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Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

An American Principle: Total Separation of Church and State
In their statement to the U. S. Senate Committee on the
Judiciary in opposition to Senate Joint Resolution No. 87, which
seeks to establish Constitutional recognition of "the authority and
law of Jesus Christ. Savior and Ruler of Nations,” the Synagogue
Council of America and the National Community Relations Ad-
visory Council offered a sound analysis of the proposal and re-
viewed the history of similar resolutions which date back to 1863,
when the sponsoring organization, the National Reform Associa-
tion, first began to propagate such ideas.
Senator Ralph Flanders, Vermont Republican, is, the author
of the present resolution. He is reported :to have the backing of
Senator William Langer of North Dakota.
The National Reform Association which includes representa-
tives of several Protestant denominations, continues its 90-year-
old effort to secure realization of its principal purpose . .
"to secure such an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States as will declare the nation's allegiance to Jesus Christ and
its acceptance of the moral laws of the Christian religion, and so
indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all the Chris-
tian laws, institutions, and usages of our government on an un-
deniably legal basis in the fundamental law of the land."
The dangers inherent in such a proposal were frankly out-
lined by a spokesman for the National Reform Association, David
McAllister, who stated in his history of this association that if
the proposed Christian amendment were adopted those who "do
not seek to fall in with the majority . . must abide the conse-
quences, or seek some more congenial clime." In plain words it
means that .our Government would be duty-bound to conduct a
campaign of proselytization among non-Christians and Jews and
other non-Christians might be compelled to "seek some more
congenial clime."
We naturally look upon such proposals • as un-American. We
know of no more congenial clime than the one in which we now
live, and we intend to remain here. Therefore we contend that
those who spoke for Jewry in opposition to the proposed amend-
ment are the spokesmen for all American Jews. Fortunately,
such opposition also is backed by all Americans who recognize
the danger to the major principle of our land—the separation of
church and state.

The Abiding Jeffersonian Principle
The opposition statement calls attention to the • frequent
demands that have been made to have reference to the law of
Christ in our Constitution, with the result, as Philip Schaff
pointed out in his "Church and State in the United States," that,
when our Constitution was being written, "two Presbyterian
church groups resolved not to vote at elections until the Con-
stitution should be amended to acknowledge the sovereignty of
Christ.
Reviewing the history of the battle against such injection of
church influence into our Constitution, the Synagogue Council
and NCRAC statement recalls the position taken by -Thomas
Jefferson:

IP

"Even before our Constitution was enacted, the State of
Virginia enacted Thomas Jefferson's great Statute of Religious
Freedom. When that measure was being considered by the Vir-
ginia legislature, an attempt was made to amend it so as to
include a reference to Jesus Christ. Jefferson, in his autobiog-
raphy, relates the incident in the following language:
`The bill for establishing religious freedom, the principles
of which had, to a certain degree, been enacted before, I had
drawn in all the latitude of reason and right. It still met with
opposition; but, with some mutilations in the preamble, it was
finally passed; and a singular proposition proved that its pro-
tection of opinion was meant to be universal. Where the pre-
amble declares that coercion is a departure from the plan of 'the
holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed, by
inserting the words "Jesus Christ," so that it should read, "a de-
parture from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our
religion"; the insertion was rejected by a great majority,' in
proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its
protection, the Jew and tha Gentile, the Christian and the Mo-
hamedan, the Hindoo, the infidel of every denomination'."
In presenting the position of the Jewish community, the
statement presented to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary
quotes many authorities and makes reference to the defense of
the American tradition whenever attempts were made to introduce
Christian legislation in various states of the Union. Of special
interest is this quotation from Dudley Field Malone's "American
Progress in Jurisprudence":
"The greatest achievement ever made in the cause of hu-
man progress is the total and final separation of church and
state. If we had nothing else to boast of, we could lay claim
with justice that first among the nations we of this country
made it an article of organic law that 'the relations between
man and his Maker were a private concern, into which other
men have no right to intrude. To measure the stride thus
made for the Emancipation of the race, we have dreadful per-
secutions in the name of religion that have filled the world."

