p. 2 | A Church Threatening Political Boycott

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park, Washington, D. C. · Feb 3, 1916

A Church Threatening Political Boycott

THE Morning Star, official organ of the New Orleans diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, takes very strong exception to the recognition of Carranza by President Wilson, and proposes that this action on his part shall be made a political issue in the coming presidential election, advising that in this way Catholics show their disapproval of his course. The Star says:—

Mr. Wilson’s recognition of Carranza, the avowed enemy of the Catholic Church, is an insult to the Catholics of this country. It is a direct challenge to them, and we hope that not only Catholics, but every true lover of religious freedom, for which the glorious flag of our country stands, will give him such an open answer at the polls as will prove to him that no President of the United States can so flagrantly ignore the lawful and respectful request of 16,000,000 fellow citizens without paying the penalty.

The New Republic, in commenting on this clerical opposition to the recognition of Carranza, feels that this question is not a proper issue for domestic politics, and raises the question as to why the editors generally through the country have not frowned upon the dragging of this into the political campaign. It inquires:—

Why is this? It is because the Roman Catholic Church is the sacred cow of American journalism and American politics. But it will not always be so. Already in States like Massachusetts the aggressiveness of churchmen has made clericalism the real issue upon which men divide politically. Just below the level of newspaper comment, Boston seethes with religious partisanship which foolish papers like the Morning Star are trying to transfer to a national plane.