Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-07
By SIR PHILIP GIBBS.
BY Cable to The Star.


LONDON, August Roman Cath
olics in England are distressed by the
religious situation in Mexico. Last
Sunday a miserere was recited in all
Catholic churches in behalf of Mex
lean coreligionists, and illusions were
made In many sermons to the perse-
cution Of the Catholic faith I'M Mex
leo. But 1t Is not too much to say
that all religious denominations In
England ami public opinion generally.
apart from extreme and fanattcal
Professionals and anti-religious support
ers of revolutionary labor, are hostile
to the Mexican governments attack
upon church property and administra-
ton, covering an attempt to under
mine religious faith and destroy the
spiritual authority of it's Catholic
teachers.
Liberty of conscience is one of the
most rooted principles in the English
mind. Tolerance toward all religious
creeds has become acknowledged by
every fair-minded man and woman,
and they make no exception against
Roman Catholicism, however strong
their prejudice against that faith and
it's ecclesiastical discipline. In spite
OF the Protestant character of Eng
land since the Reformation, the PEG.
pies belief i'm liberty has been greater
than religious antipathies, and 1t was.
for instance, a Protestant minority by
Ireland which led the way to Catholic
emancipation from penal laws.
Sympathy Is Broader.
Lately there has been a strong
movement in the Anglican Church in
favor Of a less Protestant interpreta-
ton of history and ritual, and this
again tends to create widespread SYM
pathy with the Mexican Catholics,
threatened by persecution and denial
of religious services because their
churches and priests must either sur
render their rights and put themselves
under the direct control and author
ity of atheistic committees or. stand
loyal to their conscience and resist
by all sacrifice and courage this me-
dieval kind of state-directed tyranny.
Reports from Mexico alarm English
opinion by accounts of brutality and
intimidation amounting to terrorizing
women and children. If they are to be
believed, it Is evident that revolution
will follow, as there is no passion so
strong as that inspired by religious
strife.
Sees Anti-Religious Move.
neither Catholic nor antiCatholic. 1t
is inclined to see in this outbreak of
intolerance part of a worldwide move
ment against all forms of religious
beliefs inspired and instigated by the
spirit of bolshevism and anarchy. 1t
is significant that the only body OF
opinion in England supporting the
Mexican government in its present
policy is revolutionary labor. Mes
sages Of sympathy and solidarity are
passing between labor leaders in Mex
leo and labor extremists in England.
Even the British parliamentary Labor
party is disposed to be sympathetic
toward this conflict between church
and state in Mexico on the grounds
that it is a struggle for liberty OF
conscience and democratic progress,
whereas 1t Is violation Of both those
ideals.
Everywhere in Europe and else
where the spirit of anarchy and
agents of bolshevism have revealed
their intense hatred of religion and
it's organization. The notice which
have seen on the walls of Moscow, de-
claring that religion is the opium of
the people, is a guiding rule of those
who wish to control or destroy our
present social system, and the inspira-
Of course, right in this hostility to
religion, and especially to the Catholic
Church, from their own point of view.
Faith in Christianity, obedience to au-
thority of the churches and doctrines
they preach-charity, peace, self-disct-
pine, respect for other peoples prop
erty-must be overthrown before the
rights of property are abolished and
the ends Of anarchy fulfilled.
Rome Held Moscow's Enemy.
Agents of Moscow and of world
revolution everywhere regard the
Catholic Church as their most for
midable enemy because of It's powerful
influence over the minds and morals
of it's faithful. There is no reason to
doubt the truth of their argument,
but in England the average citizen
would rather support the Catholic
religion than to weaken the last props
Of a faith which stands between law
and lawlessness in Catholic countries.
This Mexican situation is only an
exaggeration of a long conflict be-
tween church and state in France. 1t
is repetition of what has happened
in Russia under Soviet rule. In
France, 1t underlies all political crises,
including recent events. Whenever.
French radical government wishes to
distract public attention from its own
inefficiencies it instigates another at
tack upon the Catholic Church or
religious liberation. A Frenchman
said to me recently, Our Democrats
forget the price of potatoes if they
can devour a cure"
Radicals and Conservatives cannot
work together for the country's sake
because they are Influenced by re-
ligious intolerance as well as by
political hatreds, and both are sterile.
In Russia, as during 'Lenin's lifetime,
there is intensive propa ganda against