News Brief

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The defeat of the Bible reading bill in the House of Representatives of the state of Tennessee was ascribed to the influence in the House of Representative Fletcher Gans Cohn of Shelby County.

It was Mr. Cohn who moved the resolution that the House table the bill. The matter aroused some discussion in the public press. The newspaper, “The Commercial Appeal,” declared that “the Senate passed it with the support of a Harvard graduate. The House killed it at the insistence of a Jew.”

The “Hebrew Watchman,” Memphis Jewish weekly, took exception to this reference, stating editorially:

“We wonder why the same writer who seems to be so descriptive in his news writing did not specify the particular denomination of the Harvard graduate. Perhaps it would have made interesting reading matter to know whether the supporter of the bill was a Baptist or Methodist. Perhaps he did not know that Mr. Cohn represents the Christians as well as the Jews of Shelby County.

“Mr. Cohn might well have taken exception to the bill on the grounds that he was Jewish, and that the Bible reading would transgress on the rights of all who were not in agreement with the Biblical version that would be read in the public schools supported by the taxes of all people. However, Mr. Cohn was tolerant-he based his plea on justice for all people and won.

“The reporter of the ‘Commercial Appeal’ should have learned long ago not to mix his opinions in a news story. He should have learned some other things-but that’s another story.

“This editorial would not be complete without a whole hearted commendation of the great work of Fletcher Gans Cohn in the recent session of the General Assembly. Mr. Cohn’s presence was felt from the very first session and throughout the entire session-fighting for the rights of all peoples of Shelby County and the State of Tennessee.”

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