Evening star., 1960-09-28

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Los Angeles are How the
Roman Catholic Church Would
Change the Constitution" and
IF the United States Becomes
81 Per Cent Catholic" Neither
deals directly with Senator
Kennedy's candidacy. however.
so Units in 25 States
POAU has so active chapters
in some 25 States. Local groups
in 20 other cities are in the
process of being elevated to
chapter status. There are about
80 employees at the Washington
headquarters.
POAU's formal support
comes chiefly from Baptists
and Methodists but it also has
what an official describes as
very good rapport" with Pres
byterians. The 10 million
member Methodist church
voted q commendation Of POAU
at its general conference last
spring after a 4-year study Of
the organizations work.
In its report. the group which
made the Methodist study
said: 1--WE conclude that the
work which is done by this
agency is of crucial importance
to the free church in the
United States"
Baptists and Methodist
churches and church groups
contribute about 20 per cent of
the financial support Of POAU,
with many individual churches
including an annual item of
$25 or $50 in their budgets for
POAU. The other 80 per cent
comes from individuals. mainly
in small contributions from
persons who order POAU liter
ature or mail in donations.
c. Stanley Lowell, associate
POAU director and editor of
Church and State, said the Or
ganization's activities are
| geared to the contributions
from churches and individuals
and that If budget goals are not
met, activities are cut back ac-
cordingly. The budget for the
current 1860 calendar year was
set at $3.50, 1000.
Sell Reprints
POAU pamphlets may be
supplied free of charge where
the audience reached is re-
garded as an influential one,
as a group Of teachers. Other
publications are sold to anyone
who cares to order them. Re-
prints of the Oman Blake
article are priced at IS per 100
copies; the 1-page leaflet on
i"How the Roman Catholic
church would change the Con-
stitution" is sold for 5, cents or
or 50 for 100.
Some POAU statements are
being reprinted by anti-Catho-
lie agitators in the presidential
campaign, often out Of context.
POAU is aware of the problem,
but its officials don't know
what to do about it. They shun
contract with the professional
bigots disseminating violent
anti Catholic material and try
to keep such persons from at
taching themselves to local
POAU chapters.
The largest orders currently
being received for POAU litera-
ture are coming from Baptist
brotherhood groups in the
South, where feeling is highest
on the religious issue in the
campaign. POAU films on the
church>state issue are also in
heavy demand.
\ POAU says it reaches the
great majority Of Protestant
clergymen in the United States
with its literature and its
monthly publication, Church
and State, which has q cir
culation of 10000.
Officials Speak Widely
) Both Mr.. Archer and Mr..
Lowell speak extensively
throughout the country. Mr.,
} Archer, a regular speaker at
top UNCONVENTIONAL gatherings,
addressed the recent meeting
Of Protestant leaders here
, which produced a controversial
statement warning that a
Catholic President would be
} under heavy pressure from the
Vatican. =
A substantial part Of POAU's
work at the local level is legal,
: dealing with what are regarded
J as Catholic incursions in such
| fields as aid to schools and
. hospitals. POAU directs what
ever legal effort is necessary,
! including the filing Of court
suits as a last resort, but its
) officials emphasize they always
try to work things out by con-
: ciliation first.
Mr.. Archer, a licensed Meth
. odist preacher, is a former dean
of the law school of Washburn
University, in Topeka, Kans
He has been the executive head
of POAU since its formation
in 1947.
DR.. Newton is a former presi-
5 dent of the Southern Baptist
Convention. DR.. John A
: Mackay. president emeritus Of
Princeton Theological Semi
nary, and DR.. Dick Houston
: Hall, of the First Baptist
Church of Decatur, Ca, are
POAU vice presidents.
In it's manifesto of purpose
; in 1947, POAU dedicated itseli
, to assure the maintenance OF
5 the American principle of sepa-
' ration of church and state upon
= which the Federal Constitution
guarantees religious liberty tc
S all the people and all churches
= of this Republic"