F
Purely
Commentary
The Church-State issue
Flm
o
crae ne k tie -p;
Peace C orps r
By
SiOMOVitZ
—
W The President on the Parochial Schoolissue
The candidacy of a worshiper in the Catholic church for the I
1:4
-
Presidency
of the United States caused the raising of the church- •
t-j
state issue, and there was an element that was seriously concerned
lest a Catholic, if elected President, should bend backwards in
support of parochial schools, thus destroying the separation princi-
ple. The President tackled the problem admirably during his cam-
paign. Last week he strengthened his position during his press
conference. The questions addressed to him and his answers, taken
from the stenographic report of the meeting, follow:
Q.—Mr. President, sir, in view of the criticism that has occurred, could
you elaborate on why you have not recommended Federal aid to public—
to private and parochial elementary and secondary schools?
A.—Well , the Constitution clearly prohibits aid to the school, to parochial
- schools. I don't think there's any doubt of that. -
The Everson case, which is probably the most celebrated case, provided
only by a 540-4 decision was it possible for a local community to provide
bus rides for nonpublic school children.
But all through the majority and minority statements on that particular
question there was a very clear prohibition against aid to the school direct.
The Supreme Court made its decision in the Everson case by determining
that the aid was to the child, -not to the school.
Aid to the school .is—there isn't any room for debate on_ that subject.
It is prohibited by the Constitution, and, the Supreme Court has made that
very clear. And therefore, there would be no possibility of our recommend-
ing it.
Q.—But you are free to make the recommendations you have made
which will affect private and parochial colleges and universities?
A.—Well, the aid that we have recommended to colleges is in a different
form. We are aiding the student in the same way the G.I. Bill of Rights
aided the , student. The scholarships are given to that, to the students who
- have particular talents and they can go to the college they want. In that case,
it's aid to the student, not to the school or college, and, therefore, not to a
particular religious group. That is the distinction between them, except in
the case of aid to medical schools, and that has been done for a number of
years and because that's a particular. kind .of technical assistance. A consti-
- tutional question has not arisen on that matter.
President Kennedy already is meeting with 'strong opposition
to his stand within his own church. The Catholic church hier-
archy already is mobilizing its forces to seek adoption of an
amendment to the Kennedy bill to provide for provisions for
Federal loans to private schools, thus assuring assistance to
parochial schools.
The Catholic attitude must be given consideration, and it is
important that the church's viewpoint should be known. Dis-
cussing "The School Question" in an article in the liberal
Catholic magazine, Commonweal, James O'Gara made ,a strong
case for the extension and deepening of religious education and
he maintained that "both goals are threatened by the absolutist
interpretation of the First Amendment." - He added: "I don't see
how religious leaders can ignore this fact unless they are
more to the bitter sectarian rivalries of the past than to the
nature of our present problems."
The Commonweal writer was discussing the alternate pro- -
posal made in New York for aid to the student rather than
direct aid to private schools which was rejected because the latter
would violate both the New York and United States Constitu-
tions. O'Gara protested against the "doctrinaire's almost cam-
. pulsive approach to the _subject of no-establishment, and 'one
which ignores the corresponding constitutional safeguard for
the free exercise-of religion," and he added: . . .
"To my mind, to say that a student attending a private
college can get state aid just as long as the College he attends
does not operate under religious - auspices amounts to a positive
act of discrimination against religion by- the state. And as far as
the individual is concerned, I cannot see this as anything but an
obvious interference with the citizen's constitutional right to
the free exercise of religion. In this situation, there' is no 'point
at all in saying that students are still free to attend any school
they wish; the fact is that their freedom.has been measurably
diminished, since the family of the boy or girl who chooses a
school with religion in the curriculum is made to pay - an
economic penalty. To claim. that the imposition of this economic
disability because of religious• belief is demanded by the First
Amendment strikes me as ridiculous. .
"I said that this argument is often called the Catholic
case,' and not without reason, for the leaders of other religious
groups are most often-lined up • against Catholics•when issues
like this arise. To a large extent, I suppose,, this opposition is
rooted in historic fear Of the Catholic Church and in the con-
viction that . on the parochial school level at least Catholics
stand to gain the most from any kind of - federal or state aid.
For my part, though, I think those religious leaders who take
-
• this position are making a grave mistake."
Having heard 'the argument in support of state aid for our
schools, we must return to the original proposition that any intru-
sion into the principle of separation endangers the entire idea.
Unless church and-"state - are kept completely - separated, there
is always the _danger that church, may influence state and the
state may become embroiled in church affairs. There is a sacred
American principle involved, and it must not be tampered with.
It is not the Catholic church alone that is involved. There
• are ultra-orthodox Jewish and other groups that would also yield
to the temptation of receiving their much-needed aid from gov-
- ernment: But a basic principle must not be sacrificed for the sake
of monetary aid to private schools.
