Evening star., 1960-09-21

complete lack OF adminiStra-
tive experience, his unfortu-
nate and ill-advised remarks
in regard to the U-2 incident
and Algiers, his promise of
direct subsidies to the zinc
and lead miners, and his in
f1ationary fiscal ideas-these
all indicate his lack of quail
f1cations for President. So
why consider the religious
question, which should have
no place in this campaign?
E. ID. M.
%&
The discussions about reli-
gion in the campaign are get
ting rather tedious. There
is no reason on earth why
any creed, belief. or indeed
anything at all about a can
didate, should not be weighed
in assessing his qualifications
for the presidency.
So far as religious preju-
dice being anti-American,
this is utter nonsense. The
earliest Americans from Eu-
rope were the victims of pref
udice, and no sooner arrived
in America than they estab-
lished their own form of reli-
gious bigotry. Religious big
gotry is as American as corn
on-the-cob or pumpkin pie!
Where Kennedy is con-
cerned. he himself initially
raised the issue in a memoir
andum he used when he was
seeking the nomination. In
this, he pointed out how
strong he would be in those
States where Catholics were
IN the ascendancy. Insofar as
the Republican Party is con-
cerned, and the avowals by
the Republican candidates
that they want no votes from
people who are voting against
Kennedy because of his reli-
gion, this, too, Is hypocrisy.
Any politician is happy to get
a vote anywhere he can find
it!
The American people have
right to consider any and all
aspects Of a candidate to ac-
cept or reject him on any
basis whatsoever. Let's have
less talk about bigotry and
more about what the candi-
dates are going to do to pro-
tect the citizens who will be
paying their salaries.
Edward M. Bostick.
Amen. Your editorial of
September 13 says: Both
Mr.. Nixon and Mr.. Kennedy,
it seems to us, have said
about all they can say on
the subject" and yet the
press" keeps tanning the is
sue into a raging inferno,
day after day. News" items
of the most inconsequential
sort and David Lawrence
really digs deep for an angle.
Lawrence is as bad as Peale
and all this will probably
go on until the election.
Why not forgo the pious
editorials on one hand, if
you are to go all-out on the
other?
]. L. wilkins.
y Il u
I am sick of hearing of the
religious issue in the presi-
Dental C a mp align. Why
shouldn't there be a religious
issue, racial issue, a States
rights issue, foreign policy is
sues or any other issue that
a voter may deem important
in casting a vote for the
leader of his country?
Religion is an integral part
of the everyday lives of many
thousands of voters. If a
voter believes that being a
Catholic will make a better
President, let him vote for a
Catholic. If he believes that
being a Protestant will make
a better President, let him
vote for a Protestant. We are
rightfully proud of our free
dom of religion. That freedom
does not stop at the church
door but continues to the
voters booth if the voter
wishes to take it there.
Few of us know the true
political issues in a presiden-
tial campaign. Fewer of us
can distinguish the difference
between the issues in the two
parties or could know which
is right and which is wrong.
Fewer still believe either can
didate will keep promises
made during a campaign. So
by what other choice must a
voter make a selection? He
has left to him party pat
ronage, family or family
background of the candidate,
or, if he sees fit, the religion
of the candidate.
To ask a man, a Protest.