Evening star., 1949-11-06
Czech Bishops Tell
Of Futile Efforts 10
Relax Church Ban
BY the Associated Press

PRAGUE, Czechoslovakia, Nov.
5.-Roman Catholic bishops dis
closed today they have sought
without SucceSs-to get revision of
government controls which they
charged virtually outlaw the
church.
In a memorandum handed to
the government October 81, the
churchmen asked for immediate
changes in the control laws and
the DEGREES putting them into
effect on the grounds they" put the
church outside the legal pale"
The government made no reply
to the note, which was released to
the Western press for the first
time today.
The law went into effect, on
schedule, November l despite the
protest. Under it. a cabinet minis
try was formed to supervise
church affairs. Priests and pastors
became civil servants, paid by the
state. All churchmen were re-
quired to swear an oath of alleg-
lance to the Czech republic and
the Communist-controlled peoples
democratic regime.
Signed by 10 Bishops.
Ten bishops and the apostolic
administrator signed the memo
randum, which invoked Czechoslo-
vakia's constitutional freedom of
expression clause. Missing from
1t was the name of Archbishop
Josef Beran, the Czech primate,
who says he has been interned in
his palace since June 10.
The bishops charged that the
new law ceases to respect the
autonomy which until now was
granted the church to direct in
dependently. within the limits OF
the laws, matters of faith, morals.
church service. discipline. re-
ligious education and member
ship in the church"
1t said the conStitutionally-
guaranteed freedom of religious
activity was not insured.
"On the contrary" it went on,
"the carrying out of religious
conviction resulting from men,
bership in the church.is in danger
Of being made impossible or be-
ing violated on purely political
grounds"
Objections to Laws.
The bishops specifically objected
that the law:
/. Upsets internationally ap-
proved church-state agreements
regarding church affairs.
2. Violates basic guarantees of
church freedom under the Czech
constitution.
3 3. Takes away the church right
to appoint its own officials.
4. Deprives it Of autonomy in
internal matters.
S. Sets up a new feudal institu-
ton of state patronage.
6. Raises the fear that the
churches clerical activity will be
judged according to political
standards, and thus ruled Illegal
or anti-State.
DEGREES Also Protested.
The bishops said DEGREES accom-
paning the law, which were ar
rived at without negotiation with
the church, were worse than the
law itself.
Some OF these DEGREES show
themselves practically, even with
the best of will, to be unwork-
able" they said.
The memorandum ended by
asking the government to insure
the Roman Catholic Church a
Arm legal standing and an equally 7
independent activity in the in
ternal matters of the church"
Last week, the bishops gave
their priests permission to obey
the provisions of the law in order
to stay out of jail-a retreat from
their former stand. They even
told them to swear the oath of
allegiance-with reservations. The
bishops said they themselves,
however. would not accept the
government salaries they autho-
rized the priests to accept.
About 800 priests had been
Jailed for their opposition to the
laws. church sources have said.
Subsequently. 127 were released.