Evening star., 1929-07-02

Settlement Of the bitter church and
state controversy In Mexico Is welcomed
by the American press as another and
all5important step toward peace and
happiness for the Mexican people and
adjustment of affairs Ia the republic In
accord with modern conditions. The
fact that Ambassador Dwight Morrow
played q part In bringing about the
agreement Is viewed with pride and
satisfaction.
THE adjustment Is characterized, Il
seems. by a yielding Of extremes" the
Haverhill Gazette explains. 1.-THE
church inherited from the Spanish
regime q degree of temporal power in
Mexico that was out of harmony with
the ideals Of government on which re-
publics Of the Western Hemisphere are
established. The Mexican government,
resisting this power, went to the ex-
treme OF creating conditions under
which functioning of the church be-
came impossible. The Mexican govern
ment now has placed new and liberal
Interpretation upon the laws which
paralyzed the church"
1.-THE fact that President Gil has
agreed to alterations which the papai
delegate finds acceptable denotes long
step toward. religious peace in the re-
public to the SOUTH" declares the Kan
SaS City Journal-Post, and the Boston
Transcript emphasizes the point that
while restrictions still exist which are
foreign to q country like the United
States, conditions are so changed that
state and church are no longer upon
terms Of hostility Thus peace is vir-
tually restored" continues the Tran
script ''and whatever else Of improve
nent may be brought about In the re-
lations of the two institutions remains
matter Of the future, with the gov
ernment of President Gil sympathetic
cally inclined toward liberal policies"
Neither side retreated from its fun
damental position" according to the
New York Times. "Yet both found
that they could make working agree
ment. Soon the churches will be open
and the Mexican people again will en-
JOY those religious rninistrations Of
which they have been deprived for
three years. This result cannot fail to
have healing influence on Mexico
and to affect beneflcially her relations
Rock Arkansas Democrat voices the
hope Of the world that "this potentially
rich country can be developed and
brought to the 'front.'" result that is
impossible, In the opinion of that paper.
until permanent peace Is established"
A& y
no q final settlement" states the El
Paso Herald. "the public looks forward
hopefully as means Of eliminating
friction, of restoring to the people the
right to worship according to their
faith and Of placing again in the hands
Of the clergy the opportunity to be of
service to their people" The Oklahoma
City Times is convinced that ''the gov
eminent has won the good will Of mil
lions of people" by its action, while the
Jersey City journal feels that, without
this achievement, "the disturbance In
that nation would have had a more and
more marked reaction in this country,
and strained relations were sure TO
have been the result"
Tributes to the diplomatic skill Of
Ambassador Morrow are paid by the
San Francisco Chronicle, the Louis
vile Courier journal and the Topeka
Daily Capital. In this connection, the
Des Moines Register observes: Since
a certain radical turning point In our
Mexican policy during the Coolidge adj
ministration, when we suddenly quit
threatening war and sent q friendly
Ambassador to Mexico City, the whole
face Of things along the Rio Grande
has changed. And our whole relation
to the Latin Americas has been i'm
proved tremendously as consequence"
Peace below the Rio Grande.o In
the judgment Of the Indianapolis Star,
necessarily Is q matter OF concern to
the United States, since any factor
tending to breed strife creates tension
along the border. causes heavy eco
nomic losses. imposes o severe drain on