Show I 1 EMANO i BIBlE FOR Move Started to Place Book Boo Bookin 1 in Public Institutions SPOKANE Wash March 13 Es 13 Establishment Es- Es Es- Es of Bible Dible teaching as apart a aPart apart Part of the course of study In public schools of the state of Washington Is the purpose of a n. proposed propose statewide organization of religious fraternal political and labor organizations I which will have its first n meeting e In Seattle sometime in the next two ho months I I The hove nove is being Initiated by a special committee of the Presbyterian church synod of Washington thuc-h thuc the cont contemplated organization organization to to be known as the Bible fellow fellowship of f f Washington Washington will he be non Invitations have hae been sent to o the head of the Roman Catholic church here as a well as to the Protestant churches Participation SW will also be he bei asked i of the if l leading fraternal Maternal organizations organizations state federation of labor fOnd and governing bodies ot of political Parties Since May 1918 when the the- Washing ton state state supreme court adjudged ed the Bible a sectarian book ruling ruing that it was to teach it in the public schools different rent religious organizations havo been Investigating The rhe question The special t ian Han reported The Th Bible Is s re required to bo ho read daily dally in the state tate common schools of Alabama District of Columbia for Flor l lorida lor- lor ida and Massachusetts l Maine Is advocating ad- ad a similar law Thirty five other states permit Bible readings without sectarian n Term ment HI ni n their common s schools school and state colleges Kes and universities EXCLUSION STATES The Tho o only ly states whose constitution I and laws haws have been construed as excluding ex ex- the reading or teaching of the Bible Dible from all state schools are ace Ari Ari- rona zona Louisiana Illinois Minnesota Nevada Wis Wisconsin Wyoming and Washington The only states that have In 11 effect ef ef- ef t- t classed and adjudged d the Bible as a s 's sectarian book are Wisconsin and Washington The report recommended a nonsectarian nonsectarian tarlan organization to provide ways and rn means ns and adopt and carl carry out but a n program grogram that will thoroughly test and establish the teaching of the tho Bible as a part of ot the education the constitution constitution tion requires the state to provide for and to obtain the opinion of ot the high- high st courts thereon including the opinion ion or deliverance of ot the supreme court of the United States and also a plebiscite if deemed necessary nece The Bible DIble fellowship of Washington is to bo be that thai organization R R. L L. L Edmiston chah chairman nan of at the committee which prepared the report t holds that because of ot the attitude on the question of the Washington supreme supreme su su- su preme court this Is the state In which to start the reform which he fenly expects to cover the entire United States States Jar Jar the whole tr coun coun- try try before before it is finished Other states are expected to follow V Washington's Wash Wash- ashington's ash ash- ington's tons lead FIRST MOI MAtI While the procedure dure wll be determined determined deter deter- mined by the tho f fellowship after it is organized organized or or- Mr Edmiston Indicates that the tile probable first move will be examination ex- ex ex x- x of prospective legislators to see whether they are fit to make laws for a Christian government It may be b necessary to seek an n amendment amend amend- ment to the state constitution he s std sad d or to take lake 1 n thA V i TT action f against the state k c v. v s 's a a court tl 10 to require the state to Include the Bible in the educational course of study It If such a case is brought Mr Edmiston believes It will be comparable in imp importance im im- p to the Dred Scott case tried before the Civil war Mr Edmiston contends that thit the decision de- de de de- cis Ion of tho the state supreme court barring barring bar bar- ring the Bible from the schools is repugnant to the principles of the tho declaration of or independence which he claims Is the foundation of the government of the United States The Tho cammen assumption that the govern overn- I f ment Is founded en cn the conS adopted adapted by th a colonies In 1789 ls is error he asserts Since under Edmiston's reasoning the Bible reco recognized in the Declaration Of of oVIr In ence he believes any stat state lr In the constitution Is supersede superseded d' d the D Declaration of ot which was an admission of th the ill all sovereignty sovet of ot God n. n to qu quote te Edmiston M Only on one organization the Me leth 1 1st church has accepted tho the ir inv tion n to the Seattle meeting so t fa t |