The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-27
BY EDMUND A. WALSH

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.-The
Soviet government publicly has de-
clared as it's ideal, what Gladstone
50 well described in his celebrated
phrase, "the negation of God erected
into system of government"
The defense of the Soviet gov
ernment's attitude toward religion
as expressed by the Russian premier,
Alexis Rykov, was to be expected, SIS
denial and countercharge have
formed the order of the day and
in every attack on religion.
Rykov makes the customary
sweeping denial and claims to know
of no case of persecution in Russia
I, myself, heard the prosecuting
attorney of the Soviet state, Kry-
lenko, ask men on trial for their
lives in Moscow in 1923:
will you stop teaching the
Christian religion?"
1--WE can not" came the answer
"It is the law of God"
THAT law does not exist on
Soviet territory" replied Kyrlenko
in the name of the Soviet state
GAS for your religion, I spit on it, as
I spit on all religion"
Penetrate Homes
In support of the official state
atheism, the Soviet government in
1925 founded the Association of the
Goddess" which has prepared $780,
900 skilled propagandists who oper-
ate under the direction of the
ministry of public instruction
through the schools, trade unions,
and the army and seek to penetrate
every home.
On the occasion of the launching
of this anti-religious crusade, the
minister of public instruction,
Lunacharsky, blessed the enterprise
in the following words:
with all my heart, I wish the
Goddess ever success in it's fight
against the repugnant specter OF
God which has caused such diabolic
harm to all humanity throughout
the world"
Rykov says the Soviet government
does not prosecute the clergy for the
legitimate practice of their profess
sion.
Cites Examples
Speaking only for the Catholic
community in Russia of which I
have some knowledge, I should like
to know, then, what crime was
committed by Father Joseph Bic
logolovy, who disappeared in 1928,
after refusing the offer of Soviet
authorities to accept Episcopal con-
Secration at their hands in order to
found an enti-Catholic sect which
would enjoy subsidized favor in
order to labor at the undermining
of religion?
Can Rykov produce the body of
Father Joseph BielogoIovy?
What crime has been committed
by that intrepid soul, Leonid Eco
dorov, ex-arch of Russian Catholics
of the oriental rite? Why is he
freezing to death amid the horrors
of Solovetsky island in the White
sea?
Execution Slow
Why are those other Catholic
priests undergoing the agony of slow
execution in that new Siberia? Why
was it that those eighteen prisoners
who, as if by a miracle escaped from
that prison a few months ago, on
reaching the shores of Finland,
begged the astonished Finnish
guards.
Kill us here, but don't send us
back where they kill by inches"
Will Rykov tell the world where
Bishop Slokan, apostolic admins
traitor OF Moholev, and Minsk can
be found? Where is Bishop Skalsky
and where is Monseigneur Prison?
Should these questions be an
sWered satisfactorily, I shall be pre-
pared to submit another and longer
list of innocent victims.
Many Of these martyrs and con-
fessors to faith I knew personally
and can testify that their only crime
is the daily crime Of Cardinal HAYES
Of New York, of Bishop Manning
and Rabbi Stephen Wise. They be-
lieved in God and taught his revela-
ton and the moral law as God gave
! l. L