Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-22
CAUSTIC COMMENTS FEATURE
CHURCH MEXICAN DISCUSSION
DR.. Herring Takes Issue With Preceding
Speakers, Despite Reproach from Audi
ence, and Asks Fairness.

tEuSl ana T..
Herring said that the Mexican people
are sick and tired OF the notes v mich
go from this city of Washington, a nd
they are right" and condemned the
''insolence Of one sovereign nation
pounding another through diplomatic
intercourse.
DIR. Herring said that there are
more lies on both sides of the oil
question than on any other, and
quoted figures tending to show that
there are only TWO America 1-.,Wned
oil companies in Mexico which have
held out Zoe per cent" against the
5oyear lease requirement OF the Mex
lean government.
Says Mellon Interested.
one of these compa MES he said. is
owned by Andrew W. Mellon, whom
he declared is regarded as zone OF the
most honest men In the United States"
while the other, controlling az per cent
"t the Mexican oil field. he said is
owned by Edward l.. Dohen>. who The
American people regard In a rather
different light" DIR. Herring asked
whether the American people desire
to he called upon To protect Mr.. do
heny.
While not claiming that the Me:
lean governInent Is not apt I" make
mistakes. the speaker concluded by
saying that there IL an essentially
honest leadership in Mexico and that:
THE United States Is i'm the unfor
tunate situation OF threatening the
existence of the best government Mex
leo has ever known. and the issue to-
day is to the chivalry OF the United
States-n0t to the legal rights OF the
few
DR.. Herring was appla udfd vig0r.
"usly during his speech. as were the
previous addresses Of Bishop Cannon
and DIR: Woolever.
Bishop Cannon. who was in charge
of Methodist work In Mexico from
1918 To 1925, discussed the relationship
between the church and state there,
narrating the history Of the Catholic
Church there and telling OF the pow
erty of the people members said ex-
listed under the Catholic regime.
Persecution Denied.
Bishop Cannon denied that the
present Mexican government is de-
sirous of prosecuting the Roman Cath
Ollie Church or any other church, ex.
planning that "the provisions of the
Mexican law must be judged by the
actions of the Catholics for 400 years
which forced the Mexican people to
protect themselves by adopting such
law"
THE cry that there In religious in
tolerance In Mexico is raised only by
those who have supported religious
intolerance throughout the world"
Bishop Cannon declared
There Is absolutely no ground for
Intervention or the severing of dip
lomatic relations with Mexico beca use
OF religious conditions" he concluded.
DIR. WOolever opened his address
by stating that in speaking at the
meeting he claimed no right "other
than that of an American citizen,
despite telephone calls from Catholics
questioning the right of holding such
a meeting"
Assails Church Politics.
DIR. Woolever stated that he was
not attacking any religion but the
political activities of the Roman
Catholic hierarchy. The factions urg-
ing the severance of relations with
Mexico. he said, consist OF ."moneyed
interests DESTROYS OF oil and mineral
lands" and 1.-THE Roman Catholic
hierarchy"
men a church claims the right
to suppress a minority group it does
not come with hands clean enough to
urge this government to go to war
with another government" he de-
clared and was interrupted by
applause.
Employing extensive quotations
from Roman Catholic publications, DIR.
Woolever cited recent proposals In
Congress relative to the Mexican
situation and read from the Congress.
sionai Record the report Of a hearing
last March. In support Of his conten-
ton that the Roman Catholic forces
have attempted to influence the
United States Government to over
throw the neighboring government I'm
Mexico"
Indicates Church Aims.
DR.. Woolever did not say that the
catholic forces desire this country to
go to war with Mexico, but he jpdi-
Gated that they advocate the severance
OF diplomatic relations In line with
their desire to see the present govern
ment In Mexico overthrown,
Let us play fair. my Catholic
friends" he concluded, and give to
Mexico the same chance we are Civ.
Ing You In this land Of freedom.
Df. Albert IL. Putney, director OF
the school Of Political Science OF
American University, was the presid.
ING officer. and the program was
opened with musical selections by
Harry Angelica, baritone. accom-.
panied by Mrs. Angelica at the pia no.