Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-06
Malta Crisis Another
Problem for Britain
BY A. G. GARDINER,
EnEland's Greatest Liberal Editor.

LONDON, July 5.-While the great
Indian crisis darkens the landscape for
British politics the minor storm with
the Vatican is developing into a major
quarrel which is srousins all the latent
no.popery sentiment in the country.
The question at issue is the right of
the Roman Catholic Church to inter-
fere in the secular government of Malta.
and the publication Of a blue book on
the subject. together with the debates
in Parliament. has shocked public opin-
ion by the disclosure Of ecclesiastical
pretensionS more representative of the
eleventh century than the twentieth.
The struggle RACES around the per-
Sonality of Lord Strickland, premier OF
the island, who is himself q Roman
Catholic. born Of Maltese mother and
connected all his life with Maltese af-
fairs. For reasons not explained, the
Catholic hierarchy OF the island dis
approved Of Lord Strickland and openly
organized campaign to make the re-
tention Of his position impossible.
The quarrel became acute when a
Catholic priest who supported Lord
Strickland was ordered to leave the
island for Sicily, and the Maltese
bishops issued q pastoral letter to the
islanders threatening the ex.communi-
cation OF any Catholic who voted for
Lord Strickland or his candidates. The
var was carried into the confessional,
where. If the penitent declared his in
tention of supporting Lord Strickland,
he was refused abSolution. The pastoral
letter threatened all Catholics who per-
sisted in violating the discipline of the
church, by voting for Lord Strickland,
with visitation Of divine wrath and
the withdrawal of church sacraments
This claim Of the hierarchy to control
elections and ostracize the premier
naturally was repudiated by the British
government. The Maltese are British
subjects and are entitled to the liberties
of British subjects. BY British law any
threats Of injury such as those con-
tanned in the pastoral letter are q crimi-
nal offense, punishable by heavy penal
ties.
Ak&
The London government, obtaining
no satisfaction on an appeal to the Pope
to discountenance and forbid these ac-
tivities Of the Maltese bishops, declined
to continue negotiations with the Vati-
can until the electorate of Malta had
had restored to them complete freedom
W eAetCISc ILcH pOueNChl IlSHCS. Ills
ultimatum having failed, the govern
ment, as q method of protecting the
interests of the island against clerical
interference, suspended the constitution
and q proclamation was issued in Malta
providing for the continuance in power
Of the present Maltese ministry under
Lord Strickland during his majesty's
pleasure.
Meanwhile an emissary Of the Pope
was dispatched to England to present
the papal view Of the situation. It was
unfortunate that this overture was ac-
companied by news Of the broadcaSting
over Malta of a leaflet bearing the inn
print Of the Roman curia which was
calculated to increase the tension. This
defends the bishops pastoral, which de-
clared a vote for Lord Strickland to be
q sin. and says the pastoral can never
be withdrawn even though England
trains upon US the whole OF her guns"
If this represents the message Of the
Pope'S emissary to the British govern
ment his visit will certainly be I'M
fruitful.
There is no country in which the DO
litical liberties of Catholics are more
Sedulously respected than this, but there
is also no country where an attempt by
any church to dominate the secular Af-
fairs OF the nation Is more universally
resented. It is alleged that the Catho-
lies. chiefly through Irish voters, con-
troll q hundred English Labor seats in
Parliament. but that estimate is en-
tirely illusory II the issue Of the British
electorate going to Canossa is raised.
That would create a surprising STAN
pede and no one knows this better than
English Catholics like Lord Fitzalan,
who, in the House Of Lords, has had
the desperate task Of trying to explain
away the medieval claims Of the NAL
tese prelates.
Already the effect Of this episode has
compelled the government to drop an
education bill which conceded new
privileges to Catholics in regard to re-
ligious control of publicly maintained
schools. If the Vatican Is not sensible