There also is the need for strengthening our public schools
as an American system of education. That, too, must not be
, overlooked.
Kennedy's 'Peace Corps' a Boon to Ben Gurion's Hopes
-
President Kennedy's Executive Order establishing a Peace
Corps—"a pool of trained American men and women sent over-
seas by the United States Government or through private organi-
zations and institutions to help foreign countries meet their
urgent needs for skilled manpower"—takes the props out from
under the anti-Zionist bigots and supports the position taken
by the former Israel Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion.
• Set up on "a temporary pilot basis," the President has asked
Congress for legislation to make the idea permanent. In his
message to Congress, the President explained his proposal for
utilization of manpower as follows:
Peace Corps personnel will be made available to
developing nations: 1. Through private voluntary
agencies carrying on international assistance programs.
2. Through overseas programs of colleges and univer-
sities. 3. Through assistance programs of international
agencies. 4. Through assistance programs of the United
States Government. 5. Through new programs which the
peace corps itself directly administers.
The Peace Corps idea means that Americans will be able
to go to foreign countries—on an unpaid volunteer service
basis—to assist them in raising their standards and in acquiring
skills through the' know-how offered by. the Peace Corps. - -
It is no wonder that the President's idea has received the
enthusiastic endorsement of students and of many diplomats.
Zionists and many Israeli leaders have asked for' exactly
this. type of cooperation: that Americans with know-how should
go to Israel and assist the young State in developing its indus-
tries, in improving its economy, in advancing its educational
and health agencies.
-• Some Israelis have asked for permanent settlement 'of
American Jews in Israel: That was Ben-Gurion's idea, and he
has modified it considerably during the past year. There is
nothing wrong in a country like Israel asking' -kinsmen of the
Israelis to come there and to assist in State-building. And if
American Jews desire to respond to such a call, it is their
private concern. It often indicates a religious fervor, sometimes
it is marked by an urge for pioneering and frontiermanship.
In -reality, only, a handful haye responded to a permanent
settlement appeal. But many more are - willing to go to Israel
for two or three years to assist in the historic tasks of redeeming
the ancient land and -making it habitable and economically
secure. The President's Executive Order is like a Go-Sign to
such creative souls to fulfill their ambitions to aid Israel in her
interesting programs. The anti-Zionist, who has become anti-
Israel out of hate for the movement that created the foundation
for Israel, must be smarting under the rebuke that -is implicit
in President Kennedy's Peace Corps plan.
To Honor Tsur
at Reception
Yaacov• Tsur, former Israeli
Ambassador to France, chairman
Of the Board of Directors of the
Keren Kayemeth Lelsrael (Jew-
ish National
Fund), and
Mrs. Tsur will
be guests at a
reception in
their honor,
tendered by
the lawyers
committee for
the Foundation
for Jewish Na-
tional Fund,
next Wednes-
day, 8:30 p.m..
Tsur
a t Holid
Manor. Invitations have been ex-
tended to Jewish lawyers in De-
troit and vicinity by Judges Vic-
tar Baum, Charles Kaufman, Ira
G. Kaufman, Nathan J. Kaufman,
Burton R. Shifrnan and John M.
Wise, ea-chairmen of the event.
The Foundation, according to
Morris .J. Brandwine, president
of the Detroit JNF, is the depart-
ment which encourages bequests
in wills, transfer of securities,
assignment of insurance, estab-
dona
President Kennedy has negated the viewpoints of his lishment of trusts and cash
,
religious hierarchy. It is logical to ask whether a non-Catholic
tions to JNF. "
r
Appeals Court
Philip
President would have been as positive in his answers as Presi-
A Baal Hutzpah Forms a New Movement
, It is amazing to what extent some people will go in search dent Kennedy was on the question of Government aid for
for publicity. Here is one instance of publicity-seeking that has parochial schools.
Mr. Kennedy has greatly undermined the position of anti-
emerged as notoriety.
Rabbi Chaim U. Lipschitz has seen fit to organize a new Jewish Catholics. He has given proof that adherence to the Constitution
group which he calls the National Information Bureau for Jewish and to the decisions of the highest court in our land is not limited
Life. Its first announced purpose is "a proposal for a series of to members of certain churches or that it could be prevented by
special postage stamps in honor of Robert Morris, the only Jewish Catholic membership. Our President's firmness serves even more
signer of the Declaration of Independence and his 55 colleagues definitely to put an . end to religious prejudice in American
who proclaimed the immortal document in 1776. . . ."
