Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-07-15
.PAPAL AIDS ACTIVE
IN RUSSIAN RELIEF
Holy See, Supporting 158,0 900
in Five Regions, Now Turns
to Reconstruction.
BY EDGAR ANsEL MoWRER.

(By cable to The Star and Chicago Daily
News. Copyright, 1921
Rome, July 14.-Prof. Edmund
Walsh. director of the Vatican aid
mission in Russia, has given the
writer the particulars of the work
of that very effective organization.
THE latest statistics which were
presented to the Pope on my return
to Rome" said Prof. Walsh, SHOW
the extent OF the splendid charity.
The Holy See now supports 5000
In Russia The papal relief stations
have served in five widely separated
on the Don. and in Kuban.'
HOW was 1t possible to provide
food on such vast scale?" was ask ed.
TT was made possible by a world
wide movement in Catholic charity,
particularly among the Catholics in
American Catholics, although they
had given literally to the American
relief administration funds, dupli-
Gated their gifts at the request of the
pope.
New Harvest Abundant.
THE great famine is now over"
continued Prof. Walsh. THE new
sufficient for all Russia Consequent
ly famine relief will no longer be
needed and the Pope has decided to
diminish the extent of the relief now
being sent The mission will be re-
stricted to those phases of recon-
struction and rehabilitation that will
enable the Russians to devote their
entire energy to the enormous task
before them.
There should then be openings for
foreign enterprise. Certainly to bankers,
industrial leaders and economists one
may commend the development of the
vast natural resources in oil, minerals
and other things that abound in Russia
But the development of these physical
elements will be futile unless accom-
panied by care for the human element
Hitherto the Russian people have been
engaged in a struggle for the bare ne
cessities Of living. The quest for the
daily crust Of bread has consumed the
greater part of their time and energy.
With the passing Of this most tragic
period Of their history these people be-
gin now to turn their minds to the
normal processes of national progress. !"
How does the Vatican mission pro-
pose TO aid in the work of rehabilita-
ton?"
AS factor in rehabilitation" re-
piled Prof. Walsh. 1.-The Pope has pro-
5ected certain distributing stations
for the free distribution of milk to
infants and convalescent children.
The hope and the future of Russia
rest with the growing generation and
to these helpless little ones the Pope's
heart Is open.
Further, to aid in combating the
disease epidemics that abound in Rus
fish clinics and dispensaries for the
free distribution of medicine and for
treatments to those who are too poor
to pay doctors bills.
These preparations are going for
ward despite the recent tragic han
DAn1nRS M0annU Tafl Il
prelates were tried for their lives be-
fore a revolutionary tribunal and one
priest was slain.'
What are the relations of the pom
tincai mission to the soviet govern
mentT'
No Religious Distinctions.
Our mission in Russia concerns it.
was the reply. at has no reason to
enter into political or religious oues-
tfons. The vast majority Of Russians
are orthodox. but our aid is given
without any distinctions as to re-
ligious belief.
THE Interpretation of civil and
religious freedom that now obtains
In Russia is not the same as the con-
ception of those things that form the
most precious heritage handed down
70 the American people from revolu-
tionary times 1t is becoming increas-
fnsly evident that Russia will never
reach the degree of prosperity which
the Pope desires for that great Slavic
people, unless civil and religious lib
erty are as carefully guarded and
guaranteed as in the United States.
'The American people have ex-
pressed more than once their disap-
prevail OF the soviet governments at
titude In the domain Of religious lib
erty. and it Is to be hoped that the
far-seeing elements in the soviet adj
ministration will exert every effort to
remove this obstacle to a closer
understanding between the two ma
tons"