Evening star., 1946-09-06
Communism in Action

A"sS 10 - ueyCoG VI NOStIbuutUy
chapters on education, religion,
leisure time actipity and Hon
Much Freedom?" in the booklet,
Communism in Action" pre-
pared by the Legislative Refer
ence Service of the Library OF
Congress at the instance OF Rep
resentatire Dirksen, Republican,
OF Illinois,
Freedom of speech, religion and
assembly, and individual rights
which are regarded as fundamental
in the United States have basically
different meanings and application
in the Soviet Union, the "Commu-
nism in Action" report concludes.
Their exercise is subordinated
strictly to the state or Communist
party policy They are purely CO.
incidental" to the main view that
the socialist system itself is the
foundation of true individual free
dom, the report states.
Although the Soviet constitution
contains a much publicized bill of
rights" its guarantees are mot
legally binding on the legislative
and executive authorities of the
Soviet Union"
If the same system prevailed in
the United States, the report as
serts, "the Federal Government
would take over all newspapers,
printing presses, publishing houses,
educational facilities, radio stations,
theaters and concert halls, museums,
and all other means Of communica-
tion and then proceed to control
them for political purposes, with no
opposition to the party in power
permitted"
Religion as Party Policy.
Freedom of religion in Russia, the
report declares, has only limited
meaning attached to 1t, according
to American standards, and to the
fact that the Soviet government
has treated it, like other freedoms,
in terms of party policy, not as a
fundamental right.
Atheism is a fundamental doc
trine of the Communist party, the
report explains. Religious worship
was never forbidden in Soviet Rus
STA, and since 1898 the government
has been more favorably inclined
to the church, the report points out.
The report adds, however, that:
"The extent to which religious
freedom will be attained in the
Soviet Union in the future is specu-
lative. Notwithstanding the friend
ly relations which now exist be-
tween the state and the churches,
the possibility of a more rigid at
titude toward religion in the post
war period cannot be overlooked.
The concessions which have been
granted are purely factuar and have
not been enacted by legislation.
most observers do not
the resumption of grand
style persecution some do express
considerable skepticism as to the
security Of the privileges recently
granted"
Quoting Article 124 of the So
Wet constitution separating state,
church and school and recognizing
freedom of religious worship and
freedom of anti-religious propagan-
da," the report holds that:
IF applied to American life this
provision would eliminate the pub
lication of all church literature, in
cluding Bibles, prayer books, church
school publications, periodicals and
the ike. 1t would also prevent the
administration of any type of social
service work in the name of the
church. Parochial schools would
not be permitted and religious
forces would be unable to counter
balance outwardly the attacks Of
atheistic groups"
Periods of Persecution.
The report lists 1922, l92s-30
and 1937-38 as periods during which
religious persecution was intense.
Beginning In 1899 direct action
against religion was discontinued
and anti-religious propaganda was
toned down." the report finds. In
194l there were 10000 religious
of all kinds" 1888 IL
censed places of worship, 52,442
ministers of cult" 4,225 Orthodox
churches as compared with AZ, ,457
In 1917, 5000 Orthodox priests as
compared with 50,960 in 1917, 28
bishops as compared with 100, and
SO missionaries as compared with
1,026.
The Russian Orthodox Church
Is now an oficially recognized body
with almost cordial relations ex-
isting between it and the Soviet
government" the report states. ITO
facilitate the operation Of the new
church-state relationship a Soviet
Council on Orthodox Affairs has
been established. It's work is based
on a clear-cut separation of church
and state. Also, in order that other
religious groups might be given the
same privileges as the Orthodox
Church, a Soviet Council of Al
fairs on Religious Cults was ap-
pointed to function as a liaison be-
tween the government and the Ro-
man Catholic, Greek Catholic, Mo-
hammedan, Jewish, Evangelical and
other non Orthodox religious
groups.
Reopening Of Seminaries.
zone of the most important ac-
complishments of the Councils or
Church Affairs is the facilitation o1
the reopening of theological semi.
naries. Permits were issued for thu
opening of 10 by August /. 1945
The church may now print ma.
terials for use in its services ane
may order any quantity of tesla.
ments, prayer books and liturgica
books. Permission has beer
granted the Patriarchiate to initial.
efforts toward unification of tn.
church at home and abroad. Rela.
tions between the mother church
and the church in Paris have beer
restored and reconciliation with tn,
Russians in Yugoslavia has alst
been effected. Negotiations will
American Orthodoxy have beer
stalled temporarily but they ar,
still under way"
The report suggests that "for al
updarSf o. andinU ~ fha norifioy n