The Coolidge examiner., 1941-09-05
IA AIR
by TEX HANCOCK

/ IL lS Iunny the lnlnBS we Stduu
tor or don't stand for. depending
on which way the wind Is blowing.
Here in the United States we
have always stood for religion
altho some OF our standing has
been a sort OF leaning. some times
sitting down and. often. lying
down. But we have never reached
the place where we scratched
religion clear off the list.
Russia following the first World
War. definitely scratched religion
off the list and set about TO perse
cute any citizens found assembled
for religious purposes. They
taught at home and abroad that
there was no God. no church, that
religion was an opiate.
Germany. after the rise OF Hit
Ter. was placed under a similar
program Hitler taught that there
was only one religion for Germany
namely Naziam. He was God IL
the Germans must have God.
Mussolini never tried TO squelch
religion. Being more or less a
devout Catholic he guarded against
bucking the church, at least open.
ly.
In England the Church and
State have always been one. The
peplle religious-some more. some
less. But religion had sagged in
national way.
Comes the war. Also comes our
emphasis upon freedom OF thought
and religion We talked freedom
OF religion because these other
countries were against IT, Freedom
OF religious beliefs has never been
In any danger In this country thus
far.
Trial and persecution and suf.
fering have way OF intensifying
the need of religion. So with the
second World War on our hands
the nations involved have made a
more-or-less right about face.
Some OF 1t is sincere. Some OF It
Is for effect and to gain closer
cooperation.
BIRTH PARLIAMENT
The British Parliament has ask
ed the government recently to
provide schools with religious In.
structors and make religion
optional a subject in teachers col
leges. They want also. to have
daily services in schools and text
books on religion. Britain feels the
need of religion today as never
before.
HITLER AND GERMANY
After persuing an intense cam
paign against the Protestant
church that resulted In imprison-
ment OF many ministers, Germany
has aboutfaced and recently Herr
Hitler is talking about God being
our helper" II seems that when
he visited Napolean's tomb recent
ly he saw spirits. or something.
and came out a changed" man.
Changed enough to include God. II
would help some OF his captives
TO feel better about Nazism--may-
be.
| RUSSIA AND GOD
| Not to be Dutdone on this
sensitive subject Russia has gone
religious" all OF a sudden. Russia
charges Germany with an attempt
to destroy the existence of
Christianity. She, under Stalin's
instructions. is calling on all the
"God-loving inhabitants of the oc-
cupied countries to rise up in de-
fense of their religious freedom. "
This must come as strange appeal
to the many in Russia who, thru
the past decade. have had to suf-
fer persecution for their religious
beliefs.
ROOSEVELT, RELIGION AND
COUNTRY
When lot OF folk jumped the
President for omitting religion in
the recent Roosevelt Chuschill
peace points. he attempted to right
himself with the statement that
1T is Unnecessary for me to point
out that the declaration of prin-
ciples includes of necessity the
world need of freedom of relig-
ion."
| MEANING WHAT,
All of which SINNERS down to
this: That the nations of the
world. especially certain govern
ments, run along for periods OF
years on material prosperity and
material forces and become for,