*
*
*
The , name of Robert Morris has figured in Jewish history only
Sense
of
Humor
in Obituary
Reburial
of
Haman
in relation to the activities of Haym Solomon, who financed some
Haman was reburied here last week—thanks to a punster. with
of George Washington's operations and therefore • became known as
the financier of the Revolution. But no one ever has called Robert a sense of humor. It must definitely have been worth the price of a
Morris a Jew, and it is an established fact that he was not Jewish. dollar for an anonymous prankster to have inserted this advertise-
Yet, a rabbi goes to -such .extremes as to undertake to organize thent in the Detroit News paid obituary column on the eve of
a group that addresses itself to the Postmaster General and other Purim:
HAMAN
Government officials with a ridiculous philatelic proposal.
H. RASHA — Died in Iran Ada 13,
How foolish can a man be? The answer is that publicity-seeking beloved husband of Zeres and father
of ten sons. Services held in P'Ylim.
often makes a man unwise, and a baal hutzpah. And the- sad part Funeral
Home Shushan, Iran
of the story is that it must be mentioned so that the unknowing
Purim is a jolly time—and the prankster had his day in
should not be misled by irresponsible people, even if they are rabbis. Haman's name at very little expense.
a.11141.1.1P17
Orders Action
Against Aramco
ALBANY, (JTA) — The New
York State Commission Against
Discrimination was ordered by
the New York Court of Appeals
either to review the anti-Jewish
hiring policies of the Arabian-
American Oil Company or to act
to stop them.
The state's highest court af-
firmed in a six to one decision
an order of the Appellate Divi-
sion issued last April' which
ordered SCAD to abandon its
"arbitrary and . capricious" re-
fusal to act on ARAMCO's - hir-
ing policies.
The ARAMCO appeal had
been opposed by the American
Jewish Congress which orig-
inally launched the legal fight
against the hiring policies of the
company which operates exten-
sive oil extractions in Saudi
Arabia. The- Congress charged
that the oil company .was in
effect "the tool and agent of
Saudi _Arabia in barring Jews
from employment both there
and in the United States?*
. The company has defended
its policy of asking job appli-
cants if they were Jewish as
essential to compliance with the
ban on entrance of Jews into
Saudi Arabia. The company also
has argued that American for-
eign policy interests in the
Middle East justified an exemp-
tion for it from the State Fair
Employment Practice Law.
The Court of Appeals de-
clared SCAD had two courses.
One was that Commissioner
Elmer A. Carter, "shall immedi-
ately. endeavor to eliminate the
unlawful employment practice
complained of," and the other
that he could refer the issue to
the commisison as a whole for
a further -hearing.
The question of U.S. foreign
policy was brought up in
the lefig–thy dissent of 4s4ciate
Judge Van Voorhis who said the
American Jewish CongresS was
"Plainly seeking to pttt ARAM-
CO out of business in Saudi
Arabia." He declared that about
two-thirds – of the currently
known oil deposits in the World
were contained in the Middle
East.
"The importance of -these oil
reserves to the United States,
as well as to the :other nations
of Europe, Asia and AfriCa, has
been* emphasized by the State
Department," Judge' Voarhis
wrote. He said the State Depart-
ment had not changed its "es-
sential position" since the issue
first came before. SCAD 'in 1950.
0.011•1.041•11.4•111•KI ■0■ 0.10.1.M.0.11•11, 0■ 11 ■ 0•11•1 ■ 011 ■ 04111•104.1=1.0 ■04■0■ 11111.1!0.01.1111
Boris Smolar's
'Between You
:..and Me'
(Copyright 1961,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
Zionist Problems
What is the outlook for the Zionist movement in AMerica
now? ... Has it chances for expansion, will it remain dormant,
or is it marked for decline? ... The answer lies in whether the
American ZioniSt Council will succeed in the new phase it is
entering . . . The Council will, as of April 1, no longer receive
its funds from the Jewish Agency and must, therefore,i raise
about $1,500,000 a year independently ... It has organized, fund-
raising machinery and intends to approach Jewish federations
and welfare funds for allocations, and is mapping other forms
of fund-raising . . . Should the Council fail to obtain from the
American Jewish community the sum needed to maintain its
present program, the failure will -be taken as an indication that
the American Zionist movement is on the verge of losing ground
. . Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of the World Zionist Or-
ganization, is making a special effort to help the American
Zionist Council continue its functions normally after April 1,
When the Jewish Agency subsidy is terminated . . . He invited a
number of prominent leaders to a luncheon at which out-
lined what is at stake if the American Zionist Council should
fail to meet its financial .needs . . . He will address a public
meeting in New York on March 13. on the future of *Zionism.
Hadoar Lanoar, the only Hebrew youth publication in this
Country, which has been published by the Histadrut Ivrit for 17
The suspension
years, has been suspended since December .
of this publication, which had a circulation of 11,000 primarily
among pupils of Hebrew schools—has caused purzlement, since
it contradicts the basic ZiOnist resolutions to intensify the
spreading of Hebrew culture.