Bisbee daily review., 1911-12-24
Russian Legislators Getting Together Upon Question That Has Long Been
 VeXaiiouS
BOTH HOUSES PASS ACTS
 UPON DISPUTED SUBJECT
Conversions to Faiths .0ut- side Established Church Are Permitted in
 These Bills

ST. PETERSBURG, Dec. 23-A more progressive attitude has been exhibited by the Council of Empire at its present session by the passage of the bill for religious freedom. which if had kept in the committee stage for over three years.
 Though the measure issues from the Council of Empire in a shape greatly differing from the version passed by the Duma, and with amend ments limiting somewhat the opera. ton Of the principle of equality of re- ligions, it is generally recognized that that principle has been satisfac- torily sustained by the upper cham. Der. The bill embodies in fit leglsla- tive form this principle of equality of religions. or liberty of conscience. as proclaimed by imperial manifesto on April 30. 1905. which was the fore runner Of the October manifesto.
 The object of the manifesto was 10 remove the administrative ban upon conversions from Orthodoxy-the state religion Of Russia-to other Christian or non-Christian sects. Thir- " to forty thousand non-Russians in the provinces of Kazan. Simbirsk and Penza returned from Christianity to Mohammedanism and other beliefs in virtue of the right granted by the manifesto Nearly half a million ex. Catholics and ex-Uniates United Greeks) who had joined the state church under compulsion, at various periods of violent Classification, re- turned to the fold of the Catholic church in virtue of the same right and liberty of passing from one denomination to another was taken advantage of by all who had felt op- pressed in their religious convictions.
 5aekslidins is Ignored
 The bill deals only with the passage from one Christian confession to an other, or from @ non-Christian confes- sion to a Christian one It ignores the possibility of back-sliding from Chris tianity. tacitly leaving in force, how. ever. the paragraph of the manifesto giving such unwilling Christians a chance to escape from it. As the para { graphs Of the Criminal Code imposing penalty for defections from Ortho- doxy were repealed in 1906. the situa. ton leaves any Russion subject free ! to follow his religious ideas, though the state takes cognizance only of dec larations of adherence to any one of ! the constituted Christian congrega- /; tions.
 These include practically any form of Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant non-conformity. the only requirement being that the believers shall compose Ia congregation regularly organized and duly registered by the provincial au' NFk asz inetrical books t-egisters of births marriages and deaths). Amendments providing that the state shall register conversions from Christianity to one Of the non-Christian religions were re tected by the council. The view which obtained support was the one holding that Russia is a Christian country which can tolerate defections from the. ranks of Christianity, but can not acknowledge them.
 Provisions of Bill.
 The bill recognizes the unrestricted right of religious adherence only fol persons of age. Forty days must elapse after the formal declaration of 6 change of adherence from one church to another before it can take effect but this term may be disregarded IT the case of persons stricken with seri ous illness. Article five Of the meas ure expressly declares that a person passing from one religion, confession or creed to another does not suffer or that account any restriction or limi tation Of his or her personal or civil and political rights before the law A reactionary amendment tending Co deprive deserters from Christianity Of the right of jury. as well as active