Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1929 OUTSIDE THE PALE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 19 July 1929, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, JULY 19, 1929 OUTSIDE THE PALE

NOT many weeks since, the Riga correspondent of the London "Times" reported to his paper that the Soviet Government had instructed the Commissar for Education to organise a special new Inspectorate of AntiReligious Propaganda, with brariches in all "district centres, to superintend the enforcement of the new law restricting the liberties of the Church and forbidding all religious propaganda. It is hardly necessary to point out that this means that the atheistical Russian Government proposes, through the Commissar for Education and his new Inspectorate, to convert the children of Russia from Christianity to atheism. It means that, against the wish of their Christian parents, children will be forced to submit to the teaching of atheism in the schools. Seemingly the Communists of Russia have found that Christianity and Bolshevism are incompatible, and have determined to make a further attempt to stamp out the former. The correspondent, whom we have quoted; goes on to say:— The authorities in Moscow have published a new decree, which has now been passed, altering several paragraphs of the Constitution of the R.S.F.S.R.—(that is to say, the Soviet Government)—. The New text raises atheism to the status of a State dogma by deleting from the Constitution the phrases hitherto granting all religions and atheism equal freedom, and by formally granting to atheists a monopoly of the right to teach their beliefs.

.As a rule international relationships are not affected by national religions, or but there is not much doubt that the Soviet Government's crusade against Christianity will have a deep effect upon the feelings of Christians in, every nation. There are in Russia probably one hundred million Christians who are living under the whip of Bolshevism. Most of those Christians are members of the Orthodox Greek Church, which is in close unity with the Anglican Church, and there is not much doubt thai very deep feeling will be stirred in every State of the British Commonwealth of Nations, when it is realised what attempts are being made to suppress Christianity in Russia. And the Government which is doing the suppressing, it is proposed, shall be admitted to close relationship with the Governments of Great Britain and of the Dominions, including the Irish Free Stale; and yesterday we printed a cablegram which said that "The Norwegian Embassy has delivered Britain's Note to M. Karakan —[Russian Minister or official)— inviting a Russian representative to discuss the resumption of diplomatic relations." Previously the British Government, from whom curiously enough, emanates the proposal to re-establish diplomatic relations, had consulted the Governments of the Dominions as to their opinions in the matter, and it is known that some of those Governments acquiesced in the proposal, but with certain reservations which have not been divulged. Wo do not know the nature of the reply sent by New Zealand. But wo venture the opinion that if the Governments of the

Dominions were fully seized of the contents of the message sent by "The Times" Riga correspondent, at least some of them would have made a stipulation thai tho liberties of Christians in Russia must be completely restored, mid that all attempts to suppress Christianity in Russia must cease, before diplomatic relations with that country are re-established.

However, it is expected that many, if not all, of the Dominions have stipulated that tho Russian Government shall give nn absolute guarantee not to use the restoration of diplomatic relations for the purpose of promoting Bolshevist propaganda ■in British Countrios. The characters of tho Russian Government and of its alter ego, tho Third International, are such that no such guarantee is likely to be forthcoming. Neither do wo believe it would be worth anything, if it were forthcoming. Whatever tho stipulations which have been made by the Dominions' Governments, they are not complete unless, included- in them, is a proviso which would alleviate the condition of down-trodden apd persecuted Christians of Russia.