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Republican Party Pledges to Bar Religious Bigotry from Campaign

August 19, 1952
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The Republican National Committee pledged today that it would condemn every instance of religious or racial bigotry which may emerge in the 1952 election campaign. A similar pledge was made last week by the Democratic National Committee.

Arthur E. Summerfield, chairman of the National Republican Committee made this promise to six Jewish, Catholic and Protestant leaders who previously asked both major parties to work toward an election campaign free of bias. Mr. Summer field said today that he would send an anti-prejudice statement to all Republican candidates.

“The 1952 election must stand before the world as a shining example of how the people of a great republic resolve issues and differences of viewpoint within the broad framework of freedom and equal justice for all,” Mr. Summerfield wrote. “I feel so deeply about the wisdom of your firm resolution concerning this campaign that I am taking the liberty of communicating it in full to all principal leaders and candidates seeking election on the Republican ticket next November.”

His letter was addressed to Bishop Henry Knox Sherrill, president of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.; Bishop Edwin V. O’Hara of Kansas City, Mo., Rabbi Simon G. Kramer, president of the Synagogue Council of America; Dr. Arthur S. Flemming, president of Ohio Wesleyan University; Dr. George N. Shuster, president of Hunter College, and Jacob Blaustein, president of the American Jewish Committee.

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