WAR ON GOD

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11127, 10 February 1930, Page 5

WAR ON GOD

POPE DEPLORES SOVIET WICKEDNESS

United Pree» A»sn. by El. Tel. Gopyrighi

(Received Feb. 9, 5.5 p.m.) ROME, Feb. 8

The Pope, in a. letter to Cardinal Ornpili, condemns the sacriligious Wickedness perpetrated in Russia against God, and against the souls of men, and invites the Bishops of the Catholics throughout the world to pray for the cessation of the moral and material destruction of religions constituting one sixtli of those in the globe. He announces that he will celebrate a Mass of Atonement, Propitiation and Reparation at St. Peter’s on March 19. He deplores the Soviet perverting youth, contaminating isouls with ail sorts of vices and destroying the intelligence of human nature.

His Holiness adds that had the (nations assembled at the Genoa conference in 1922 acceded to his request to agree to insist on religious "freedom in Russia, it w'ould have spared many evils. The material interests v*hioh prevented such a response would have been better served if the Governments had respected the interests of God.

WHY RUSSIANS DON'T REBEL. HOSTILITY WOULD MEAN STARVATION. United Pre»s Aaan. by El. Tel Copyright (Received Feb. 9. 5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 7. "Foreigners are often amazed at the passivity with which Russians bear the SuvieL s outrageous insults .on religion, but. to -judge fairly, one must remember the constant requisitions, espionage and terrorism, including the execution, on the average oi live persons daily, to which they are subjected,” said ex-Prime Minister Kerensky in a speech at Oxford. "Everyone,” lie added, "is solely dependent on the Government which is the only employer. Any expressions of religious convictions means unemployment. withdrawal of the ration card and sjjeedy death from starvation. Tim Red Army’s ■officers and soldiers are in an even more unenviable position. In pursuance of the policy ol making the army the nursery of atheism the men are subjected continually to spring, openly and secretly. These persecutions are tending to unite the population in a common hatred of the dictatorship.