Protestants Warn On Anti-Catholicism

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29354, 5 November 1960, Page 13

Protestants Warn On Anti-Catholicism

NEW YORK, November 4. Eleven American Protestant leaders warned in a statement yesterday of the “grave injury to our national life if it becomes established that a member of the Roman Catholic minority is automatically excluded from the Presidency.”

Among those signing the statement were Episcopal Bishop James A. Pike, of San Francisco, and a retired Methodist bishop, G. Bromley Oxnam, both of whom have been critics of some Roman Catholic policies.

The statement said the group was gratified that Reformation Sunday last week-end “was not as much used for anti-Roman Catholic preaching as had been feared.”

They said: "We feel bound to warn against the grave injury to our national life if it becomes established that a member of the Roman Catholic minority is automatically excluded from the Presidency. As Protestants we fear that Protestantism will be narrowed and embittered in so far as it becomes identified with political anti-Catholicism. “As Americans we fear that the deliberate reserving of the Presidency to Protestants would signify that our religious pluralism has failed. It is a denial of the fullness of the religious liberty for which our Constitution provides to set up a tacit religious qualification for the Presidency.” Referring to the Presidential candidacy of Senator John Kennedy, a Roman Catholic, they said: “We believe Senator Kennedy when he avows his own commitment to the American system of the separation of Church and State and religious liberty for all. We have confidence that he would be supported in this commitment by most American Roman Catholics.”'

Senator Kennedy said yesterday that any area where United States and Soviet interests permitted effective co-operation should be isolated and developed. He instanced the suggested Siberia-Alaska dam as a technological undertaking which “requires close consideration but is certainly worth exploring.” Senator Kenedy was writing in the “Bulletin of atomic scientists.” in reply to questions submitted to him and his Republican opponent, Mr Richard Nixon.

The Vice-President responded with a policy statement entitled “The Scientific Revolution,” which had been published by Republican campaign headquarters in September.

Replying to another question. Senator Kennedy said the new generation in- the Soviet Union might find difficulties between their country and the United States “less insurmountable than their elders.

“We should face unblinkingly the fact that Communist doctrine down to the present day, regards military force and the threat of force as an integral component of expanded power.” Senator Kennedy wrote. “Should the Russians accept international arms control, it will be difficult,, but in time perhaps not impossible, for them to explain to their people that their security rests primarily not on their strength, nor on their vigilance against espionage from abroad, but on mutual inspection.” Since 1917 the domestic basis of Communist rule had hinged on developing and maintaining the image of a hostile outside world, but the United States should be aware that Moscow recognised as a danger the spread of nuclear weapons to other powers, he said.

President Eisenhower will fly from Washington again today to aid Mr Nixon’s campaign. The President will visit two of the most important- industrial cities in the north-east of the country—Cleveland, Ohio, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The two States together control 57 electoral votes. Although both Cleveland and Pittsburgh are traditionally Democrat strongholds, the remainder of Ohio and Pennsylvania could poll sufficient Republican support to give the electoral votes to Mr Nixon.

The Republican leaders are today hoping tor another Eisenhower triumph, similar to the visit to New York on Wednesday when about 2,000,000 people gave the President, with Mr Nixon and the Republicans Vice-Presi-dential candidate, Mr Cabot Lodge, a hero’s welcome to the city. But Mr Nixon will not accompany the President today The Vice-President is continuing- his drive for the 24 electoral votes of Texas, a State that polls have indicated could go either way next week. Later he was due to visit Wyoming, the State of Washington and then his home State. California.

Mr Nixon announced last night that he had decided to spend election day in California, instead of Washington as announced earlier. He will fly to California on Monday night after appearing with President Eisenhower in a nation-wide television broadcast in Washington. In a speech yesterday. Senator Kennedy mocked at Mr Nixon’s allegations that the Senator had told a “bare-faced lie” on the subject of old age assistance (social security). The Senator had roused Mr Nixon’s ire by declaring that Republicans had been overwhelmingly against establishing the social security system and later against expanding it.

Senator Kennedy said: “Having seen him close-up—and made-up —for our television debates, I would never accuse Mr Nixon of being bare-faced. But I think the American people next Tuesday can best determine who is lying and who is telling the truth.