Philadelphia's Fifteen

When Roman Catholics think that their faith has been flouted or their rights have been invaded, they get mad, form picket lines, write letters to editors, buttonhole legislators, in short, act like the political citizens they are. Protestants, whose aggregate weight is much greater, appear by comparison either meek or musclebound. But last week in Philadelphia a Protestant group took off its coat, rolled up its sleeves and displayed capable biceps. A meeting of 500 Protestant ministers and laymen gave enthusiastic endorsement to a League for Protestant Action. Among other things, the League announced its belief in the proposition that: "No group, whether racial, nationalistic or ecclesiastical, should be allowed to place its own interests above the public weal or to exercise a disproportionate control of public affairs."

Lately, in sections of Philadelphia where Coughlinism is strong, Jewish synagogues and shops have been pasted with anti-Semitic stickers; windows of a Negro church have been smashed; a Protestant tolerance meeting was invaded by Coughlinites. A Commission of Fifteen sober churchmen, appointed by the Philadelphia Federation of Churches, investigated such occurrences, resulted in the League for Protestant Action. Philadelphians who thought that the League might be just another letterhead, we're-agin-it organization were speedily disabused when they saw who the commission's chairman was. He is one of Philadelphia's most vigorous parsons, Rev. Dr. Nathan Raymond Melhorn, 67, a horny-handed, red-cheeked white-crested onetime farm boy who, since 1920, has been editor of The Lutheran, organ of the United Lutheran Church.

Dr. Melhorn's League wants to get Protestants to vote, to enter public life; to disseminate Protestant news; to dramatize Protestantism's part in U. S. history. Denying that it is anti-Catholic, the League also denies that it will make use of boycotts. Said Deputy City Treasurer John Park Lee, chief layman in the League: "Because of Catholic pressure. Americans got only a one-sided report of the Spanish conflict. . . . We must never be guilty of the same thing."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.