davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

that there is not the slightest chance
for the success of the plot. The rea-
son for this, we are told, lies in the
contention that the great masses of
the Russian people will not follow the
clergy. In order to strengthen its case
the Soviet government asserts that the
leadership of the Russian Church is
closely affiliated with the Russian mon
archist groups abroad and is really a
tool in the hands of the latter. The
| "Pravda" editorial ends as follows:
Our country has suffered too much
to permit any longer such dastardly
attempts to cause new upheavals. 1t is
utterly impermissible that the worst
part of the remnants of the former
sutocratc regime, having found refuge
in Germany, should now be able to
cause new bloodshed. acting through
the church leaders. An end should be
put with firm and swift hand to this
plot concocted by the clergy and the
Black Hundred clements"
Whether or not the Soviet govern
ment's case rests on actual facts there
seems no doubt that by tying up the
confiscation decree incident with the
! spectre of a counterrevolution the
Soviet leaders have once more put into
use weapon which they had found
most effective in the handling Of their
/ internal situation in connection with
every phase Of the civil war. There
are. however. aspects in the present
situation which were not present in the
others.
! 1t is a historic fact that religious
movements thrive on persecution. So
much Of history the Soviet leadership
apparently remembered when it per-
sistcntly foreborc from embarking
upon an official policy of persecution
of the Church. And it is most i'm
lportant to note also that at the present
time the policy of persecution and the
brunt Of the propaganda is not directed
against religion generally or even
against the church hierarchy.
There seem to be two plausible ex.
plantations for this policy. 1t may be
that under the able guidance of Patri
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14
of the Soviets Come Grips with the Church in Russia

arch Tikhon the Russian hierarchy has
really grown into an important polit-
cal factor, which would quite naturally
be counterrevolutionar from the
Soviet point of view and which very
possibly has connections with the Rus
sian reacti tionary groups abroad. IF
that is so and if the Soviet government
really considers that the hierarchy be-
gins to present a definite political mems
ace, then the method of discrediting it
which has been seized upon must be-
considered excellent strategy. The
Patriarch and his associates were
placed face to face with most difficult
dilemma. Opposing the confiscation
decree they laid them selves open to
most violent and plausible attacks and
propa ganda; but acquiescing to the
decree they would find themselves dis
credited in the eyes of their own
church goers on quite different grounds.
They chose the former course and gave
the Soviet regime It's opportunity for
playing up the real or imaginary politi
cal danger likely to arise out of tho
activities of the church hierarchy.
Or it may be that the threads direct
ing some Of the recent activities Of the
Soviet government with regard to the
higher Russian clergy are running
back to the power represented by the
Vatican. The Vatican's ambitions for
penetration into Russia have become
fairly well defined in the course OF the
past few months. And il is most in
teresting concidence--if it really is
merely coincidencc~-that during
these last few months there has been
an unprecedented abundance of rumors
regarding possible recognition OF the
! Soviet government by the Holy Sec. It
/ is perfectly obvious fact, of course,
that the two greatest obstacles in the
way Of the aVtican's penetration into
Russia arc the deeply ingrained, cen-
/ tury-od veneration OF the masses Of
the Russian people for traditional
forms of church services and the nat
/ ural opposition Of the church hierarchy.
The recent activities Of the Soviet gov
sernment strikes at both of these cir
cumstances.
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

services. According to the teachings of
the Church. such removal is punsha-
bic by anathema, which extends not
cles dedicated to the Lord. but also
over those who give them up.
ave beg the central executive COM
mittee to revise this decision which Of
fends deeply the religious feelings Of
millions of believers and also goes
counter to the principle of religious
freedom by the Soviet Constitution.
Eager TO relieve te sufferings Of
our brethren who are dying of starva-
ton, we are ready 70 any material
sacrifices; but we consider that we
should be permitted to render such
aid directly by opening feeding sta
tions, hospitals, etc, under the general
supervision Of the committee of the
United Parishes of the Russian Ortho-
dox Church. accountable for its ac-
tions to the controlling organs of the
governme
Tn other letters were similar. and
in some instances virtually in thought
end tcrminology The Soviet press, IN
discussing the fact of these protests,
attributes the similarly of the text to
the work of the central administration
of the church. i. e., to the activities OF
the Patriarch.
Nevertheless the work OF removing
the valuables proceeded. 1t was found
hawever. that. there was not scrap OF
gold, nor single precious stone IN
anv of the churches in the city. Only
silver was found and removed What
happened to the articles made OF goio
and those adorned with precious
stones no one knows. 1t is assumed
however. that these articles were hid
den by persons in authority IN the
affairs of the church.
In the city of Smolensk the very
6rst day on which the local authori'
. tics ATTEMPTED to carry out the con
escation decree, an organized attempt
was made to oppose this. In the morn
/ ;nr an alarm was sounded IN TWO OF
,ho ,arer churches of the city, as
result of which large crowds OF pco'
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

