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OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH. A CATHOLIC WEEKLY
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Common Enemy its own conceptions. In certain cases S witzerland is the only State which Nations as a rewe must deny ourselves opportunism, entered the Leaeue of diof is, the that ; plebiscite of the highest and most legitieven a of ult canand of the people We can emulate other the order. of mate vote ect s place which took the arduous pursuit struggle in only ountries The c tons. one of moral values. over this all-important issue was of the most heated and moving in the Now, we cannot believe in this On the 17th. of December of this year, the Catholic. statesman, M. long history of our country. The Fede volution of the Bolshevist regime Cabinet—adour is Motta. Federal Councillor and First Delegate of the Swiss Confederation, We eral Council—that which we hope for as you do. vocated the entry of Switzerland with cannot sacrifice to the principle cf the application of Soviet Russia made the following eloquent protest to and all the authority at its command, universality the idea of a necessary Mr. Eamon De Valera, in for admission to the League of Nations. its advice was followed. The foundminimum of -moral and political conThe Le'ague ers of the League had shown us their the name of Ireland, also protested in a notable address. formity between States. confidence in choosing Geneva as the of Nations is—or should be, in our seat of the new institution. Our public view—one of the greatest of all huopinion has always been, and remains, man conceptions and realisations. very appreciative of this great honour. We are proud of this democracy; it is seeks to strike root everywhere. Its When, on May 16, 1920, the people ambition is world revolution. One of its conseauences, happy on the one of the reasons of our very existIts and the cantons of Switzerland, overconcentrate public nature, its aspirations, its inner urge, coming all the obstacles of their his whole, has been to Without democracy, no Switence. all make for foreign propaganda. Its torical traditions, decided that the attention on the labours and activities zerland. If, therefore, on any matter vital law is expansion beyond poli- Confederation should join the League of the League more perhaps than else- of importance, the press and these pa always where. Proximity almost triotic associations take a like stand, tical frontiers. For Communism to of Nations, they generously obeyed the makes for interest. call of an ideal. irrespective of political party. region abandon these aims would be to deny From the beginning we have been and language, we are confronted with itself: but by pursuing them it becomes To-day the common feeling of all resslute advocates of universality. We the national will clearly proclaimed. our common enemy, because it threat the patriotically and nationally mindus ens all. It would be easy for me ed Swiss is that the League is embark Were I The Government must take account of have proved it by our acts. They must do so all the more to base each of these statements on ing on a hazardous undertaking. not fearful of betraying a lack of taste. it. As authoritative texts drawn from official we see it, it ventures to wed water I might be tempted to quote the when their own opinion coincides with speech I delivered on November 15, that thus expressed. Such is the case Bolshevist literature, but I would and fire. If Soviet Ri4ssia all of a spare you superfluous quotations. We sudden ceases to insult the League of 1920. on the opening of the First As- here. are faced with undenied and undeni- Nations, which Lenin had defined as sembly. I herein, directly alluding kolding to essentials and leaving to Russia, expressed the hope that, aside all secondary factors, let me now able truths. an institution of brigandage, we read The Bolshevist State, the Communhaving been -cured of her madness" state how the problem of the admisthe explanation of this novel attitude and "delivered from her misery," she sion of the U.S.S.R. into the League ist party and the Third International in the fiery letters of the Far Eastern to which it owes its birth, are all mor might some day seek and find in the of Nations presents itself to us. We have no confidence. sky. We League the help indispensable for her Does a regime, does a Government ally one. The Bolshevist State was do not feel obliged to co-operate in an reconstitution. founded to carry out the programme of act which will confer upon Soviet which proclaims and practises an exthe Communist party. Lenin had Russia a prestige which it had not In spite of its constant .and lively pansive and militant Communism, fulfriendship for the Russian people, the fil the necessary conditions of admis- united in his person the functions of heretofore enjoyed. head of the State and of the party. But the dice have been thrown. Alea Swiss Government has, however, never sion? We hope the future masfelt able de jure to recognise their preI shall refer neither to the Preamble The present general secretary of the iacta est. sent regime We are determined to nor to the literal provisions of our party, without being the nominal head show that our misgivings were exces the State, is its true master. The sive. We count on all the other The arguments they sug- of rnaintain this negative and expectant Covenant. attitude Our Legation at Petrograd gest are very powerful, but they are bonds between the State and the party States to help us in preventing Geneva was pillaged in 1918 and one of its of minor importance when coMpared are indissoluble. The party issues or- from becoming a centre of dissolving propaganda. We will be vigilant. officials murdered. We have never to the fundamental principles of the ders, the State carries them out. That is our duty. For the present it secured so much as a word of apology. Covenant, with its main purpose, with Attention is called to the fact that suffices that Soviet Russia may not When in the same year, an attempted that which it does not explicitly menthe U.S.S.R. is an immense territory be admitted to the League of Nations general strike nearly plunged our coun- tion because it goes without sasing and of a hundred and sixty millicrs of in- by a unanimous vote, in the oblivion try into the horrors of a civil war, a is