RELIGION IN RUSSIA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20960, 25 February 1930, Page 9

RELIGION IN RUSSIA

CAMPAIGN OF REPRESSION. JEWISH EABBIS ARRESTED. (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, February 24. (Received Feb. 24, at 8 p.m.) “ A great Jewish counter-revolutionary organisation discovered ” is how official Soviet organs justify the repressive antiJewish measures in Minsk, according to the Riga correspondent of the Times. A number of rabbis were arrested and charged with crimes against the Soviet Government, the most serious offences apparently being corresponding with Jews abroad, and appealing to them to “ provide assistance to perishing Jews in Russia.” The greatest criminal is the American, Rabbi Cleser, who “ abused the Soviets’ confidence ” by visiting Minsk, where ” he secretly inquired about the Soviet’s attitude towards religion and clandestinely discussed the economic conditions of the Jewish masses.” Cleser later visited Paris, where he informed other rabbis of the results of his inquiries. Those arrested include a number of the leading members of the Jewish community at Minsk.—Times Cable.

ALL BUT RELEASED. WASHINGTON, February 24. (Received Feb. 24, at 8 p.m.) According to a letter received by Senator Borah from M. Litvinoff, all but three of the fourteen rabbis who were arrested have been released. Senator Borah said; “ Among those released, 1 understand, is Rabbi Vlaskin. I feel reasonably certain that the three who have not been released are not in danger of execution.” WAR MINISTER’S MANIFESTO. “NATION DRENCHED WITH LIES.” MOSCOW, February 24. (Received Feb. 25, >at 1 a.m.) The twelfth anniversary of the formation of the Red Army was celebrated with great fervour and occasion was taken throughout to emphasise the danger of a united capitalist attack, the inevitability of which is almost a tenet of Communist faith. M. Voroshilov (War Commissioner) issued the following manifesto: “ Not since the end of the civil wars have the hostile activities of the imperialists assumed such proportions. A wild antiSoviet campaign has developed and the world’s first proletarian nation is being drenched with an ocean of lies, libels, provocations, false documents and sabotage-— everything is being used against us.”

The Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury ( and _ other dignitaries figure prominently in a list of enemies that the Soviet published in the Pravda. In commemoration of the event the highest honour, the Order of the Red Banner, was awarded to M. Stalin.