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PERTH, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 1942.
NO. 3,028.
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How far can co-operation with Russia go?
Three false approaches to the question and three conditions of mutual action ¶ "Russia, if it remains Communistic, will not be given a place at the council of nations after the war to assist in the remaking of Europe."
"
. complete mutual confidence. . ." .
Religious Freedom is Acid Test There are three false approaches to the question of aid to Russia. The first is the suggestion that Nazism is a greater menace than Communism. This plea fails to make a distinction between an external and a Externally, Nazdomestic menace. ism is unquestionably a greater menace than Communism, but internally, i.e., as regards our American way of life, Communism is the greater danger. The second false approach argues: If your house were burning, would you ask what his religion was of the man who came to help you put it out. No! 1 would not ask him his religion, but I would ask him if he started the fire. And Russia did help set fire to Europe by jointly burning Poland with Hitler, and applying the torches to Latvia, Estonia and Finland, while the other international firebug set fire to the West. A third false approach is to pretend that Article 124 of the Soviet Constitution gives the same religious liberty as the American Bill of Rights. The facts in the case are: 1. Article 124 of the 1936 constitution is a restriction rather than an extension of religious liberty. The old constitution of 1929 "secured freedom of religious and anti -religious propaganda to all its citizens.' The 1936 constitution makes a distinction between "freedom of religious worship and freedom of anti -religious propaganda:' In other words, it is permitted to worship, but not to broadcast, for this is propaganda. 2. Article 125 restricts freedom of speech, press, assembly ''to those who uphold and strengthen the socialist system," which means it is denied to all who are opposed to its atheism. 3. "Religious associations do not enjoy the right of a juridical person." (Decree of January 23, 1918, paragraph 12, which decree is still in effect.) 4. Statutes 2 and 3 of Law of April 8, 1929, paragraph 114-3A read: "Religious associations may not give material assistance to their members, or-
For Value and Service
*
ganise for children, young people and women, special prayer or other meetings, circles, or groups or departments for Biblical or literary study, sewing, working or the teaching of religion, etc., or organise excursions, children's playgrounds, public libraries or organic sanitoria and medical assistance. 5. The whole philosophy of our Bill of Rights and that of the Soviet Constitution are different in essence. America holds that "the Creator has endowed us with certain unalienable rights." For the Soviets, the State is the source of rights, hence the State can take them away. Furthermore, religious liberty is a "right" for Americans, but the Soviet Constitution uses the weak word "recognise." The question of aid to Russia must begin with a distinction between Russia and Communism. Russia is not Communism. Russia pre-existed Communism and will exist long after Communism has succumbed to reason and decency. This is a valid dis-
OF
two
a
tinction because:
treaty
The Catholic Church itself makes The Church has condemned Communism but not Russia; she has condemned Nazism but not Germany. A philosophy of life is not identical with a people. 1.
it.
...For two an alliance The recent treaty between Britain and Russia, and the Alliance between America and Russia, must give every thinking person pause. With the German attack on the U.S.S.R. military assistance became desirable and indeed inevitable. But as our Sunday contemporary remarked significantly regarding the NEW development: "It is not a compromise for the moment. It is a pact between two idealogies differing in their methods, but now realising that their aims are the same." For the Catholic, the position is confusion twice confounded, The following article by Monsignor Fulton Sheen, although written primarily for Americans, has much of general application to the now imperative task of setting the limits to the co-operation with Russia as she is. The article was, of course, written before the new treaty was
announced:-
2.
Throughout the
entire
Catholic
world, the prayers which are said at the end of every Low Mass are offered for the intention of Russia, but certainly not for Communism. Twentysix thousand priests in the United States alone offer those prayers every morning in obedience to the orders of the late Holy Father, Pius XI. 3. There is no way of knowing
whether President Roosevelt had this distinction in mind, hut it is interesting to note that in his telegram to Kalinin, the President of the Soviet Republic, after the Nazi invasion of Russia, the President sent his best wishes to the "Russian people"-not to the Soviet Republic. 4. Hitler himself is forcing that dis(Continued on Back Cover.)
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