the purpose of which was to regulate
and curtal ecclesiastical activities
The confiscated church valuables can
not possibly be turned to account for
the relief of the famine districts; 4;
every Russian port is already clogged
with grain imported from abroad.
which cannot be moved into the starv-
ing areas because of the railroad situ-
alton. The addition of the confiscated
gold, silver and precious stones to the
stock Of valuables held by the Soviet
treasury might be of assistance to the
Soviet government at some future time.
but this has really very little to do
with the famine situation. 1t seems
likely, therefore, that the Soviet gov
ernment simply decided that the pres
ent crcum stances were too good an
opportunity to miss in testing the
temper and the power of the Church.
1t is most interesting that up to
now the Soviet government paid COM
paratively little attention to the
SnUfCH. l. nc oOVicC f-~
vided for complete freedom OF re
lgious and anti-religious propaganda
and left the whole question there. Inc
government has been too busy with
other things to pay much attention TO
the matter. And the Russian Churcn,
separated from the state by the revo-
luton of March, 1917, and reorgan-
lied with Patriarch Tikhon as its head,
continued to exist with varying de-
grees of success and prosperity IN va
rious parts of the country.
The Communist agitators occasional
ly attacked religion, which they call
poison for the people From time to
time some Of the more extreme leaders
raised their voices to attack the &C
tivities Of the Church and to demand
it's persecution. But except during the
first flush Of Bolshevism there has been
very little persecution of either the
Church a. such or of the priests.
There seems little doubt that IN
these conditions the Church developed
coniiderable and powerful organ'za-
ton. @ust how this organization oper-
.ates and what ara it's aims and pur'
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

pie gathered in the markctplace. Sew
era attempts at disorder had to be put
down by armed force. The general at
titude of those who are respens ible for
the agitation against the confiscation
decree is that the valua bles removed
from the churches would not be used
far famine relief at all, but for the
payments due to Poland for the equip
ment of the Red army and for the
"enrichment of the commissars and
the Jews"
These arc some of the typical in
stances of the opposition aroused by
the confiscation decree. There are
other instances, however, in which the
parishes and even the ecclesiastical
authorities comply quite readily with
the requirements of the confiscation
For example, group of clergymen IN
the Cyril Monastery issued an appeal
in which they states that 1T is against
the teachings of Christ to see churches
ornamentcd with man valuables, while
millions of people are starving to
death"
Thus, whatever else may or may not
be the result Of the contiscation decree,
it has already accomplished one very
important object from the point of view
of the communist leaders. 1t has
brought an important split in the
ranks of the Church. Considering the
fact that the basis of this split is dis
agreement on so fundamental a ques-
ton as to what constitutes an act Of
blasphcmy in connection with the pres
ervation of-articlcs dedicated to church
services. the split is likely to assume
grievous proportions as far as the unity
of the Church and the authority OF
its head. Patriarch Tikhon. are con-
ccrned. The net result would be a
discrcditing of the Church, which is
one of the aims for which the Soviet
leaders are striving.
And it is. no doubt, for the same pur-
nose of discrediting the Church that
the Soviet government has at last
brought to trial the All-Russlan
Patriarch for counter-revolutionar ac-
tivities. The decree concerning the
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14
MES1cAE $Hov0.

