Evening star., 1923-04-02
COMMUNISTS WAGE
WAR ON RELIGION
Campaign in Russia Pro-
crosses Steadily, Declares
Observer of Events.
ATHEIST PAPERS BITTER
Pleas for Condemned Priests De-
clared Instigated by World
Money Powers.
ATHEIST PAPERS BITTER
BY T.. A. MACKENzIE.

Wv ~AS'
BY +. A. MACKENZIE.
By Gable 10 the sta. and Chicago Dai,y News.
Copyright, 1873.
MOSCOW. April 2--The anti-reli-
G!ous campaign by the union Of COM
munist youth is steadily progressing
Lero. The Creek Church. seven years
ego the richest and numerically
strongest Christian national church.
now Stands with its power gone. its
riches vanished. deprived OF the own
ership OF its old buildings and with
its ecclesiastical machinery taken
over by the malcontents.
The Russian Easter on April 8
Will witness the elimination OF the
present campaign. We are promised
that It will be more elegant YER
sion without the crude vQlgarities
Of the Christmas religious pro-
ceSsions Judging from one of the
latest issues OF an atheist newspaper
published here. the reinements ma y
be difficult 10 find.
This paper is well printed in three
cnIOrS and contains the most virulcnt
illustrated attacks upon christianity
cartoons try TO popularize the idea OF
Christ IS the perSonification OF
greedy plGtocracy and pictures Him
as the supreme strength behind in
Christ az regarding smilingly and
approTinely every form OF hideous
cruelty and horror.
nnenly ApfiR n I 10 inns
Any attempt 10 realize the situ-
alton here must start with realiza-
ton of the fact that the communist
party is openly and avowediy anti
religious. No member of the party
can take part in. religious exercises
and any member who marries in
church or has his children baptized
is expelled.
In the last few months a strong
effort has been made TO draw the
working women away from the
church. labor papers publishing
names and laudations OF women who
pledge themselves TO abstain from re-
ligion. There is a strong agitation
in several country towns 20 turn the
papers report that the two churches
III Minsk were taken over by the work
ers for ciubhouses
All forms of religion are subjected
to the same treatment. In practice.
however. Christians and Jews are
cannot discover that Mohammedan
mosques have been seized or that
Mohammedan education Of children
mas been stopped.
No religious practices are allowed
in the schools or in public institu-
,;y y lAAS-
pitals. Sunday schools are illegal ex-
cept for persons more than eighteen
years Of age.
Regarded as Renctionary.
The communist government regards
religions as the main force behind re-
action. Christianity was corrupt
anemic and often disgraceful under
Today when it. has ceased to be a
road to favor its morals have i'm
proved Communism has BEEN for il
the scourge of the Lord for driving
out its sins. Its faithful adherents
look beyond the present. Those whom
I know certainly have no thoughts OF
revolt or counter-revolution. which
they are convinced is undesirable and
impossible. Russia has had blood
baths enough already. They look be-
yond Good Fridays Calvary 10 Eas-
ter's resurrection morn, when those
who came out OF great tribulations
shall wipe away all tears from their
eyes
Hands off, is Russia's reply to the
protesting world. This is our af-
fair: don't Interfere"
Faced by world pleadings such as
have rarely poured in on any great
Il
whole movement against the execu-
tion OF the sentences against the
Catholic priests is organized and die
tsted by world capitalism. II meets
the pleas of the foremost European
reformers, men hitherto noted as So
Lansbury and Ben Turner. with the
reply that they. too. serve the great
god. gold.
"Servants of Capitalism"
The guardians of capitalism" says
the Pravda. include not alone the
Pope. bourgeoisie newspapers and
men of science, its faithful servant
the proletarian reformers. Men like
Lansbury and Turner are in their
hearts servants of capitalism and its
most faithful servants Of all
Poland's plea for mercy for the
pi tACl Will dSlldICe- ITSnlR RT
Sikorskis protest is described as a
shameless interference with Russia $
internal affairs.
"Sikorski threatens the soviet gov
ernment and charges il with respon-
sibtlity for results" says the Pravda
Possibly we might be very much
frightened in 1918 when a more DOW
frightened were his arms not too short.
We We're not frightened in 1918 when
more powerful man, Lord Balfour,
threatened us. 1t is not in Sikorslui' S
power to frighten US.
THE international counter reyolu-
ton may shout as it likes No
screams will help it,"
The protest uttered by Secretary
Hughes aroused ridicule among the
communists. The Izvestia declares
that possibly orders to make uniyer-
and it reminds the Bishop of Canter-
bury that his church in it's time
chopped off the heads of Catholics.
Fighting Revolution.
The churches in general, and the
Catholic church in particular" saws
this newspaper, ARE the agents OF
the reactionary bourgeoise. We do
not wish to fight against religion We
are only fighting against counter
"A dreadful thing has happened in
the Russia of ,brutes," saws the
Pravda in an editorial. "a Catholic
archbishop, saving the treasures OF
his church, gathered by all kinds OF
rascality, from being given to help
those dying from hunger. was con-
demned to death. All the civilized
world appeals against it. Yes, all is
different in Russia.
While all other governments work
with the priests of all religions In
their work Of exploiting the workers
the Russian government takes the
part of the workers"
The Pravda displays special anger
against NJ. Heriot, the mayor oi
Lyon. France, for joining in the pro-