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Sponsored by 27 journals was a petition: a "Declaration of an American Citizen." Because the Supreme Court decision in the Bland-Macintosh case held that a native-born U. S. citizen is obliged (as is supposed to be inherent in the oath of allegiance) to bear arms, the petition makes the following declaration: "I, a citizen of the United States, solemnly refuse to acknowledge the obligation which the Supreme Court declares to be binding upon all citizens, whether native-born or naturalized. I have not promised, expressly or tacitly, to accept an act of Congress as the final interpretation of the will of God, and I will not do so. In my allegiance to my country I withhold nothing, not even my life. But I cannot give my conscience. That belongs to God. . . ." This petition, containing many a ''whereas," is to be signed by as many people as possible and sent off to Congress. Copies will also be run off to be distributed at public gatherings.
In the vanguard of the petition-circulators last week were The Christian Century and The Living Church. Not only did they print the declaration, but both analyzed the case, gave much space to emphasizing its significance. Editorialized The Living Church: "If THIS BE TREASON. . . . We had supposed that it was generally recognized that it is not only our right but our duty to disobey a law which we deem to be immoral and contrary to God's will—and to take the consequences. . . .' Said The Christian Century: "Our readers ... are listening to the almost unanimous voice of the Christian press of the nation. . . The only way in which a spiritual faith can be kept alive in the United States under this decision is to protest repudiate . . . work for its correction. . . ."