will have the people
wholeheartedly on the committees
side.
The essential trick will be not
only to separate church from state,
but to separate church from