Martin Graebner letter to Brother Theodore - April 7, 1919

Transcript

[Prof. Martin Graebner letterhead] April 7, 1919. Dear Brother Theodore: - The Davenport matter blew up, I suppose, and I am not worrying about the future. If a good call comes, I shall accept, and, in the meantime, try to make myself useful. Just now the parochial school situation is engaging my attention. The General Board has requested the various district boards to send me a copy of all new school bills. These I am supposed to study and give an opinion thereon, both as to their provisions and as to their constitutionality. Your article in the Witness covers my ideas: While theoretically we can get along without the German in the schools, we nevertheless should resist all usurpation of power and should not give up a single one of our liberties without a fight. Whether we wish to use our rights, that is our business. As soon as I am through with my study of the situation, I am to attend a meeting of the General school board. I believe this will be a meeting of some importance for the future of our parochial school system, and I know I would much appreciate some expression of opinion from you. I intend now to advise our school board to take up the fight along the whole front. If we allow the churches to fight their own battles without the moral and financial support of the general body, we are going to lose this fight. The thing is too expensive. These questions have never been decided by courts of last resort. They involve a great deal of work and study. We cannot expect some small congregation to carry their suit to the Supreme Court. The synod should say to all churches: Thus and so are your rights, stick to them and conduct your schools accordingly and if you get into trouble the synod will take care of you and foot the bill. I am in favor of making test cases in all States where any rights are taken away by these new laws. This will mean that the synod will have to do what it ought to have done long ago: Engage a man to devote his time to the legal business of the synod. In about two years the situation could be cleared up. By that time we could have one or two Supreme Court decision to serve as precedents. We must keep our schools open. If they once close, they will be very difficult to reopen. If the announcement is made, that congregations wishing to stand on their rights will have the backing of the synod, they will take heart, and a general optimistic spirit will take the place of the present gloom and uncertainty. Such is my unmassgebliche Meinung. Now let