Judge — September 19, 1925 — page 17: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Editor, Norman Anthony. Associate Editors, Across from the Capitol W: WONDER how many Methodists know anything more about the Board of Temperance, Prohibition and Public Morals of the Methodist Episcopal Church than the fact that it exists and, possibly, that it occupies a palatial new headquarters in Washington. And we wonder whether, if the majority of them could really know about this board and could be made to understand the true significance of its activities, they would continue to give it their tacit support. For Metho- dists, above all other sects, pride themselves on their Americanism. In their not infrequent attacks upon the Catholic Church it is their main contention that Catholics are Catholics first and Americans afterward. We must assume, therefore, that Methodists are, or aspire to be, Americans first and Methodists afterward. Indeed, in the discussion that follows we are acting on that assump- tion. But perhaps we should address ourselves to all other Protestants as well, at least to all who pride themselves on their Americanism, for William H. Lamar, who was Assistant Attorney General in the Wilson Administration, says that “the Anti-Saloon League and the Board of Temperance, Prohibition and Public Morals of the Methodist Episcopal Church are dominating the Protest- ant Churches of the United States.” Which means, if it means anything, that other denominations are support- ing the board or applauding its labors. tt He TH latter have a wide range, but in general they are concerned with the influencing and dictating of legis- lation or regulations to impose upon the country Methodist standards in personal habits, sports, literature and recrea- tion. The Methodist board worked hand in glove with the Anti-Saloon League in putting over the Eighteenth Amendment and the Volstead Act and in arranging for the Government the details of their enforcement. It is now turning its attention to the elimination of prize fighting and of betting on horse races, and to the censor- ship of theaters, motion pictures and literature. tt to Bz let us consider the point of vantage from which it will from now on snap the whip over the backs of our quivering Congressmen and bedeviled executives. To quote from one of its own bulletins: “The Methodist Building occupies a site which cannot be duplicated in Washington. It sustains the same relation to the Capitol that is sustained by the Senate Office Building, the House Office Building, the Library of Congress, and what will liam Morris Houghton, V m Edgar Fisher, Phil Rosa. Dramatic Editor, George Jean Nathan. probably be in the future a building for the Supreme Court. There is no other spot of ground in the capital so well located as this. . . . It is from this center directly across the street from the Capitol building that we are directing and promoting the cause of temperance, probi- bition and public morals on a national and international scale.” In other words, here is an institution that is obviously designed to take its place in our Government alongside the various branches mentioned. As Mr. Lamar remarks, “a question that naturally arises is whether this Protestant organization is not trying to imitate the Vatican of old which it decries.” And he goes on: “The fact that this Protestant Church organization, if as claimed, is confining its activities to secure ‘so-called moral legislation’ does not affect the principle involved; it is not for that reason any the less an attempt to dominate the Government by a church. Furthermore, it is fastening upon a once free people sumptuary laws which it was the purpose of the original Constitution to prevent.” see ae T= to imagine the howl that would go up should the Catholic or the Jewish Church house in a palace oppo- site the Capitol a board or committee charged with im- posing its precepts upon the country. The Jews, for example, observe certain dietary laws which they regard as essential to both physical and spiritual health. Suppose they had pre-empted a site that could not be duplicated in Washington with the avowed intention of making us all kosher by legislation. Yet the Methodist Board of Temperance, etc.,etc., has done an exactly analogous thing. And if it is objected that Methodists, after all, are “Ameri- cans” and Jews for the most part are immigrants, may we point out that the Jewish Church was established and flourishing in this country before Methodism was even dreamed of. eA HHH Bz please don’t misunderstand us. We have no bone to pick with Methodists or any other sect as such. Let every man embrace the religion he prefers. Only let him remember that a cardinal principle underlying our Government and social fabric is the absolute separation of church and state, and that no group of our countrymen, be they Methodists, or Jews, or Catholics, or Holy Rollers, has the right to prescribe its kosher for the rest of us. Methodists who are Americans first and Methodists after- wards will get the point. W. M. H. ee pt comicbooks.com