Evening star., 1949-07-04
Lack Of Religion
UnderIies Russia's
Dup|icity Strategy
Supremacy Of the Stote
is Substituted for
Morality as Guide
Bv Constantine Broom

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satellite peoples-can carry on its
political life with such Grass dis
regard for moral obligations, to
say nothing Of its pledged word.
The answer goes deeply into the
theoretical foundations Of the
movement which stems from
Marx and Engels and their So
cialistic writing in the last CEN
tury. Basic behind the Soviet Un-
IONS unconcern for its obligations
Is the total absence Of any religious
element in the theology Of commu-
nism.
Founded as 1t is on a total lack
Of religious character-which Is
so deeply present In our demo-
cratic form of life-communism OF
necessity has made religion its
enemy and is committed to a
struggle to the death against this
pillar of strength Of true democ-
racy.
Mot only the Christian religion
but Judaism, Islam and nearly
every other form of religious wor-
ship contains somewhere In it the
idea of morality and ethics. These
two phases Of restraint on human
behavior are the foundation
stones on which civilization has
been built, and even the Russians
will see. If they examine their
history. that it was the church.
with its code Of behavior toward
persons and institutions, which
brought Russia out of the dark
ness of barbarism to the light OF
civilized life.
Only Loyalty Is to State.
In communism. however. NOR
Atty and ethics are nonresident
as we know them. There is no
such thing as obligation to live
q good Christian or q good Jew
tsh life. The only obligation is
to live a good Communist life,
and that kind of existence not
only countenances but encourages
every form of betrayal Of ones
fellow beings to the state.
The only loyalty in communism
Is to the state. and the only OBJ
legation anyone has in the Com
munist state is toward the state.
II one Is a good provider for his
family and a good parent to his
children 1t is because he is loyal
to the state. If he Is loyal to
the state it is not because he Is
heeding the Injunction Render
unto Caesar that which is Cae-
sar,s," but because the state i'm
poses its will on him by force or
threats Of force, and he fears that
force .. ..- -4.
In other words, the state In
the, Communist world has taken
the place of God In the non-Com-
munist world. .. 49,.
What are the implications in
Russia's international conduct Of
this great underlying character
istic of communism? We know
that Communists are taught to
lie, to cheat and to use every
kind of base behavior in doing
the work of the party and the
state. We know that they have
done all these things and freely
admit them.
West Coldly Skeptical.
Because q nations international
conduct Is no more than re-
Election of the composite character
Of its people and leaders. this
same lack of principle inevitably
dominates Russia's relations with
other nations. We have seen
throughout the history Of West
srn relations with Soviet COM
munism that the signed treaty
or pledged word have no binding
force on the Soviet masters when
they are in pursuit Of their OBJ
iectives, which are expansion OF
Soviet power to cover the world.
That is why in the recent dis
eussions Of the Berlin blockade
ana the future Of Germany. West
Srn leaders adopted q wait-and-
see attitude toward the Soviet
Unions professions Of intention
TO get along with its wartime
allies. That Is why 1t was de-
mAnded that Russia give deeds,
not words, as evidence Of its good
faith.
The Russians may wonder over
This cold skepticism Of the West
toward their overtures. but to f1nd
the answer they do not have to
look farther than their own faith
--communism.
This lack Of religion, morality
and ethics In the Soviet system
s the fatal defect which In the
end will destroy it just as surely
a. Nazi Germany's duplicity de-
stroyed 1t.