Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-18

Congress is asking the State Depart
ment to submit for its information, IF
not incompatible with public interest ="
all correspondence with Mexico re-
garding recent alleged explosions Of
American citizens and contiscatory
action regarding American invest
ments in that country.
1t is understood that the correspond
ence will be sent to the Senate within
few days. In the meanwhile. Presi-
dent Gales Of Mexico continues to en-
force the constitution by sending out
of the country Catholic priests and
nuns. No Protestant missionaries
have yet been molested. although the
constitution makes no exception In
their behalf.
X X y X
DR.. r. E. Diffendorfer of the board
of foreign missions of the Methodist
| Episcopal Church, who has just re-
turned from Mexico, appeals to our
Government not to intervene in Mex
icos present policies. What Mexico
needs" he says, lis the friendly help
of America rather than any embar-
rassment Of the present government
by withdrawal, and Intervention
should be the farthest from thought
We (Methodists) have assured the
government that we intend to obey
the law"
Since the expelled priests and nuns
claim that they, too, have obeyed the
laws, the question arises as to what
are the laws which the Gales govern
ment claims to be enforcing. do those
| laws apply TO other religious teachers
than Catholic? Have the laws origi-
ton? Does President Gales incline to
favor the Protestant churches?
X X x x
Ninety per cent of the Mexican popu'
lation, according to Mexican authority,
are Roman Catholic, and that has
been true at all times since the Cortez
conquest. 400 years ago.
| The Republic of Mexico, which was
declared in 1910 and confirmed In VIC
tory and independence from Spain in
| 1921, has always been more or less
| antagonistic to the Catholic Church,
as represented by Spanish priesthood.
In 1855 Ignacio Comonfort was elected
! President, and when a clerical upris-
ing ensued, led by the Franciscans,
Comonfort suppressed the uprising
| and then set out to adopt a new con-
stitution--that of 1857.
| That constitution was In force until
Il more radical one was adopted in
1917. The former one US5O in its pre-
| amble used this acknowledgment of
Deity: "In the name of God and by
authority of the Mexican people"
| The constitution Of 1917 does not
open with any preamble, and, al
though the longest constitution ever
| written go 900 words, it nowhere men
tions God. In chapter /, article 3, 1t
provides:
| mo religious corporation nor minis
ter of any creed shall establish or di
rect schools of primary instruction"
| To belong to 1.-The ecclesiastical
| state" or to "be a minister of any
religious creed" disqualifies even q
native from becoming President.
| Article 100 provides: THE federal
authorities shall have power to exer
else In matters of religious worship
| and outward ecclesiastical forms such
| Intervention as by law authorized. AL
other officials shall act as auXiliaries OF
the federal authorities.
"The law recognizes no juridical per
sonality in the religious institutions
known as churches. Ministers of reli
gious creeds shall be considered as
persons exercising profession, anC
shall be directly subject to the laws
enacted on the matter.
1.-THE state legislatures shall have
the exclusive power to determine the
maximum number of ministers of reli
gious creeds, according to the needs OF
each locality. Only Mexican by birth
may be a minister of any religious
| creed in Mexico.
mo ministers of religious creeds
shall, either in public or private meet
ings, or in acts of worship or religious
propaganda, criticize the Fundamental
laws of the country, the authorities iT
particular, or the government in gen
oral. They shall have no vote. nor be