Evening star., 1933-11-23
PACT IS EXPLAINED
|NFORUM ADDRESS
Rights Of Americans in Rus.
sia StudiousIy Ascertained,
Speaker Says.
Continued From Sixth Page.)

or any part of the United States, its
territories or possessions, that 1t would
not permit the formation or residence
in Russia of any organization or group,
or its representatives or officials, that
makes any attempt upon the territorial
integrity of the United States. its terri
tories or possessions, and that 1t would
not permit the formation or residence
in Soviet territory of any organization
or group. and would prevent the activi-
ties of any such organization or group
having as an aim the overthrow or
the bringing about by force of a change
in, the political or social order of the
whole or any part of the United States,
its territories or possessions. / would
like to quote the comment on this and
the other agreements by Father Walsh
of the Georgetown University at Wash
ington, who has heretofore been one of
the foremost and strongest critics of
the Soviet regime. This very learned
and thoughtful commentator says:
Comprehensive and formal guarantees
of an unprecedented character in several
fields were made by the Soviet govern
ment prior to recognition. This in
itself is significant abandonment OF
the previous Soviet policy which uni
formly demanded recognition first, with
detailed discussion and mutual guaran-
tees to follow. All that now remains to
achieve normal diplomatic relations is
the honest and unequivocal fulfllment
OF public pledges, publicly given"
There was an agreement touching
the religious rights of our nationals in
Russia. OF course, the President could
have no thought of expecting the
Soviet government to abondon or modify
whatever may be its religious policy
respecting its own people. What he did
was to ask complete assurance that our
nationals in Russia shall enjoy religious
freedom That proposal he set forth
in note to Mr.. Litvinoff, which has
the ring of the declarations sponsored
by the great leaders of our early days.
1t has the ring of the pioneer provision
written in the Bill of Rights adopted
by the Virginia Convention in 1776,
proclaiming the doctrine of religious
freedom.
Freedom for Americans.
The President, in speaking of Ameri-
cans who may wish to reside temporar-
lily or permanently in Russia, said he
was deeply concerned that they should
enjoy, in all respects, the same freedom
of conscience and religious liberty
which they enjoy at home" He went
on to say: "As you we'll know, the Gov
ernment of the United States, since the
foundation of the Republic, has always
striven to protect its nationals, at home
and abroad, in the free exercise OF
liberty of conscience and religious
worship. and from all disability or
persecution on account OF their religious
faith or worship. And need scarcely
point out that the rights enumerated
below are those enjoyed in the United
States by all citizens and foreign ma
tiOnalS and by American nationals In all
the major countries of the world" And
then he proceeded with careful speci-
fication of those rights. In reply, he
received note from Mr.. Litvinof max
ing an agreement that IS concurrent
with recognition and which he described
as the fixed policy OF the Soviet
government. He furnished us with what,
believe, few Of use have heretofore been
familiar, a comprehensive summary of
existing laws assuring the religious
freedom Of foreigners within the Soviet
territory To the ample security these
laws afford if fairly administered there
is a single exception, and as to that ne
stipulated that as a part OF the "tXed
policy persons shall not be refused
admission because of their ecclesiastical
status. the President having said in his
note that he would expect that religious
groups or congregations in Russia should
have their spiritual needs miniStered to
by clergymen, priests, rabbis or other
ecclesiastical functionaries, being ma
tiOnalS of the United States, and that
such persons shall not be denied ad-
Assuming as We must that the agree
inent will be observed, 1t Is not per-
ceived how our nationals of any denom-
ination and their spiritual leaders will
be under any disadvantage or subject
to any discrimination whatever
Another matter to which the Presi-
dent gave particular attention is the
treatment of our nationals in the Soviet
Union who may be accused Of any
criminal offense As to that. Mr.. Lit
vinof agreed that Immediately following
the establishment of diplomatic rela-
tions a consular convention should be
negotiated giving our nationals rights
with reference to iegal protection not
less favorable than those enjoyed by
citizens Of the nation most favored in
that respect, and that such rights
should be extended to our nationals i'm
mediately upon the establishment Of
relations between the two countries.
These rights include notice to American
consular officers of arrests of our ma
tionals and the right of such officers
to visit those under arrest, as now
provided in a compact between the
Soviet Union and Germany. In his
reply note, the President said that he
was prepared to negotiate a conven-
ton on this matter, and he added that
american diplomatic and consular
officers in the Soviet Union will be
jealous in guarding the rights of Amer
ican nationals, particularly the right to
a fair, public and speedy trial and the
right to be represented by counsel of
their choice We shall expect that the
nearest American diplomatic or con-
sular officer shall be notified immedi-
ately of any arrest or detention of an
American national, and that he shall
nrnmntiv be afforded the opportunitY