war. Through this system foreign ship
ping companies allotted the immigrant
traffic among themselves There was
no chance for an American inc to par
ticipate Only the rigid restriction Of
incoming aliens by United States law
has prevented the revival of the con-
ference since the war
One of the best illustrations of the
handicaps which American companies
have to overcome was afforded several
months ago in the Egyptian cotton
case. When American companies en-
dcavored to participate in the move
ment of Egyptian cotton to the United
States they found that British lines
had ironbound contracts with Alex
andria shippers. No matter what rates
or services were offered, American con-
Germs could not get a pound Of the
shipments. At this point the Shipping
Board stepped in. A rate war was
started and there were threats of re
taliaticn under American laws. The
pressure was too great and the British
lines yielded. An agreement was
reached dividing the traffic equally
between the ship lines of the two coun-
! tries
A. D. Lasker, chairman Of the Ship
ping Board, admits that he enjoys an
/ occasional game of poker. For this
reason he likes to describe the ship
/ ping situation in poker terms. He pic
lures the maritime nations of the
world as seated around a table, their
chips consisting of vessels, laws
/ finances and other resources. Before
, the war American companies had very
I few chips. They were unable TO raise
/ the ante, and their bluffs were easily
called In Mr.. Lasker's opinion Con
gross should come to the aid of the
merchant marine and enable the Amer
lean industry to stay in the game.
A glance into history throws some
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

ccnfscation of the church valuablcS
and the attitude toward it Of the Ortho-
dox clergy have given the Soviet press
and agitators an excellent opportunity
for attack. And they are not wasting
their chances.
Newspapers Picture
Big Revolutionary Plot
The situation as the official Soviet
organs present it for their readers, is
somewhat as follows: The clergy, both
high and low, is to large extent OPP
posed to the complete carrying out of
the conhscaton decree. At the same
time the high church authorities. with
whom. it is asserted, are allied all the
reactionary elements of the country
see in this situation an excellent OPP
portunity for counter-revolutionary
activities. The Soviet authorities have
even announced that they have dis
! covered widespread plot, the pur
pose of which is the overthrow Of the
Soviet regime. An editorial in the
"Moscow Pravda," of April 4, states
the governments case as follows:
"The clique Of the Princes of the
! Church continues its criminal work.
The black feelers Of their plot extend
all over Russia and their agents are
doing everything in their power to
rouse the masses OF their adhcrents
against the Soviet government. In
| Smolensk they even made an attempt
/ to rouse the workmen against the gov
ernmcnt. In number Of provinces
/ the clergy headed by the bishops, con-
4 ducts passive struggle against the
| removal Of the church valuables. Some
| Of them, when asked whether or not
! they would give up the vgluables, reply
f, that they will do so as soon as they
! receive an authorization from their
! superors, e., from the Patriarch.
! And in the meantime active agitation
! is conducted among the parishioners in
An attempt to prepare them for open
! resistance to the act of confscation.
! The government accuses the leaders
! Of the church of an attempt to plungs
! the country into new civil war, but
assures uS, through its official organs
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14
By Leo Pasvolskv

"HE trial of the All.Russisn
fatr'arch Tikhon, which opened
several days ago before the
Supreme Revolutionary Tr;
1'"a'' may become factor of far
'eaehihg Importance in the Russian do
'e'opments of the near future IL o
' II IS test of strength between
s"o Numerically opposed forces tho
'''el government and the hierarcbv of
we orthodox Church. The govern
".e", mas long been looking for fa.
''a0ie opportunity to force the ;ssu.
:. Oe'~een itself and the Church but
Wv. "'s not until the beginning of this
~ :. "a' sucn an opportunity present.
n. ' ,' ana is now being utilized to
e utmost by the government
.,n.; soruary IS. 1922, the Central Ex.
s'u''ve Committee of Soviets ;,.,od !,
.sVree' whereby all precious metals srd
.s 0"es IN the possession Of III.
s.-, ."es throughout Russia were ar.
u. .0h''scated to provide means fo,
hs.n s' VI 'ne famine. AS might have
49,. expected. tho decree aroused :.
...'' great deal of resentment in the sccls.;.
.s'leal ss circles in Russia. Thsrs !. o.
n...', D' enat the Soviet government ex.
ablv W., WIS resentment and, most prob
,. ~ welcomed it. The situat;or ouo
nso. a 0y the decree gave the rovern.
IL. ." opportunity to Determine with
self. .'"um hoa, s, degree of safety for it.
posi,;as :. "ucn actual and active op-
III. G. '"ere is in the Church tous,d
-, soviet >. regime. 1t placed the ,esd. u
Position. p for the ssbs.,t vs'. 1naaas'as dsuls
sas carrying out of th.deeres rs's,'r1S won'S
e.n..s. s De Interpreted with al, Tho
the -s,sy s" Tor demasogy possessed hv
L. .v'e' ,.,; leaders as refusal to aid in
=. A. u relieving of the fam;r. $500; ~ a,u y"
tia, me -, same time it was perfectly cls.r
in fl. reason for confiscation give y
real one. ''"'o scarcely be the
y The sons,e.,iop deere. cam. :.
u. nun, number of DEGREES issued dur;u M ;ur =
'i december and January
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

