The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-25
BY ED l.. KEEN
Vire-President Of the United Press for
Europe


Yice-President Of the United Press Tor
Europe
MOSCOW. Feb. 25.-The constant
war which Soviet Russia is waging
against religion is accepted here
with utmost placidity, even by Rus
sian church adherents.
While the entire outside world is
agitated over the question of reli-
gious freedom within the commun-
istic state. there is a vast region
which remains entirely calm-at
least outwardly-and that is the
land under rule OF the Soyiets.
It must be supposed that millions
of Russians, accustomed to the
great ceremonial of the Russian
Catholic church. were deeply re-
-entful at the Sights. discrimlna-
tions and ridicule and even arrests
and punishments on the basis OF
anti-Soyiet activities, to which
their spiritual leaders were sub
Jected.
Undoubtedly the summary clos
ING OF many houses Of worship, the
cCnhscation of church bells, and
the fervid anti-religiOus carnivals
and demonstrations were offensive
to a considerable portion OF the
population. especially the older men
and women.
No Resistance Offered
ANY conclusion as to the attitude
of the Russians toward atheism
must be modified. but the best in
formation obtalnable shows that
this resentment-Where 1t exists
rarely expresses itself in any form
OF active resistance.
The Soviet dictatorship extends
over one-sixth of the world and
over 100000 persons, but careful
local observation and compilation
of the opinions of both foreign and
Russian investigators has failed 10
indicate any evidence of organized
opposition to the religious issue
anywhere in Russia.
In the urban centerS, new edlctS
curtallng activities OF the church
9pparently are accepted as mat
ter of course. In the vast farming
area. Of the SOviets-an area which
now is Witnessing one Of the worlds
GREAT conflicts III the campaign for
collectlviZatiOn- there admittedly IS
a certain amount of violence agalns$
Soviet policies in the thousands OF
scattered and isolated villages. Per-
baps there is even more Of that
massive resistance in which the Rus
sian peasant is SO adept. but al
most none of this opposition is dl-
rected specifically against the athe-
ism campaign.
Struggle Over Land
The real struggle centerS on the
ATTEMPT to bring RuSSia'S vast
farmlands into the collective syS-
tenn and to abolish private trading
Such opposition-some Of it intense
" violent-which the Soviet meets
Is aroused by this campaign rather
than bv restriction OF churches.
This Dassivity of the Russians to
a CAMPAIGN which would cause the
most disastrous reaction in almost
anv mart of the western world has
varied explanations peculiar to this
country. but the fact that it has
been under way for twelve years
has made the subjects OF the Com
munist dictatorship entirely accus-
toned to attacks on their faith.
The activities of the atheists no
longer are news" in Russia, no
matter how they may excite the rest
Of the world.
The Christmas season. as the out
side world was informed at great
length. marked the beginning of
tighter and even more severe period
in the Soviet campaign for collec-
tivization of Russia. not by the slow
process of economic revolution,
which has been known in other
countries. but by a sudden upheaval,
which would modernlze and indus
trialize the nation in so short
period that success seemed almost
impossible.
$4,000 Churches Function
Tightening of the collectivization
machinery meant more rigorous ap-
pHcation of all communistic prin-
ciples. including the war on religion
Atheist sources claimed that about