BUSH READY TO PUT DOLLARS IN 'ARMIES OF COMPASSION'

When President Bush looks for solutions to America's thorniest social
problems, he sees answers in the nation's churches, synagogues and mosques.

He says he wants to unleash "armies of compassion" by letting private and
religious charities compete for government money to provide after-school
programs, prison ministries and drug treatment.

Bush will begin sending his proposals to Congress next week. As a first
step, he and his wife Laura were having dinner Thursday night with Theodore
McCarrick, the Catholic archbishop of Washington who was elevated last
Sunday by Pope John Paul II to the rank of cardinal.

White House officials acknowledge that Bush's plan is not universally
liked. Critics say it would blur the constitutional lines separating church
and state. They also say that religious groups cannot really take the place
of government programs.

Bush said on Thursday, "It's all based upon what's called charitable
choice, which is a constitutional provision which recognizes government
will never fund religion but government should not fear funding programs
that can change people's lives."

He added, "Nor should government fear providing funding for an individual
and allow that individual to choose a faith-based program so long as
there's a secular alternative available."

Bush plans to establish an Office of Faith-Based Action to oversee the
programs and distribute money, and wants each state to do the same. Bush
officials have not said who will head the office, which is expected to
spend "several billion dollars" over the next 10 years on new funding for
programs and tax credits.

Many charities welcome the idea of more federal dollars to help them reach
those in need. But even some churches are wary of strings that might be
attached to money from the federal purse.

"Faith-based programs, no question about them, they do work," said Ted
Fuson, pastor of the Culpeper, Va., Baptist Church, which is active in a
variety of local and intrachurch programs offering grants, food, clothing
and furniture to the needy.

Still, Fuson said he is not interested in taking federal money.
"Eventually, somebody's going to want to have a say in how those funds are
used, and we're not going to give them that freedom," he said.

The idea of government support for religious organizations' programs is not
unique to Bush.

Since Republicans gained control of Congress in 1995, they have started
programs to expand the ability of spiritual organizations to provide
services to the poor. The 1996 welfare reform bill allowed groups to obtain
government dollars while maintaining a religious character.

"This is in many ways the next step in welfare reform," presidential
spokesman Ari Fleischer said Thursday.

The results of these "charitable choice" plans are still being measured and
some say it's foolish to spend more money until it's clear the efforts work.

One program cited by Bush is Faith Works, a non-denominational social
service agency in Wisconsin that helps troubled fathers with drug
treatment, job training and placement.