Evening star., 1942-04-25

other expelled orders were believed
These. and perhaps others. accord
ing TO the report. may now acquire
a recognized status.
vichy's decision TO reinstate reE-
gious orders isn't likely to make very
much impression upon the churches
Of France because they were offered
legal status under the republic.
Shortly before the outbreak Of war
bill was ready for presentation to
Parliament, backed by more than
200 deputies, to repeal the law
against religious orders. But church
groups are said to have turned down
the offer. mainly because legal status
would also permit de-legalization,
and also because 1t would bring the
church under the control Of the
state. Most French Catholic leaders
have no desire for . state-controlled
church.
Informed Roman Catholic leaders
in this country suspect the new
Vichy decree TO be q propaganda
move to enlist the support Of Cath
olics for the policy Of collaboration
with the Nazis. Although the de-
cree is believed to have been pre-
pared before Laval came to power,
1t was issued three days after he
assumed control over French affairs.
1t win be recalled that Laval was
closely associated with the anti
religious element Of pre-war France,
q fact which Is believed to have
been Of deep concern to the Vatican
during the struggle for power in
France between Marshal Petain and
Laval 1t is expected that Laval
will have no objections to the new
decree reinstating religious orders or
to other moves affecting the re-
ligfous life Of France which may
further propaganda for support Of
the collaborationist policy among
Roman Catholics. But Catholic
leaders here believe 1t unlikely that
the church in France will take the
bait. On the contrary, they feel
that Lavars record viii repel church
support just as 1t has already in.
creased resistance generally.
Resistance Growing.
Resistance to collaboration has
been growing in church circles In
France within recent months. Au-
thoritatiye private reports reaching
Religious News Service state that
convinced Christians are very nu-
merous" among the main leaderxhip
OF the resistance movement. One
Of the principal organs of the church
opposition is series of brochures
called "Cahiers du Temoignage
Chretien" edited by . Roman Cath
Ole priest, which publish statements
made by Christian leaders Of differ
ent countries against totalitarianism
and which take q strong stand
against anti-Semitism and against
collaborationist tendencies within
the Roman Catholic Church In
France.
The latest brochure in this series
to reach this country contains q
number Of documents describing the
struggles Of European Christianity
These include letters and sermons
from the Roman Catholic Bishops
of Munster and Freiburg. from the
Roman Catholic Episcopate Of Ger
many. from the Lutheran Bishop Of
Wurttemburg and from other church
leaders. Another part Of the bro
chure Is concerned with the emer-
gence OF neo-pagan ideas In France
and contains an appeal to the
church in France to speak out clear
ly against this tendency.
A growing resistance is also
reported among the Protestant
churches Of France. The Protestant
youth movements have refused to
discriminate in any way against
their Jewish and foreign members,
although they have been asked to
do 50 by the authorities.
Meanwhile, q report from Lisbon
states that the Nazi-controlled Paris
press and radio are stepping up the
campaign against Catholics, accus-
ing them Of participating In Boil
shevistic activities The campaign
was explained, in the Lisbon dis
patch, by the fact that the Nazis
have found no outstanding Catholic
leaders to head their collaboration
list policy in Paris.
Japan Tries to Split Churches.
That japanese broadcast quoting
Dr.. Toyohiko Kagawa, famous jap
anese Christian leader, as asserting
that Japanese Christians are daily
praying for peace, may be discounted
as subtle peace OF propaganda
aiming to divide the American
churches.
This is the view of missionary
leaders who are well acquainted with
the Japanese situation, and particu-
larly with the workings of japanese
propaganda.
Tokio's statement that Japanese
Christians are praying for peace
is regarded as being accurate. 1t
is quite natural that DR.. Kagawa
and other Japanese Christians
should pray for peace. They worked
and prayed for peace long before
Pearl Harbor. A delegation OF jap
anese Christians. including DR.. Kag-
ava, came to the United States q
year ago and conferred with a group
of American religious leaders in an
effort to improve relations between
the two countries. Therefore, 1t
is understandable that Japanese
Christians, who did everything pos
sible to prevent war, should new be
praying for peace.
But, Toxic had definite purpose
in making this fact known to the
United States. say missionary ex-
merits and that r,ryrroSe uyoe tn caus.