Evening star., 1960-03-18
BY HAYNES JOHNSON
Star Stan Writer

NdIlOIldl OOuIlCll VI OlIuICIlCS
today issued a document de-
signed to dispel any suspicion
that it is soft on communism.
DR.. Roy G. Ross. general Sec
retary of the council, which
says it represents 80 million
American Protestants. def1ed
anyone to offer proof of charges
that the organization has been
infiltrated by Communists.
IF any fair-minded Ameri-
can today harbors any doubt
on the so-called issues of COM
muniSm or Communist SYM
pathy in the National Council
Of Churches" DR.. Ross stated,
''let me say this:
From its very first moment
of existence in December OF
1850 the National Council
of Churches has never had a
Communist Party member or
sympathizer among its officers
or staff, or its executives.
Every one of these devoted
church members is deeply
loyal to his country" he con-
tinued. Every one of them re-
sists by conviction and by vir-
tue OF his professional activity
the attempts of communism to
inf1ltrate and undermine a free
society both in America and
other nations of the world"
Explains Action
DR.. Ross said the council was
presenting a record of what
it really is and does because
those who would destroy our
churches and weaken our demo-
cratic society. to the delight of
Communists everywhere, per-
sist in spreading their poison.
The controversy over the Air
Force manual began last month
when council officials disclosed
the existence of a reserve train
ing document charging that
Communists and fellow travel
ers have successfully infiltrated
churches.
The manual also implied that
the council was influenced by
pro-Communists when it pre-
pared the Revised Standard
Version of the Bible. On an
other controversial statement
the manual described as fool
ish" the idea that Americans
have the right to know what's
going on.
Issue Kept Alive
The Defense Department
withdrew and repudiated the
manual after the council Wig
orously charged that the docu-
ment made "scandalous ac-
cusations."
But the issue has been kept
alive by church leaders at odds
with the council. backed by the
House Un-American Activities
Committee. They contend the
manual was correct and never
should have been withdrawn.
When called before the Un-
American Activities Commit
tee. Air Force Secretary Dud-
ley Sharp backed away from |
an earlier statement in which |
he "categorically" repudiated |
the manual and said 1t did not |
represent Air Force views. He
told the committee he did not |
know whether the manual was
correct or not.
Calls Charges False
In his statement today. DR..
Ross says: 1--WE know that there
are statements in the files of
the Committee on Un-American
Activities made by irresponsible
and malicious individuals which
seek by inference and innuen-
do to discredit persons in the
leadership of our member
churches and in the staff of the
council and its supervisory
bodies.
I'VE know also," he adds.
that the implied charges of
Communist affiliation or Com /
munist sympathy are totally
false.
Those who do not wish to
witness a resurgence of Nc
CarthyiSm in our country
those who see hints in recent /
events of a resurgence of the
same totalitarian philosophy
and the same tactics-should
examine the record contained
in this booklet"
Names Accusers
The council booklet lists
those who have led the attack
on the church group, and calls
them sources of hate-creating
SANDERS"
Several of those named were
quoted as sources by the Air
Force manual. They are Billy
James Hargis of Tulsa, Okla,
president of Christian Cru
SADIE; the Rev. Carl McIntire,
Of Collingswood, N. j., presi-
dent of the International Coun-
Gil Of Christian Churches, and
Myers G. Lowman, of Cincin-
natl. Ohio, executive secretary
Of the Circuit Riders, Inc.
The council says Mr.. Nc
Intire. who conferred with
Defense Secretary Gates about
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