Evening star., 1953-06-05
Jackson Asked
ToApo|ogiizefor
Oman Attacks
Area Methodists
Back Bishop Over
Communism Charge
By the Assoeiofed Press

Representatives of 10000
MethodistS in the Maryland
Washington area stood up for
their bishop yesterday in his row
with members Of the House I'm
American Activities Committee.
Applauding Bishop G. Bromley
Oman. they demanded a pub
lie apology from Representative
Jackson, Republican. of Califor-
mia, for "disrespectful remarks
to our distinguished bishop and
the affront given to the Meth
odist Church"
Bishop Oman, resident bishop
of Washington since last June
and sometimes called the ma
tional voice of Methodism, has
criticized the committees staff
as incompetent" and declared
it's files are "9O per cent false,
irrelevant or at least unverified.
Representative jackson shot
back that the Bishop works for
the Lord on Sunday and the
Communist fronts the rest of the
week."
Bishop Oman charged the
committees files connect him
with organizations to which he
never belonged and others he left
before their loyalty was ques-
toned.
From 324 Churches.
The action on his behalf yes
terday came at the opening of
the Baltimore annual confer
ference, one of the three over
which he presideS. It is made
up of about ATS pastors and lay
delegates from 324 churches in
Washington and the Maryland
counties west of Chesapeake
Bay.
The six district superintend-
ents of the conference suggested
the demand for the apology from
Representative Jackson in their
annual report made at Western
Maryland College.
The delegates acted on it sep
arately with a unanimous stand
ing vote on the motion of the
Rev. E. c. Riggin, pastor of st.
Marks Church of Baltimore.
Praise leadership.
The superintendents said in
their report:
I'VE rejoice in Bishop Oxnam's
leadership. We regret that he
has been misunderstood, vilif1ed
and prosecuted for taking a po-
sltlon on an issue vital to the
continuance Of freedom in the
land.
"Our people are beginning to
understand the necessity for his
action.
I'VE call our Methodist people
to stand by our bishop in his
heroic fight for the sanctity of
the individual"
The district superintendents
said they were distressed and
dismhyed to find a congressional
committee dealing in "innuendo
and techniques of misrepresen-
tation."
Urge Objectivity.
They suggested complete OBJ
Jectivity and extreme care in
handling the precious commod-
ity of other mems characters,
and added:
"Under the guise of congress
slonal investigation, we are in
danger Of producing another era,
OF the inquisition. this time
without religion.
I'VE urge our people to ex-
press concern for congressional
committee techniques which
constitute a complete reversal
OF the traditional American pro-
cedure in jurisprudence.
whereas the courts go on the
assumption that one is innocent
until proved guilty, some groups
operate on the assumption per-
sons brought before them, or
daring to call their procedures
into question, are already guilty
and cannot be proved other
wise"
The superintendents decried
what they called "some who use
a cause for alarm to gain po-
litical prestige"
The report of the superintend-
ents-three from Baltimore, two
from Washington and one repre-
Senting the Hagerstown district
the first business at the
four-day annual session of the
conference.
Crusade Launched.
Last nights session was set
aside to launch an $500 900
church extension crusade in the
conference.
The crusade is to start Sep
tember / and continue into No.
vember. About 100000 of the
money will be used to help build
new churches or enlarge present
ones in new and growing COM
The Rev. Norman L. Trott,
superintendent of the Baltimore