The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-08-06
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Mexican Governments Con-
flict With the Catholic
Church Reaches Crisis.
BY EDWARD w. PIckARD

BY EDWARD w. PicKARD
DRESIDENT GALES and the Ro-
4 man Catholic church In Mexico are
now In the midst Of one Of the bitter
est struggles Of recent times and the
outcome, not at present easy to pre-
dict, may be of vast Importance to
the republic below the Rio Grande.
Gales and HIS government are deter
mined to enforce the new religious
laws, and they now have behind them
the Labor and Socialist parties, which
control a majority in the Mexican
congress. On the other side stands
all the power Of the mighty Catholic
church which claims the allegiance of
nearly all the Inhabitants of Mexico.
Early in the week an episcopal let
ter, signed by Archbishop Mora y del
Rio, the seven other archbishops and
thirty bishops, was sent to churchmen
throughout the country instructing
them that after July 81 no religious
services would be held in the churches
and the priests would be withdrawn
from them, though the buildings
would be kept open. The letter set
forth that penalties would inf1ict on
those of Catholic faith who were in
any way responsible for the religious
laws or who in any way aid in their
enforcement There was plain hint
of accommodation, and Immediately
there were many reports that bishops
and others were being arrested for
sedition. These were unconfrmed, but
such arrests are not unlikely.
The governments reply to the let
ter was a statement that all churches
abandoned by the priests would be
taken over by the civil authorities and
entrusted to citizens committees to
be used for worship and other public
purposes. The secretary of the in
terror said once the churches were
thus taken, they never would be re-
turned to the clergy. The church prop
critics thus liable to seizure were esti-
mated to be worth $3OO,000.000. The
attorney general sent u circular to his
agents throughout the country asking
them for statements as to whether
they support the government whole
heartedly in its determination to en-
force the religious laws. 1t is report
ed that all those who do not sympa-
thize with the government will be re-
moved from Office at once.
Catholic leaders said they would
continue the fight for modification of
the religious laws. One of their lat
est moves was an appeal by the wom-
en- to Senior Natalia Gales to defend
their cause before her husband, the
President. They said: Your husband
will do whatever you desire because
man is noble and easy to lead. {.
We demand equity, tolerance, and JUS
tice. We desire peace. union, and
welfare. You are a woman, a wife
and mother, and we hope that you will
hear our appeal"
Directors of the League for Reli-
gious Defense-the lay Catholic or
misunderstanding been arrested on
charges of sedition. the league appoint
I'd new directors but kept their names
secret. All last week the churches
were thronged and baptisms, con-
iirmations and marriage ceremonies
were astonishingly numerous.
Organized labor demonstrated its
adherence to Gales policy by holding
great parades in Mexico City and, 9TH
err centers. I'VE are determined to
fight the issue to finish in the inter-
est of the liberation of the working
man from the trammels of centuries"
said a prominent labor leader. "As We
see the question, the issue Is whether
we workmen will be allowed to think
or have our thinking done for US by
the makers of creeds and preachers OF
superstition. We are behind the Pres
ident to q finish, through peace or
war"
VxyHAT the Illinois senatorial pri-
w maries cost, where the money
came from and for just what purposes
it was paid out were the objects OF
the investigation opened in Chicago
last week by the senatorial "slush
fund" committee. Chairman Reed
he is in effect the committee until the
time comes to write its report-found
cut lot of interesting facts, and as
the inquiry goes on he probably VIII