der normal conditions American vesas;s
must pay 30 per cent more in wages.
20 per cent more for subsistence. of
crews and about 90 per cent more for
construction in local shpvards. The
latter means an annual diffcrential for
interest, insurance and depreciation
over similar charges on British vessels.
Crews Must Be Recruited
In United States Ports
The higher wages are due TO the
fact that American ships must recruit
I their crews in United States ports.
where they compete with tho standards
of pay on shore. The higher subsist-
cncc costs are caused partly by such
legislation as the La Toilette seamcn's
act and partly by the insistence Of
American seamen for better food and
accommodat The higher cost Of
construction in domestic shpyards is
caused almost entirely by Che grcater
wages paid to shipbuilding employees.
American companies could buy ships
built abroad but that would not helm
in the maintenance of domestic ship-
yards.
The ship subsidy bill introduced IN
Congress with the support of Prcs-
acnt Harding, Tie Shipping Board and
American shipping interests is de-
signed to offset the differcntials and
TO place vessels under the United
States flag on an equality with their
closest rival, the British merchant
feet.
Stated briefly, the subsidy bill Is to
provide fund Of about $4,000 900 r
%car, which is to replace the $50 .00o0 900
now spent on government operation of
ships by the board. This is to be de-
rived from 10 per cent of the tariff
revenues. A number of indirect aids
are provided. The navigation laws are
tc be revised in some respects. The
board is authorized to set aside total
of S125,000,000 from funds derived
from the sale of ships, which may bo
loaned at interest as low as , per cent
for the building of new and faster
steamers. Shippers may tcduct 5 per
cent of their freight money, spent on
American boats, from income taxes.
The army transport service is to be
, abolished and commercial vessels used.
The coastwise laws are to be extended
to the Philippines. Rail and water
transportation are 20 be co-ordinated.
Shipments on American vessels are to
o1o
5 railroad rates
In order that steamship companies
may not, through these various aids,
make unusual profits, the bill specifies
that one-half of any net earnings
sbovc 10 per cent must be returned to
the government until the full amount
of the subsidy has been paid back.
Furthermore, the Shipping Board is al
lowed wide discretionary powers in de-
tcrmining the best administration Of
government aid.
The adventures of wartime ship
ping, with the prospect of sudden for
tunes. have gone. Cold economic facts
now control. But the romance OF the
sea is not yet dead. 1t will remain so
long a. there arc storms, icebcrgs, hid
cen shoals, derelicts, fires and other
ocean perils. There is plenty of op-
portunity also for inventive genius.
The last century saw the transition
from sail to steam, from wood to iron.
AT present shipping is undergoing the
change from steam to Diesel or inter-
nal combustion engines. The open
question is whether American steam-
ship companies will take their proper
place in the future shipping of the
world
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

iares. Opponents of the ship subs dy
bill now pending in Congress arc max
ing capital out Of the enormous profits
earned during the war Such argu-
ments are entirely beside the point.
Handicaps under which the American
ships operate arc matters to be met
in the future.
Merchant ships carrying the foreign
commerce of the country may be COM
pared with the delivery wagons Of
large depa rtment store. Assume, as an
illustration, that the A department
store was compelled to use wagons
owned and run by the B department
store and that the drivers for the lat
ter were financially interested in de-
velcping business for their employers.
There is no question that on certain
ter treatment than AS. The drivers
would surely report to any trade
secrets which they might learn in their
work.
The same situation on much larger
and more complicated scale applies to
the merchant marine. One of the prin-
cipal reasons why Great Britain to-day
leads the world in ocean transportation
is due to the fact that there is close
alliance between exporters, importers,
marine insurance companies, banks.
commercial enterprises and steamship
companies. All work for the common
good. Aside from the actual differ
ences in operating costs between
American and British ships, com
panies under the United States flag
face tremendous task in equaling
the divide British organizations.
There is plenty of evidence to show
that foreign steamship lines in the
past have combined by unfair means
to suppress American shipping. One of
the most effective methods is that Of
granting deferred rebates Under this
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

