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THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
February 8, 1950
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT:
File
Under the Foreign Service Act, the President can appoint a
Minister to the State of Vatican City by sending a nomination to the
Senate.
It seems to me that the paramount consideration is politics --
nothing but politics. A nomination will arouse Bishop Oxnam's forces;
failure to nominate will make vocal the cohorts headed by Cardinal
Spellman. All these elements will be heard in full fury presently when
Congressman Lesinski is subcommittee resumes hearings on the Barden Bill
for Federal aid to public schools.
Mr. Taylor has received a significant letter from Pastor
Boergner of Paris, representing the French Protestant bodies, with a
qualified endorsement of the President's plan for an early conference
in Washington of all Christian forces willing to work together to
establish peace in the world. Pastor Boergner's letter bears evidence
of Bishop Oxnam's influence in the drafting.
The French Protestant leader who was heartily in favor of the
conference when Mr. Taylor talked to him in Paris now writes that the
meeting could not be effectual unless the Roman Catholic Church participated.
The Pastor adds that if Catholics participate the meeting would be regarded
as more political than religious in character. This passage might have
been written by Bishop Oxnam himself who has it in his power to torpedo
the conference if he so wills and he has never been slow to assert his
nuisance value.
Pastor Boergner will be in Washington in June and hopes he
will be invited to call on the President to discuss the proposed conference
with him.
With these storm warnings all along the coast, it seems to me
the President could await developments on the highly controversial
Barden Bill before going bravely to Ephesus to fight other beasts.
Yours in sin and sorrow,
W.D.H.
W.D.H.
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"ocrText": "THE WHITE HOUSE\nWASHINGTON\nFebruary 8, 1950\nMEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT:\nFile\nUnder the Foreign Service Act, the President can appoint a\nMinister to the State of Vatican City by sending a nomination to the\nSenate.\nIt seems to me that the paramount consideration is politics --\nnothing but politics. A nomination will arouse Bishop Oxnam's forces;\nfailure to nominate will make vocal the cohorts headed by Cardinal\nSpellman. All these elements will be heard in full fury presently when\nCongressman Lesinski is subcommittee resumes hearings on the Barden Bill\nfor Federal aid to public schools.\nMr. Taylor has received a significant letter from Pastor\nBoergner of Paris, representing the French Protestant bodies, with a\nqualified endorsement of the President's plan for an early conference\nin Washington of all Christian forces willing to work together to\nestablish peace in the world. Pastor Boergner's letter bears evidence\nof Bishop Oxnam's influence in the drafting.\nThe French Protestant leader who was heartily in favor of the\nconference when Mr. Taylor talked to him in Paris now writes that the\nmeeting could not be effectual unless the Roman Catholic Church participated.\nThe Pastor adds that if Catholics participate the meeting would be regarded\nas more political than religious in character. This passage might have\nbeen written by Bishop Oxnam himself who has it in his power to torpedo\nthe conference if he so wills and he has never been slow to assert his\nnuisance value.\nPastor Boergner will be in Washington in June and hopes he\nwill be invited to call on the President to discuss the proposed conference\nwith him.\nWith these storm warnings all along the coast, it seems to me\nthe President could await developments on the highly controversial\nBarden Bill before going bravely to Ephesus to fight other beasts.\nYours in sin and sorrow,\nW.D.H.\nW.D.H."
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