Anti-evolution and Religious Legislation Presented in California

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

At the recent session of the California State Legislature a so-called Release Bill introduced by Senator Cobb of Fresno was defeated as the result of the activities of a Committee of Clergymen and Laymen of which Rabbi Louis I. Newman of Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco, was a member.

The Cobb Release Bill would have excused chidren for two hours a week during school time for reliigous instruction. At a stormy public hearing before the Senate Education Committee, the measure was tabled by a vote of 6 to 5. It was not drawn out of Committee to the floor of the Senate as was done with a similar bill in the California Assembly in 1925. In addition to Rabbi Newman, Mr. Richard Gutstadt of the B’nai Brith; Rev. Berkeley Blake, Minister of the First Unitarian Church, Sacramento, and Rev. W. F. Martin of the Seventh Day Adventists, argued against the Bill. A widespread propaganda in its favor had been organized, but for the third time in succession the Release Bill was defeated.

Rabbi Harold F. Reinhart of Sacramento, Rabbi Louis I. Newman of Temple Emanu-El, San Francisco, Rabbi Rudoph I. Coffee of Oakland and Rabbi Edgar F. Magnin of Los Angeles were active in the defeat of were active in the defeat of the Heisinger Anti-Evolution Bill in the California Assembly this year. Rabbi Reinhart appeared before the Assembly Education Committee with Rev. Blake and Rev. Harley Gill of the Congregational Church of Sacramento, and Maynard Shiply, President of the Science. League of America.