Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-06-20
Ten Commandments

Thank you for your very
fine editorial June IA. entitled
Forbidden Reading" and the
striking cartoon, What a
Crazy Mixed-Up World" which,
as is 30 often the case with
your cartoons. sums UP the
whole matter in a striking way.
Certainly America is in a
sad. sad moral condition when
even the Ten Commandments
cannot be displayed in our
public schools. What are we
coming to? The present stu
alton is nothing compared with
what the future holds il we
continue this crazy mixed-up'
policy.
Thank you again for another
fine contribution.
Herbert Eberhardt.
Superintendent, Central
Union Mission.
! want to compliment The
Star on being alert as to a
serious situation in our edu-
cational system throughout
the Nation. / think it was
about SO hours after the news
story was released from AL
bany, N. Y. referring to the
action Of the Commissioner of
Education, that Jim Berry
mans splendid cartoon APP
peared in The Star June IA.
What a Crazy Mixed Up
World"-Uncle Sam holding
in his right hand New York
Forbids Posting of the Ten
Commandments in School
Rooms" and in his left hand
holding a newspaper with the
headline caption Juvenile
Delinquency Continues to
Rise I"
You even went further in a
splendid editorial, Forbidden
Reading" referring to the &C
ton Of the Commissioner of
Education at Albany. N. Y.
/ personally wrote the Com
missioner Of Education: 1T is
my understanding that when
the Good Lord gave Moses
the Ten Commandments they
were to apply to mankind
world wide - all creeds and
races. When we get away
from these basic laws. God
help the future Of our Nation.
II believe the next move
will be. as 1t applies to the
Federal Government, or the
many States. to prohibit the
use Of the words In God We
Trust and the next action
will be to prevent legislative
bodies opening up their ses-
sions with prayer.
George J. Burger.
Vice President. National
Federation Of Independent
Business.
The ruling Of the New York
Commissioner of Education
against the posting in school
rooms Of a so-called Inter
UNCONVENTIONAL" version Of the
Ten Commandments is based
on much sounder principles,
both historic and pedagogic.
than your recent editorial on
the subject.
You treat as of little con-
sequence the damage which is
done to the wall Of separation
between church and state
when religion is intruded into
the public schools. ! would
think that your knowledge OF
the long and bloody struggles
in which mankind has en-
gagged because of religious diff
ferences would commend most
highly TO you the American
concept Of the separation Of
church and state enunciated
by the First Amendment.
think one misreads history
altogether If he believes that
religious teaching by the
state. however "interdenomi-
national" is good for religion
or good for our country. The
exercise Of religion is a matter
Of personal conscience which
the state has no business
meddling In. or attempting to
synthesize into its lowest COM
mon denomination for the ac-
commodation Of those parents
who expect the school to as
sumo what is properly the role
Of the home. the church and
the synagogue.
Closer to the memory OF
religious schisms and tyran-
MES, the words Of Thomas
Jefferson on these matters
ought not to be forgotten:
Il do not believe 1t Is for the
interest OF religion to invite
the civil magistrates 10 direct
It's exercises. its discipline. or
Its doctrines: nor OF the
religious societies that the
general government should be