Evening star., 1949-08-21

7 Yu8OSlaVla ana NOmdulH mas DSe
those countries. It is a story of
suppression in Yugoslavis
and Romania to q careful cat
and mouse game in Poland.
Yet in every country a remark
ably consistent strategical patterr
Here is the step-by step methot
by which the Communists hav'
laid seige to the 5Q000,000 Cath
olics in Eastern Europe:
/. Avoid until the last attacking
or the Roman Catholic
church, as such. Attack insteat
individuals. high-level church
leadership and the Vatican.
2. Strike first in the cities. where
secular education may have weak
ened faith and industrializatior
may have given Marxism a start
last in the country, where
the village priest is regarded a!
and all-powerful, ane
where simple. unquestioning re.
ligiouS faith is strongest.
Schools Among Targets
8. Set up anti-Vatican Cath.
olic" churches and organizations
4. Snite the shepherd before
going among the flock. Gn con.
demning the trial and life i'm.
orisonment of Josef Cardinal
Mindszenty. primate of Hungary
Pope Plus XII quoted from
Matthew, xxvi.3l: II shall strike
the shepherd and the sheep of the
dock shall be dispersed.")
S. Destroy Catholic schools, and
thus their effect on coming gen.
erations.
6. Separate the church from
the life of the people by destroy
ing the web Of church charities
orphanages. youth organizations,
workers organizations and social
clubs.
7. Squeeze the church back
within the portals of it's temples
BY wiping. out its militant lay
organization, Catholic Action and
the usually allied Catholic press
8. When all of this has been
done, with proper breathing spells
close the churches.
Here is how Polish, Czech, Ro-
Hungarian and Yugo-
slav sources at the Vatican out
lined the battle between their
and their states:
Yugoslavia is 10 per cent Ortho,
dox, 80 per cent Roman Cath
olic, IL per cent Moslem and
per cent Protestant. The Roman
Catholics are centered in Croatis
and Slovenia, the Orthodox II
Yugoslavia was the first ares
Of frontal attack" on the Roman
Catholic church. The condemna
tion in September. 1916, of Aloj.
zijc Stepinac. Archbishop of Tag
reb. to 16 years Imprisonment a.
a war criminal was a sign Of what
was to come.
Before 1945 Tito's partisans
were friendly and cooperative
with the church. Soon after Tito
came to power this determination
ended.
Press Wiped Out
Teto's first big move was to
take over Catholic schools. They
were attended by some 100000
pupils. This was followed by pro-
hibition of charitable activities.
The Catholic press was wiped out.
Archbishop Stepinac himself dis
solved Catholic action in 1945 be-
cause known membership was q
virtual death sentence.
Yugoslav sources estimate ap-
proximately 400 priests and nuns
we're killed, many in Individual
clashes. many more In groups of
from 10 to 20. in monasteries and
converts. The Bishops Of Du.
brovnik ana Krisevec were among
those who died. The Orthodox
Archbishop 0ermogen, the Prot
estant Bishop DR.. Popp and the
MUSLIN Mutt DR.. Muftitch were
also reported slain. At Mostar, 7C
out Of 200 priests were said tc
have been killed.
Today, there are said to b.
more NOR than. than 800 priests in prisons
About one-quarter of tn,
churches have been closed. II
Croatia, because Of public pres.
sure, there is still some Catholi,
instruction in the schools.
In the last two months higf
taxes have been laid upon bap.
tisms. marriages and communion
At least 20 priests, including fly,
canons, have been reported i'm
and religious pilgrim.
ages have been forbidden.
Romania:
OF Romania. Vatican radio sale
on August 2 that the Communists
regime has applied the dictum o.
Nero, prosecutor Of the early
Christians, that "the Christian.
do not exist" Romania is TIT
only place Communist regime
has gone so far as to outlaw ar
entire church. RomanA has 49,.
000. 900 orthodox, $500, 900 Romar
Catholic and 100000 Uniats
These last are a 250-year-old off.
shoot Of the orthodox church
which preserves the Eastern rite
women were not permitted tc
work after 6 pm. But none OF
the plants seeking proximity to
markets or raw materials were
by this fact.
Southern labor, according to the
authors, came to be recognized
turing the war as able to staff
plants requiring skills long