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An Analysis of the Threat to American Jewry

All American Jews should acquaint themselves with the ana-
lysis of the position of American Jewry. The opposition statement
makes this declaration:
"Since the founding of the United States of America and
the adoption of the Federal constitution, Jews have been full
citizens of the United States and have given their wholehearted
and unqualified support to the constitution. It is now proposed
that a fundamental principle of American life be repudiated
and that five million Jews (to say nothing of the many other
non-Christian Americans) be reduced to a status of second-
class citizens.
"As a religious people devoted to 'the doctrines • of Judaism,
Jews cannot in good conscience recognize "the law and author-
ity of Jesus Christ as proposed in Senate Joint Resolution 87.
Every Jew would consider an act of religious discrimination if
- he were deprived of the right to give wholehearted and unquali-
fied allegiance to every sentence of the American constitution
and for conscience sake be compelled to make the slightest
reservation in taking an oath of allegiance. Beyond this we see
additional dangers. It is wholly possible that the insertion into
the fundamental law of the United States of an explicit affirm-
ation of Christian doctrine would not be permitted to remain a
mere gesture. Next stages might well be the introduction by
legislative action of instruction in Christian doctrine into the
curriculum of the public schools or the imposition of religious
tests for the exercise of the various rights of citizenship. How-
ever, even if such consequences did not result, it must be em-
phasized that the very existence of such a clause in a constitu-

Great 'Thr e at
Organized Anti-Semiticin 'Still
Ever, Dr. John SlawSon Tells Detroit's. AJC Chapter

