Applicants for jobs on Senate committees are being asked their religion, it was revealed here today by Dr. Stephen S. Wise, president of the American Jewish Congress, in a letter of protest to Senate Majority Leader Wallace H. White, Jr.
Asserting that this practice “is clearly obnorious to the principles of the Constitution,” Rabbi Wise called upon Sen. White to take immediate steps to and it. He pointed out that in addition to the First Amendment guaranteeing freedom of religion, Article VI, Section 3 of the Constitution provides that “no religicus test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”
Questioning an applicant’s religion, Dr. Wise wrote, has no conceivable value “other than to be used as a basis for discrimination.” Such questions are forbidden by the Civil Service Commission.
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