Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-02-13
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL y. COLLINS.

Not only in asserting naionalism
over all mineral property is the Lib
eral administration expressing its in
tense determination to develop Its
anti-alien principles, but also in ali
entirely different direction Is the same
spirit expressed. 1t Is undertaking to
rid Mexico of all religious leaders,
teachers and missionaries, OF what
ever sect, who are not native Next
cans. To that end. the soldiers have
invaded churches and arrested priests
at the altar, hurrying them directly
from church to exporting ships, With
out letting them change their frockS
or gather personal property or bag
gage. The Liberals are demanding
that the state take active possession
of all church property. and administer
it directly for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of
the public treasury.
This radical action will initiate
against the American Protestant mis-
SionarieS, as well as against the
Roman Catholics, for the cry, Mex
leo for the Mexicans." makes no dis
tinction as to sect. In this respect,
the situation differs from the earlier
antagonism of the Mexican republic
under Juarez. At that time the
Catholic Church owned not only all
places Of worship, but nearly d quar-
ter of all other property in the coun-
try. The entire church property was
then conflScated to the state, and
within the first year much of it was
sold for the repleniShment of the ma
tional treasury, to the amount of So
600 900. Some of II was sold TO
Protestant missions, with the policy
Of dividing church allegiance for the
weakening of clerical power In the
nation. Gradually the government
permitted Catholics the use of the
church edifices for public worship,
under strict regulations, to curb poll
teal activities.
Today President Gales and his
Liberal party are bent upon renewal
of opposition to all clergy not of
native birth. thus indicating not SO
much opposition to religion as to
aliens; or, as some have put it,
rather than as opposition to aliens 1t
is a revived spirit of nationalism in
all things. and a Strengthening of the
federal government.
X r. X
Nationalism is not confined to Mex
leo. 1t is rampant under Mussolini in
Rome. Italy is kingdom. but Mus
solini, the dictator, is supreme, and
his ambition is to create a Roman
empire greater than that of Augustus
Caesar. Gen. Pangalos, the dictator
of Greece, is undertaking to enhance
national pride and power of the Greek
government. France is reported as
showing a rising prejudice against
foreigners. China, too, is crying,
China for the Chinese." Japan wants
to emphasize her Japanese exclusive
ness. Other countries are voicing
nationalism as successor to the last
decades world wide spirit of inter
nationalism. Nowhere, however, is
the tendency toward nationalism
more pronounced than in the Liberal
administration of President Gales Of
Mexico.
The Gales violent antagonism to
the Catholic clergy is not unique in
Mexican history. 1t appeared when
England forced King John l to grant
the Magma Charta; it appeared when
the French revolution drove out the
clergy and the nuns: it was mani
tested in Mexico when. in 1857. the
Mexican Congress adopted the Laws
Of Reform" the leading items being
stated by the secretary of state of the
Mexican republic as follows:
Complete separation of church and
state. Congress cannot pass laws es-
tablishing nor prohibiting religion.
Religious worship to be observed only
inside of churches. Clerical vest
ments not to appear on the streets.
Monastic orders abolished, also sis
tiers of charity"
For a few years the Macmillan
kingdom interviewed, but upon the re-
turn to power Of Juarez and Diaz. and
the succeeding Liberal administra-
tions, the old opposition to the church
has revived-now supplemented by
opposition to aliens, since most Of
the priesthood is Of alien birth.
tcopy.ight 1920. hy Paul " CoInnAA