Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-10
Religious Turmoil
Deplored by All Americans

seeking to establish a relationship
toward government which the people
of this country will never brook
Unfortunately the Mexican civil
authority" according to the Sacra-
mento Union, has done comparative
" little in providing schools or sup
porting agencies of mental and moral
development. In consequence, the
people have of necessity relied to an
extraordinary extent upon the church.
The government has now removed
their sole prop without providing a
substitute" The New York Evening
Post also finds that "a surprisingly
general idea is spreading that it ap
pears clear that the church is a
stabilizing influence in Mexico, that
it is a bar against present bolshevik
tendencies and that without it the
country may tend to slip back into ii
period of re-India niZatiOn. The
Hartford Times is of the opinion that
1.-The government magnifieS arbitrari
ness above justice, as it has consist
emily done since before Porfirio Diaz.
x X x
1.-The government will have to com
promise in time declares the Norfolk
Ledger Dispatch, "and its successors
will no doubt reverse this policy en-
tirely, for no temporal force on earth,
with it's weapons of decree and threat
of force. can resist for very long the
dammed-up fervOr Of q moral and
religious tide" The Grand Rapids
Herald holds that Mexico is not max
ing democrats: it IS making martyrs.
and the Aberdeen Daily World points
out that religion is fundamental i'm
men, rooted in their hearts. and they
cannot be constrained in their belize
by governmental compulsion: what
ever the Mexican regulations, they
will be construed as a tyrannical in
vasion of an inherent right" The
Anaconda Standard argues that ''if
the people Of Mexico are prosecuted
in their religion and the church Of
their faith is assailed, world sympathy
will spring up overnight for this un-
fortunate folk, and their government
will find little sympathy and no sup
port in the capitals of the world"
president Gales to the contrary
Notwithstanding" remarks the Spring
field Union, 1.-The only possible effect
Of the enforcement of the regulations
apparently will be to bring about a
union of state and church, with the
state in the ascendency, instead of
the separation of church and state
which Gales declares to be the pur-
pose of the regulations" The Cofum-
bia Record similarly advises that
Mexico should have gone no further
than to the line compelling churches
to keep to their base instead OF the
effort to establish an opposition state
church.
The New London Day predicts that
"SenOr Gales will find that in his zeal
to drive religion out of Mexico he has
only cemented a great proportion of
his people to their religion" The
Wheeling Intelligencer believes that
president Gales and the others re
sponsible fon the anti-religious laws
deserve more credit for their courage
than for their intelligence" TIE
Charlotte Observer adds that al
though no definite information can be
made basis for the statement, it
must be admitted that the Gales ban
resembles somewhat the Soviet decree
that drove religion, as an organiza +.
ton endeavor. from Russia
, III revolution is started" SAYS the
Utica Observer Dispatch. the serious.
ness of the situation will increase and
Mexico will be in for a repetition of
internal struggles for which that coun.
try has long held reputation" The
Ann Arbor Times News maintains
that unless a compromise is effected
soon, the consequences i'm Mexico will
! be disastrous. from the point Of view
of Uncle Sam. the Catholic Church and
the Mexican government" The Ashe-
vile Times holds that Mexico will
have her lucky stars to thank IL she
IS able TO enforce her present religious
policy without serious loss Of life and
property. The Spokane Spokesman n
review fears the conflict may plunge
Mexico into civil war"