Organized anti-Semitism has same time preserving our civil national issues with hate propa-
changed its tactics but remains liberties. I Banda and by exploiting justifi-
Martin Butzel presided at ; able • public anxiety concerning
as great a threat as ever, Dr.
the session. Chapter chairman the threat of Communism."
John Slawson,
is Philip Marcuse.
He reported that in carrying
executive v i e e-
"Today as the American peo-
out their subtle anti-Semitism
president of the
ple
cope
with
the
world-wide
the anti-Semites denounced
American Jew-
threat of Communism and bend
and "exposed" the United Na-•
ish Committee,
their energies to resolve many tions and UNESCO "with vary;
told a luncheon
other crucial problems," Dr. ing degrees of calumny, rang-
meeting of
Slawson declared, "it is more ing from brashness to subtle
AJC's Detroit
than ever necessary to guard
innuendo."
chapter in the„,
against malicious movements
"The threat of bigotry pollUt-
Sheraton-Cadil-
striving to foment racial and re- ing the American atmosphere
lac Hotel, Tues-
ligious discord. Many of these can best be averted by an alert
Dr. Slawson
day.
movements have now abandoned American public," Dr. Slawson
The leader of the pioneer their former overt appeals to
stated. "Hate-mongers and their
American organization combat- bigotry in favor of more subtle machinations must be exposed,
ting bigotry warned that the tactics to which the public must as the AJC has been doing for
Communists "hope to paralyze be alerted."
nearly a half century. It is the
our resistance to both internal
Citing the recent report and obligation of respectable lead-
and external threat that their appraisal by the American Jew- ers and supporters of various
movement represents to us and ish Committee on anti-Semitic movements to dissociate them-
the free world" by reviving one activity in the United States, selves from groups which cannot
of their old slogans: Anti- Dr. Slawson said that to- dislodge the anti-Semites,
Communism Is American Fas- day's anti-Semites are using to persuade other men of and
good
cism." He said we must main- more subtle approaches to pub- will to do likewise.
tain "a clear perspective" in lic opinion "by salting public
Dr. Slawson asserted that
fighting Communism and at the discussion of national and inter- Communism's threat to our
freedom is not lessened "by
tional amendment would be a challenge to the faith of every
the fact that some of those
believing Jew.
purporting to combat it would
destroy those historic safe-
"Such proposals as this are not new in American history.
guards which are guaran tees
They have been repeatedly rejected despite the fact that the
of freedom."
great majority of American citizens are of Christian faith be-
"The attack on civil liberties,"
cause it was recognized that to adopt such a policy would be to
he added, "is likewise a danger
depart from that broad and untrammeled freedom which has
made it possible for men of all religions to work together in the confronting our country, not
lessened because it comes from
building of the world's greatest democracy. It can be safely
those who speak in the name of
stated that every American Jew will pray fervently to the God
patriotism.
of his fathers that this proposal will not be accepted, for should
"All Americans truly concern-
it be adopted, this country will no longer be the America we
ed with preserving our way 'of
have known till now.
, life must not be diverted from
"In a few months the Jews of the United States will cele-
their purpose by propaganda
brate the 300th Anniversary of Jewish settlement in North
that exposure of Communism
America. This is an occasion to which we have looked forward
constitutes fascism or by charges
with the greatest pride and enthusiasm as a means of re-
■ that non-conformity or opposi-
affirming our full identity with the land through which we have
tion to native demagogues con,-
been so greatly blessed and to the development of which we
stitutes Communism. An inform-
have contributed in no small degree. It is our prayer that this
ed, alert and united citizenry is
300th anniversary will be celebrated as an occasion of deep and
the best requirement for a suc-
spiritual joy and will not be turned into an occasion of sorrow
cessful fight against both these
because of the spectre of the proposal now under consideration
dangers to freedom."
by this Committee."
The Synagogue Council and. NCRAC statement adequately
covers the subject and makes an excellent case in defense of the Leon Kay Endorses
basic American ideal of separation, although, in fact, it merely Mayas ZOA.' s Head
scratches the surface of the vast subject.
.•••
Iieoh Kay, Detroit Zionist
The Famous Blaine Amendment
leader, president of the Michi-
Scores of books have been written on the subject of separa- gan Zionist Region, is one of 14
tion. One of the most important of these books is the compila- Zionist region heads who - have
tion by William Addison Blakely, in behalf of the Religious Lib-
''endorsed Morti-
erty Association, under the title "American State Papers and
mer May of
Related Documents on Freedom in Religion." In it is quoted the
Nashville, Tenn
the text of the amendment proposed by James G. Blaine, in 1875,
for the presi:
providing that:
dency of the
"No State shall make any law respecting an establishment
Zionist Organi-
of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; and no
zation of Amer-
money raised by taxation in any State, for the support of public
ica.
schools, or derived from any public fund therefor, nor any pub-
A strong cam-
lic lands devoted thereto,'shall ever be under the control of any
paign has been
religious sect, nor shall any money so raised, or lands so devoted
launched in
be divided between religious sects or denominations."
May's behalf,
An editorial note in "American State Papers" on Blaine's
but during the
proposed amendment is of great historic value. Mr. Blakely ex-
past week it be-
plained:
M. May came evident
"December 14, 1875, Hon. James G. Blaine proposed an that he will have opposition,
with Max Bressler of Chicago
amendment to the Constitution. It was not acted upon, how-
ever, until August 4, 1876, when it was passed in the House with as a certain candidate and
with the possibility that Abra-
the almost unanimous vote of "Yeas, 180," to "Nays, 7." The
ham Redelheim of New York
Judiciary Committee has added the words, "This article shall
not vest, enlarge, or diminish legislative power in Congress." also will enter the race.
In the Senate, it was further amended, but failed to secure the
necessary two-thirds vote, the vote standing, "Yeas, 28," to
Report 37 Border Clashes
"Nays, 16" on August 14. Both the great political parties that
By
Jordan to UN Body
year inserted in their platforms declarations on the government
and religion, the Democratic party declaring: "We do here re-
UNITED NATIO-NS, N.Y.,
affirm our faith in • . the total separation of church and state,
(JTA)—The Israel government
for the sake alike of civil and religious freedom.
informed the United Nations
"This was a proposition to prohibit the States from doing
what the Constitution, by its first amendment, forbids the na- Security Council of 37 border
tional Government from doing. Instead of "Congress shall clashes precipitated by Jordan
make no law," etc., this said, "No State shall make any law forces in a 43-day period be-
respecting an establishment of religion," etc. The idea was to tween March 30 and May 11.
In a letter to the Council, Is-
make the application of the principle of separation of church
and state here complete. The adoption of this amendment rael listed an attack on a pas-
senger train, the sending of
would have rendered unconstitutional every State Sunday law
in the United States. While the original States composing the armed bands into Israel territory
and an attempted kidnapping.
Union, in doing away with their religious establishments as
In every instance, the letter pin-
such, followed the principle adopted by the national Govern-
ned responsibility for the border
ment, nearly all, if not all, still retained that which was the real
incidents on Jordan. The letter
germ and taproot of those establishments—their Sunday laws.
was sent to the Council instead
This amendment would have done away with these and all
of to the Israel-Jordan Mixed
other forms of state patronage and support to religion. The
Armistice Commission because
amendment should have been adopted. Since then the tide has
Israel is boycotting the MAC for
set in the other way, as witnessed in the great revival of Sun-
its failure to hold Jordan re-
day legislation throughout the States, hundreds of thousands of
spotisible for the Scorpion Pass
dollars contributed by the government to schools under sec-
massacre.
tarian control, and Congress besieged with petitions and bills
for Sunday legislation and a religious amendment to the Con-
Neo-Nazis Indicted
stitution."
HAMBURG, (JTA)—Two head
The American position is clear on the subject. We have no men of a neo-Nazis movement,
fears about the outcome of hearings on Senator Flanders' pro- Hermann Lamp. and Eberhard
posal. His proferred amendment offers another opportunity for a HaWranke, have been indicted
review of the basic American principle of separation. In the by the West German Attorney
action taken by American Jewry, we merely regret that once General for conspiracy and for
again we have evidence of a split in our ranks, as evidenced by leading a secret, subversive or-
the action of the American Jewish Committee which has found ganization.
it necessary to submit a statement of its own in opposition to the
Flanders amendment.
In fighting for separation we have the
painful task of regretting separatism and separatists on even 2—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, May 28, 1954
most elementary issues in Jewish ranks.

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