New Britain herald., 1930-03-01
Education Rather Than Violence Is Given By Reds as Means of Crush ing Piety.
BY ED. l.. KEEN

Berlin, March 1 (UP)-The Soviet Russian Atheist campaign is unique in history of national anti-religious movements in the way it is attempt ing to outdo religion by spread of a new culture and a new social order The world outside would be great ly mistaken if it assumed that bol- shevism's war on the church is merely destructive.
 In the campaign which has agi- tated the western world against the Soviet's religious policy the funda- mental struggle is youth versus age. Besides bringing to bear all of the weapons of propaganda-in which 1t probably is more adept than any government ever has been-the Soviets have planned and developed agencies for spread of education in culture, art and social welfare more extensively and in attractive form than the Russian church ever at tempted under the czars.
 We are organizing a new culture and a new social order" One high government official told me in Mos COW that in those words he sum- marked the whole purpose of the Soviet revolution.
 Although the sermon on the mount has no place in bolshevist philosophy. which teaches hatred of your neighbor if he belongs to the capitalist class, the Soviets are striv- in nd J cess, to instill a spirit of helpfulness and self-sacrifice on the part of the individual for benefit Of the masses.
 SubOrdinates Self
 In this campaign which subordi- mates the individual welfare to the collective good. there was a story told me in Moscow by a non-com- munist Russian which touched di- rectly on the peasant attitude to- wards religion.
 Praskovia Stepanovna is an old peasant woman and one of hunreds of members of a small kolkhoz. or collective farm, located in the Ra- menskki district, said my non-com- munist friend. who is a member of q group of Moscow intellectuals who recently visited the farm.
 Praskovia invited the visiting par ty into her room which is small with three beds against the clean white washed walls. The walls are decor ated with postcards and hand-cm- broidered towels while, in a corner, over the dining table, hang several lkons.
 After describing life in the kolk- hog. she said:
 T have four sons and they are all communists (which among other things means they are atheists). They make fun of my ikohs and I scold them for it. I am old and still believe in God and the Savior and the Holy Nirgin.'
 She made the sign of the cross and sighed.
 Are you not ashamed to be the only one in the household who still sticks to religion 2" asked one com- munist member of the visiting party.
 'Oh, I am going to pull down those ikons and have them burned" the old woman replied. 'I'll do that as soon as I find time to go to town and get some pictures of our revo- lutionary leaders to replace them."
 It was obvious, my friend said, that she did not want this impor- tant corner of the room bare.
 Aren't you afraid God will be angry if you do this??" she was asked.
 Well you see," she replied, 'the priest said my sons will go to hell because they are goddess. l love my sons and want to go with them."
 And she was quite serious about it.
 It was apparent in Moscow that there are many thousands and per haps millions of Praskovia Step anovnas in the country of commun- ists. all similarly spiritual victims of this gigantic war for atheism in which the Soviet have enlisted a vast number of youths.
 Little attempt is being made to di- rectly proselytize those who will be gone in a few years and the com- nunist leaders know the danger of raising martyrs to inspire the faith full, but there is an intensive drive upon those who are young and in R few years, will comprise the whole nation. In this campaign it is youth versus age.