Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-28
MEXICO ORDERS
MAYORS TO NAME
CHURCH BOARDS
Pastors Will Not Be Allowed
to Appoint Lay Groups to
ControI Buildings.
MOB KILLS OFFICIAL
FOR SHOOTING PRIEST
Archbishop, 72, Confirms 5000
Children at One Service, Then
Faints From Exhaustion.

MEXICO. CITY, July 2s.-The gov
ernment today issued orders by which
1t refuses to permit Catholic priests
when they cease to function at mid
night Saturday to turn over their
churches to committees of Catholic
laymen appointed by them for each
church.
Instead the government has order
ed the churches placed in charge OF
committees appointed by the mayor
of each town or city.
The governments determination OF
unyielding pursuance of its announced
policy of putting into effect the new
religious regulations is further indi
Gated by letter Attorney General
Ortega has sent to all prosecuting at.
torneys and agents of the department
of justice. The letter requests an i'm
mediate, specific and frank statement
as TO whether the attorneys and agents
unreservedly sympathize with the gov.
ernment's religious policy.
Some May Be Discharged.
This is construed as meaning that
any persons not heartily in accord
with the government will be dis.
charged from the service.
The department of the interior has
sent the following letter to the gov
ernors of all states:
The executive is acquainted with
the fact that the Catholic clergy is
in a rebellious impulse and as a
demonstration of their desire to dis
obey the constitution they have or
dered a suspension of religious serv-
ligious regulations become effective.
AS the executive considers this
new move of the clergy against the
constitution tends to excite public
opinion and to provoke disorders
against the public peace. l urge to
adopt the necessary measures for en-
forcement of the law without excep-
tion,
Committees to Control.
ALSO notify the municipal authori-
ties OF, your jurisdiction that as soon
as they are aware of a priest who IN
tends TO abandon his church to de-
mand of him the delivery of the build
ing with a careful inventory
Municipal authorities must turn
over the church to a committee of 10
citizens to be appointed by the mayor.
In no case will municipal authorities
allow church buildings to be handed
over to committees appointed by the
priests themselves.
please urge municipal authorities
to see that this is enforced. Notify
the department of all citations of
violators."
A detachment of federal troops has
been ordered to guard the Chamber of
Deputies for the purpose OF prevent
4aA hkafV ~
rival political groups which are bit.
terly contesting control of the next
Congress.
Oficials have denied a report that
one faction had installed machine
gums in the Chamber of Deputies with
the purpose of ousting its rivals.
Women Parade BarefoOted.
The Chamber il not in session at
present, andSwill not meet until Sep
tember. But the Parliament Building
Is occupied by committees of the op-
posing party groups, who are contest.
ing the results of the July congres.
sional elections, the final returns of
which are still undetermined. 1t is
the bitterness among these groups
which caused the placing Of federal
troops in the buildings to maintain
guard indefinitely
The chambers recently have been
guarded day and night by 300 volun-
teers of the Socialist and Labor
parties, which control the ajority Of
the seats in Congress. These groups
are called the Party of Alliance"
The minority group, known as the
"Confederated Parties" is attempting
to secure control of the chamber by
gaining seats through appeals to the
electoral college, which is still pass
ing upon many contested returns in
the last elections.
Puebla dispatches say prominent
society women of that city paraded
barefoot through the streets yesterday
to show their sorrow over the religious
restrictions. They marched to the
cathedral, where special ceremonies
were held and prayers offered for re.
lief.