therefore necessarily assumed. habitants. Facing Asia on one side of its past and with laurels of triumph Soviet mission, which we had tolerated moral, and Europe on the other, astride in a In every sphere—religious, When she will have been admitted, a Berne. had to be expelled mann social, political, economic—this form way on two continents, it cannot safe the Council and the Assembly will be militari. because it was found to have of Communism is the most radical ly be ignored and deliberately left faced with several open questions. The had a hand in the agitation. negation of our very vital substance. aside. The League of Nations is but resolution of the Assembly relating to As soon as the possibiltv of admtMost States even prohibit simple a new form of international co-opera the independence of Georgia will noz ting the Soviet Union into the League All consider tion. It is not an institute of ethics, sleep the sleep of death. C ommunist propaganda. Armenia, began to he discussed in diplomatic it a political crime as soon as it seeks but a political association whose prinUkraine• other countries, will still cc. circles, the Federal Council unhesitatinto theory of realm aim the cipals is to prevent wars and to b y the interest of men ot good to pass from ingly informed Parliament. that it that of action. maintain peace. If, by admitting Let it not be said: these questions c ould not, for its part, favour such a will no longer be raised. The sympe Soviet Communism combats the idea/ Russia, we can serve the cause of step. We realised that an affrmative peace, we must yote would in fact, if not necessarily of religion arid all that is spiritual in scruples. the repress our fears, our thies of civilised mankind will foliate repugnance which Govthe heroes who defend their life and :n law, lead to the resumption of re- every form. Lenin compared religion of conscience is ernments may feel. May we not hope Freedom their liberty. No statute of limita opium. to gular diplomatic relations. That was that with continuous co-operation All servants of tions will deny their claims. out of the question. From a proper but an appeaarnce. other States League will within the And, above all, when the Soviet de sense of caution, however, the Federal religion and their families are deprived promote an evolution beneficial for an legates will be in Geneva- we hope that courcil at that time, and until it he - of food cards. Churches are abandonfor and Russia itself in the first in- voices may be raised here to demand ame necessary to take a more definite ed and fall in ruin. Moscow had five ncei st aLad explanations of their Government oe, r!scision. maintained its freedom of hundred churches arid chapels; forty ee' and gentlemen, you would behalf of the conscience of mankind. C-Fristian chur remain! choice between a refer thal t ega.tive are said to rightly be surprised if I denied these These voices will denounce this antiyote and abstention, the latter being. ches the world over feel smitten in considerations all value. The Govern- religious propaganda, which is without 1.n its opinion, but a more moderate the spirit and in the flesh of all those ments of France. Great Britain and precedent in the annals of humanity who there profess and proclhim their lorm of refusal. Italy have already placed similar views and which plunges into grief and tears belief in Christ. before the Federal Council through the Since then, and as the chances of 'a Christendom and, with Christendom. Communism dissolves the family; it Russian application bera.ree closer and suppresses individual initiative; it ordinary channels of diplomacy—that all men who believe iv 14;4 is, through their representatives in invoke justice. m ore imminent, the problem has abolishes private property; it organises come to be publicly discussed with an labour in forms which it is difficult to Berne. The conversations which. as I have finished. I have endeavourIncreasing vigour. I shall in a mo- distinguish from forced labour. Rus- head of the Political Department, I ment explain why and how our publie sia is afflicted with the sombre curse was privileged to have with these gen- ed to lend expression to the immense tlemen, were pursued in a spirit of majority of the Swiss people, without Pinicn has reacted, but before doing of famine. Impartial observers wonfriendship and confidence- I never any intention of preaching to others s,(1I beg leave to say a word about the der whether this famine is a purely .'Ignificance and force of public opin- natural phenomenon or ewhether it it had the impression of any even indir- It has been my will to speak freely. Ion in the consequence of an economic and ect pressure. Let me make that clear Had I refrained from so doing I Switzerland. Oiir public opinion is always free: it social system vitiated in its very roots. in this place of order, in the, general should have been unfaithful to .nee Is. also spontaneous. ()sir press is en But these characteristics of Com- interest, to dispel any possible misun- trust. It is to the honour of the Assembly l,irelY free. Council munism. which I have sought object- derstanding. Federal The If, however, we have understood the that the procedure of admission, how 'flows nothing resembling a semi-offiively eo define, still do not give a true ical Press. No pressure is ever exer- picture of Russian Communism. There points of view of other Governments, ever delicate, has been followed in a The cised, no indications even are received must be added another essential and and Particularly those of the three calm and serene atmosphere. Swiss people will take cognisance of ,2( 17-1 above. lAt the same time we distinctive trsi+ which still more com- Great Powers, we are obliged to adopt the decisions of the majority with cool 'aye many and various patriotic assopletely puts it into opposition with another for ourselves. A country like composure and with that wise demo ciations which cult -ate and stimulate the most necessary and most univer- Switezrland. which is neither nble vi er cratic discipline which it owes to its principles prevailine willing to play a part in high interna allv Spirit. We should not be the rr0 Russian Communism tional policv. must necessarily pursue secular traditions. etweer States. b """ c7 we are were it otherwise
A HISTORIC PROTEST
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