The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-10-14

and accomplishments of the Con-
stitutionalist Government in Mex
ico." The first issue-that of o.
tober, 1916-bears the name of
Washington, D. c., as its place
of publication, and appears most
OPPORTUNITY al the same time that
the Mexican-American Commits
sion is meeting to solve the Mexi-
can problem.
There are many items of inter-
est in the contents of this initial
number. There is, for example,
a description of the Constitution
alist movement and the plan of
Guadalupe. There is a tortuous
explanation of how Carranza can
run again for President without
violating the Constitution. There
is story of the Mexican Indian
which strives to curry favor with
the Yankee by telling how sub
lime our policy was in regard to
the Indian in comparison with
that of the Spaniard-our Won
derful scheme being to kill off the
Indians as fast as possible and
seize their lands when conven-
fence allowed. But more impor-
tant at the present moment than
all else is the statement on page
S as to "How the Constitutional
lists Keep Their Pledges" That
part in regard to the religious
question is particularly worthy of
attention.
Highly important" we read,
among the reforms pledged by
the Constituencies is absolute
religious freedom to all-no mat
ter what sect, cult, or faith. 1t is
great mistake to accuse the
present Government of anything
whatever savoring Of religious
persecution. Nothing of the sort
is true. Every form of religious
belief is recognized and receives
the protection of the law without
discrimination or favor-some-
thing that has been absent from
Mexican administration for many
years." And, it is added, "religi-
Gus organizations engaged in the
performance of religious duties
are as safe in Mexico as in the
United States"
Now that sounds very pleasant,
indeed, and one would almost take
heart for the Constituencies
themselves-were there not alas
another paragraph which has
some further things to say upon
the subject. 1T must be borne
in mind in this connection" this
paragraph begins, "that all for
mer church property in the coun-
try is the property of the people.
and that religious organizations
are permitted to utilize buildings
of this character subject to regu-
lation by law. Also it must be
remembered that religious COM
munities, such as monasteries,
converts, etc, are contrary to
law in Mexico as in many other
countries, and those pcrsisting in
maintaining them do so at their
peril. This inhibition was en-
forced under the reforms of Juarez
and it is one of the laws again
being enforced by the present
Government"
That is religious liberty" as
Carranza and his followers under
stand it. Not the kind we have in
America after all, as the apollo
gists of the present regime have
been endeavoring to tell us. Of
course, it may appear like liberty
to those religious organizations
which have no communities, no
monasteries or converts, and
which have never made enough
Roadway among the people to
have many churches of their own.
When its words are coupled with
the acts of. the followers of the
Chief of the Constitutionalist
Army, we get a full understand
ing of its real significance. Re-
ligious liberty will not come in
Mexico under the rule of Senior
Carranza-and Washington, with
all its Puritanical righteousness
and John Lind advisors, must as
sumo it's full share of resDOnsi-