plan group of companies, controlling
most of the ships on certain trade
route. will offer to shippers a rebate of
10 per cent on all freight money at the
end Of the year for an agreement to
route all shipments over their lines. A
single violation of this rule means loss
of the rebate. There are cases on rec
ord where struggling American lines
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

have been unable to break into this
solid combination. The shipping act Of
1916 effectually prevents the granting
Of deferred rebates in American trade,
but it is extremely difficult to protect
American steamship lines throughout
the world.
Another instance was the immigra-
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14
By David S. Kennedy
Lila. Editor Of The Tribune

Shipping L0''oi
-. he steamship man is now pinch
;nc himself to make sure that
he is awake. He has had
wild party, but it is over.
.,;,.. 1amp. which conjured up
A' . fortune. during the war and i'm
.s..di,,ely after the armistice' has dis
appeared
s,;,,ins has entered upon new
sud the outlook is none too pleas
~. -. III. situation is now entirely dit
,s,n, ~ from the time when the public
- .. x,s filed with reports of wealth
r. pa. overnight. Ships no longer pay
s.r themselves in one voyage. of.
~. s.;.,, aho formerly made salaries of
,',,'r .,oooo , year and received $4,000 at
rsri,,m.. for bonus in many in
..,.,. .re without employment. Some
- ..,m srs working for $40 week.
: r.. fact that conditions have
.,,,,.d i. shown by the elimination
- r,,. drivers and theatrical cos
,nu.r. from the business. During the
EAR any one who could lay hands upon
:, aid Tub that would remain sfoat
mil i. was out Of sight of land could
,,,u fabulous profits. This attracted
!. III. industry class of men who
knew nsthing Of the sea, who were not
md never would be shipping men. The
.Yploits Of this class were published
broadcast. In considering ocean trans
,ortation to-day it is necessary to re-
member that they have vanished, and
.ha. those who remain are for the
most par. the established companies.
The old companies also made great
urofts. part Of which was disbursed IN
Ae form OF salaries and bonuses.
MANY companies paid off debts accumu-
lated in the wears of depression before
he war. For instance, the lnterna-
.onal Mercantile Marine Company, the
Great feet which was the creation OF
Up. Morgan. paid Off a large proper
ron of the accrued dividends on pre-
hrred stock. Others put by surplus
for lean years-and found that it was
seeded to carry them through the
eighteen months just passed. The re-
malnder bought additional vessels at
high prices. saw visions Of still greater
Acets, launched upon new trade routes
and then found themselves in the crash
that followed loaded with high-priced
tonnage upon which they could not
earn a reasonable income.
Many Won Big Stakes
Only to Lose Them Again
In emphasizing the fact that the
shipping industry to-day is not what it
sas two years ago it is necessary to
call attention to those who took a
gamblers chance, won big stakes. and
lost when the dice went against them.
Take the case Of the family of May
srs. During the war they ran a line
d steamers between Canada and
france. carrying horses, mules and
supplies They were popularity credited
With amassing a fortune of $30,000,-
900, though this figure never was sub
s.antiated. They formed the United
States Mail Steamship Company and
chartered from the Shipping Board the
hest Of the ex-German vessels seized
during hostilities. For time they
operated what promised to develop in
10 permanent feet of fast mail and
passenger ships between New York
and Europe. The deAation caught
them, When the Shipping Board
seized the ships and the books of the
company were examined after bank.
ruptcy proceedings there was evidence
tnat the company was house Of cards
A large number Of similar comnan;es
New-York tribune., 1922-05-14

"HE trial of the All-Russjan
Patriarch Tikhon. which opened
several days ago before the
Supreme Reyolr+;o ~