The menace., 1919-06-28
LETTERS FROM PORTO RICO
laughed and evidently participated
in that oDiniOn.
BY GEORGE D. COLEMAN

laughed and evidently participated
in that opinion.
The labor unions, in addition to
the public schools, are doing much
to educate the working people, a
greater percentage of whom are
organized here than in the states.
The unions bring them .together,
and the more intelligent enlighten
the others. Socialists represent a
much larger percentage Of the pop
ulation than in the states; and half,
or more than half, of them are
clerks, bookkeepers and small mer-
chants.
There are more than 80 Social
ist locals on the island, and they
have one senator in the legislature,
Don Santiago Iglesias which name
in English would be james
Church, who is more frequently
quoted in the newspapers than
other senators. They also have one
representative in the lower house.
Socialism has not been so Ger
; manized here as in the states.
Berger, who is more representative
; of German than of American
ideals, is a very different man and
represents far different view.
point from that of Iglesias; and
the same difference is true OF all
! the Socialists have met here. The
spirit of Socialists in Latin coun
S tries is entirely altruistic, frater
: nal, and spiritual to a degree moi
I apparent in the Socialists have
e met in England or the United
a States. The cold attitude Of thu
C Anglo-Saxon is in direct contras
e with what l have seen in Spain
Portugal, Argentine, Chill, Mex
g leo, Cuba and elsewhere.
g It should be remembered that, a
# a general rule, all the Latin race
d are born with a religious sentimen
S. and psychology, which inborn ten
l. dency colors all their methods o
70 thinking. That is especially tru
D. of the Porto Ricans. 1t is needles
A
to say that both labor unionist
If and Socialists here have little us
10 for the Roman Catholic church.
n Both have developed here in OF
TX position to church disapproval, an
k that opposition has made theI
of anti-Romanists though there is Il
he bitterness in their mild contemp
e They regard Romanism as a stupi
% superstition unworthy Of furtht
re consideration. Their attitude t
en- ward Professionalism is friend
- but they seem to feel that the di
fering Protestant creeds and d
nominations are distinctions wit
= out difference, that their theologi
are something apart from VIII
they regard as religion.
As near as can discover, th'
believe in the practice Of rehgiC
rather than in its special doctrine
Their viewpoint seems to be som
thing like that expressed by t
Ssl Rev. Sam Jones when he sal
Theology and botany | despi'
. but l do love religion and flowers
Porto Ricans of wealth and
cial position feel that they wo6
lose caste and prestige by atten
ing Protestant worship at Il
time, so that the people rea
reached by the Protestant missic
a aries are mostly artisans, memb'
"a, of the middle class, and you
nm men.
. Rome has, by indefensible me
W DDS recorded in past history, driN
. many of its more intelligent &C
N municants into agnosticism; q
if anyone in the states thinks t
the task of Protestant missi
airy in Roman Catholic countries
easy, he should try it and be C
vinced to the contrary.
There are, Of course, some +
: atical Romanists remaining;
= they are hopelessly in the mir
ity, and Romanism is becom
more and more to be faith
' stricted to women and ignor
. men. In fact, it is quite imposs
to give Americans any clear j
!. Of the psychological status of
" people or of people in other
nm man Catholic countries in rela
to Protestant missions. One n,
to speak their language, to
with them, to live among them,
NM then he can learn, little by Ii
what their attitude is.
n They are naturally a peopl
,.l.l deep religious feeling, but theil
foIN titude towards Professionalism