Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-20
Meeting Complies With Papal
Decree Against Religious
Persecution in Russia.
PROGRAM OF ATHEISM
HELD PROBLEM OF U. S.
DR.. George Johnson of Catholic
University Makes Princi-
pal Address.

Ondcial services of protest and ex-
piation for the religious persecution
and anti-religious movement In Russia,
in conformity with a decree issued
from the Vatican by Pope Plus XXI, call
ing upon Catholics throughout the
world to join in prayer for the "cruci-
ned nation" were held at st. Patrick'S
Church last night.
DR.. George johnson of the Catholic
University, the principal speaker, pro-
claimed warning to Americans against
"the spread of this anti-religious dread
poison abroad through the world, car
ried through the arteries of an organ
lied system Of propaganda, affecting
the ignorant and the malicious in all
countries and causing the dread dis
ease Of internal strife, class war and
revolution"
Recitation Of special prayers was
made by Right Rev. John M. McNa-
mara, auxiliary bishop Of the archdio-
cese; who presided at the services.
Similar ceremonies were conducted In
other Roman Catholic Churches In the
Capital yesterday.
Declaring that the atheistic program
Of the Soviet government attacks the
foundation upon which the peace and
security of the world Is built" Dr.
johnson branded this social expert
ment" as "foredoomed to failure"
Doomed to Failure"
''This is the threat of Soviet Russia
to the civilization Of the world, its
threat to American democracy. OF
course, this anti-religious war is DOOM
ed to ultimate failure, but it can sue
coed for time, and that time may be
just long enough for the dread poison
to spread through the world.
But, we may say, this is the United
States of America and we are immune
to such poison. Our people love their
form Of government and they have COM
plete faith In their Constitution. For
the most part they are happy and con-
tented. Now and again they may feel
for time the pinch of perjury and
want, but their normal condition Is
prosperous. Trust them to have no
traffic with communism nor to harbor,
even momentarily, the notion of revo-
luton.
Who says this has read too opti-
mistically the signs of the times. He
has not taken into consideration what
might well be the logical result of GER
tain very evident trends Of the moment.
One Of the most obvious of these
trends is the GENERALIZATION that Is TAX
ing place everywhere in our national
life. We see it in the province of In
dustry, of finance, of business, and
more and more in government. The
evolution of the modern world has
much to do with it-perhaps renders
it inevitable. The marvellous improve
mentS that have been made in the
fields (of communication and travel
have broken down the isolation Of the
past and brought US, as Nation, very
close together.
Bureaucracy Growing.
"As a Nation we are coming to
think in terms Of the Federal Govern
ment, which means that government Is
getting farther and farther away from
the control of the people and coming
more and more into the control OF
the bureaucrat. Some of this develop
ment is, perhaps, the necessary conse-
quence Of the new induStrialism. Much
Of it is due to the shortsightednesS OF
social reformers of one description or
another, who in their impotence for
results play fast and loose with fun
damentaI American institutions.
To-day we are, taken by and large, q
religious people. The greater part OF
our adult population has had some con-
tact with religious instruction, some re-
ligious education. AS q consequence,
leadership in America Is largely in the
hands of religious-minded man. They
have consciences that can be relied upon
and they are guided by sound principles.
More than that, the rank and flle OF the
people exhibit those fine Christian viz
tues upon which our Government was
ounded-obedience humility, patience,
charity, faith in God and man. They
are willing to bear with present incon-
veniences and inequalities, secure in the
hope that the orderly processes Of our
national evolution will mend things in
due time. They do not think in terms
of revolution.
ct is a matter easily demonstrated
that the men who are doing the educa-
tional theorizing in the United States
today are, as far as religion Is con-
cerned, of one mind with the Com
munists of Russia. Naturally they do
the destruction Of religion, but they are
laboring to destroy It none the less
effectually in the minds of their
disciples, by the more deadly method
Of silence and contempt. They talk
about religion now and then, In the
sense of social cooperation, but never
in the sense of personal duty to God.
Their Problem Ours.
"Russia's problem is our problem.
Were the Russian government to take
would not consider 1t an internal affair,
but would demand the fullest satisfac-
ton, even under threat of war. Nor
would any invasion of American prop
erty rights in Russia be overlooked as
being none of our business. Yet here
is an attack on something more funda-
mental than property rights, more
sacred by far than even human life.
Here is an attack on God, whose law
alone makes ownership an inviolable
right and guarantees to human beings
life, liberty and the pursuit Of hap
piness. Entirely apart from the fact
that the Soviets are looking beyond
Russia and dreaming Of time when
they shall have established Communism
throughout the world, the present cam
paign of irreligion within the boundaries
of Russia is an attack upon the funda-
mental rights of all Of U.S."
The entire program at ST. Patrick'S
! was as follows:
Recitation Of the rosary by Mgr. G.
F. Thomas, pastor of the church; sing
| ing of special motel by the s.. Pat
rick's Choir, under the direction Of Mics
Jennie Glennan; recitation of special
prayers by Bishop Mcnamara, discourse
| bv DR.. Johnson; benediction, with
| Bishop Mcnamara celebrant DR.. Law
renee j. Sheahin Deacon, singing Of
| oTT~I,, 6od We praise Thv Name - nv