Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-08-11
ARTURO M. ELIAS REPLIES TO
JUDGE TALLEY WITH REGARD TO
CHURCH SQUABBLE IN MEXICO

Arthuro NJ Elias, consul general of
Mexico fEmerly a resident of Doug
las and Aqua Prieta has replied to
the recently published statements Of
Judge Alfred J. Talley as regards
church conditions in Mexico. Senior
Elias says
Under the general headline Cath
oIics to Defy New Gales Decree
the. New York Times on July )
printed an attack on both the gov
ernment of the United States and of
Mexico, written by Judge Alfred j..
Talley, chairman of the committee
on Catholic interests Of the Catholic
club. The attack is of such a char
acter that / think it incumbent upon
me as the consul general of Mexico
to place before the people of this
country certain facts necessary to
an understanding of the struggle
which the Mexican government is
making to divorce church from state
as laid down IL her reform laws of
1850 and their reiteration in the
constitution of 1917.
Not content with indicating Mexico
OaCnOlIC
hierarchy to obey the laws of the
land, which it is matter of record
they have violated for years and
are still attempting to violate Judge
Talley accuses president Coolidge
and Secretary Kellogg of having fail
ed to bring pressure on Mexico in
an attempt to prevent them from
carrying out the plain mandates Of
the constitution under which the
people of Mexico are governed. In
suSting at the same time both the
governments of the United States
and of Mexico he states "Our gov
eminent (the United States) knows
that under the pitiful guise of a re-
public Mexico is today an absolute
despotism made SO by the tacit> sup
port and encouragement of the pres
ent administration at Washington"
And then, with an effrontery that
j am sure will be resented by the
millions of American citizens who
believe in the utter enforcement of
church and state, Judge Talley de-
mands that "our government de-
clare that Mexico is unfit to be
longer regarded as worthy to be in
cluded in the family of nations"
In other words, to quote the New
York Times, Judge Talley demands
that the United States withdraw
recognition from Mexico and brand
her as an, outlaw among nations"
Such sentiments might be ex-
pected from a demagogue fishing in
the muddy waters of partisan poll
tics, but coming from an eminent
lawyer who must know that both
President Coolidge and Secretary
Kellogg are fully aware that the
very essence of the law which rules
the relations of nations with each
other forbids thej interference of any
nation in the internal affairs of an
other, they are most remarkable
The abusive epithets which Judge
Talley showers upon the government
of Mexico throughout two columns
need no comment except that abuse
must of necessity, in the minds of
all intelligent people, weaken the
case presented by the abuser. There
is one charge, however, that Judge
Talley makes, which he names Mex
lean diabolism," which is eloquent
proof of what a distorted view he
has of Mexican matters. The youth
of Mexico are to be protected in their
tender age from being dedicated to
either the profession of priest or
a nun. In other words their liberty
is preserved to make their own
choice when they come to years OF
discretion. And Judge TalIey calls
this "diabolism'
I do not regret very much that
Judge Talley did no; take the trouble
before he wrote his attack to inform
himself on the past history of Mexico
and to acQuaint himself with what is