New Britain herald., 1926-07-28
MEXICAN GOVT. ID PUT OWN WORKERS
 IN THE CHURCHES
Priests Forbidden to Name Catholic Laymen Who Are to
 Take Over Houses Of Worship
BLOODSHED ALREADY IS
 REPORTED FROM COUNTRY

ulluTlateu NOrSD1ppSrs - Govt
 Officials Must State Their Posi-
 tion And If They Are Not In Favor
 of Measures They VIII Be Re-
 Heved.
 1 Mexico City, July 2s 0P -- The Mexican government today issued or- ders by which 1t refuses to permit Catholic priests when they cease to function at midnight Saturday to turn over their churches to commit tees of Catholic laymen appointed by them for each church.
 Instead, the government has or dered the churches placed in charge of committees appointed by the mayors of each town or city.
 Letter to Prosecutors
 The governments determination or uny1elding pursuance of Its an- nounced policy of putting into effect the new religious regulations is fur ther indicated by letter Attorney General Ortega has sent to all prose- cutting attorneys and agents of the department Of justice. The letter requests an immediate. specific and frank statement as to whether the attorneys and agents unreservedly support and sympathize with the governments religious policy.
 This is construed as meaning that any person 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 governors of all states. ~
 Message To Governors i "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- ices after tho S1st when the new re- 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 you to adopt the necessary measures for enforcement of the law without ex- ception.
 Also notify the municipal author tties of your Jurisdiction that as soon as they are aware of a priest who intends to abandon his church to de- mand of him the delivery of the building with careful inventory.
 Committee of Ten
 Municipal authorities must turn over the church to a committee Of ten citizens to be appointed by the mayor. In no case will municipal authorities allow church buildings to be handed over to committees ap- pointed by the priests themselves.
 Please urge municipal authorities to see that this is enforced. Notify the department of all citations of violators"
 Paints From Exhaustion Archbishop Mora Del Rio who fainted from exhaustion yesterday during his arduous task in which he confirmed about 5000 children to- day continued his work. The arch bishop is 72 years old.
 Between 25,O00 and S0,00o chill dren have been confirmed in the cathedral during the past week or ten days
 The Catholic authorities estimate that already more than 90,00o con- frmations haze taken place in the cathedral here from July i.
 The regional confederation of la bor, which is the strongest E Dor or ganization in Mexico has issued or ders for parades by all its members Sunday in Mexico City and other im- portant centers as a demonstration of support of the governments re- | ligiols policy.
 The Mexico City municipal author ities report that Father Antonio Es- pinoza Is the only priest in the city to register at city hall in reply to the municipal order. It is not known whether the church authorities will declare Father Espinoza's action of accepting orders from an authority not ecclesiastic improper.
 Women Parade Barefooted
 Puebla dispatches say 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 relief.
 First Death By Violence
 While government officials today were investigating reports from Aguascalientes of the first death by violence as an outgrowth of the present religious situation. Catholics throughout the republic continued to flock to the churches to perform their religious duties prior to the putting into effect next Sunday by the government of its new religious regulations.
 Stoned To Death
 The death reported is that of Mayor Humberto Cervantes of Noch- Iistan, state of Zacatecas. One report Is to the effect that he was stoned to death by an infuriated mob after he had murdered a Catholic priest and that all the members of his lfamily were killed. The other re- bort says the mayor was hanged after he had fired at the priest and Ithen ordered his arrest.
 Today there were constant pii- Igrimages by the faithful to the