Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1930 RUSSIAN PERSECUTIONS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17230, 9 April 1930, Page 6

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING GISBORNE, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1930 RUSSIAN PERSECUTIONS

AVc may all recognise the valid and binding nature of the explicit, agreement entered into between Britain and ■the Soviet at the time of the interchange of ambassadors. It was worded to this effect: “The contracting parties solemnly affirm their desire and intention . . . scrupulously to respect the undoubted right of a State to order its own life in its own way.” That agreement, as it. was made at the time, and looked at from the British point of view, was probably regarded as an effective means of checking Bolshevist propaganda in Britain and in the Empire generally, but the ease and speed evidenced by the Soviet in signing the document really indicated the fact that they saw advantages on their own side and that, in view of their intended campaign of religious persecution and terrorism, they were more than willing to possess a document of such recent date which would guarantee them a free hand. But most will agree, even in face of the agreement, with Mr. Baldwin’s view that Great Britain “has never regarded such treatment as is being meted out, not only to Christians but to all believers in a .Supreme Being, whether Christians, Mohammedans, of Jews, as a matter of indifference or a matter which belongs solely to the competence of the Government of the country concerned. As he said, the party which ho represents has never failed to protest with all its strength against the resumption of diplomatic negotiations at such a time, and most of us will echo his sentiment when he declared that to choose such a time in which to enter into relations is an intolerable humiliation for Great Britain and gives the lie to all it has stood for for generations past. Certainly the sordid story of the appalling persecutions in Russia gives color to the idea that, this is no mere matter of internal policy, but one that affects the enlightened conscience of Christendom It may be held that religious beliefs pass the bounds of nationality, and that there is a world-wide kinship amongst the believers in a common faith, irrespective even of race and color. “There is neither Greek nor Jew, Barbarian, Scythian bond nor free” when true religion is at stake, arid an indication of what has actually occurred in Russia under the regime of the Soviet Government cannot but give grave cause for concern and uneasiness on the part of other peoples who own allegiance to a recognised religion. The Archbishop of Canterbury speaking in the House of Lords last, week gave some damning figures that make it easily understandable why t here should be no little amount, of strong resentment on the part of all freedom-living peoples against the atrocities that have been openly committed by the official order of the Soviet. He pointed out that in 1928 AT) churches, 78 monasteries, 50 synagogues and 88 mosques had been closed and that hundreds more had been closed last year. Thus it is seen that it, is against religion in every shape and form that the Soviet persecution is directed. The Primate said also that he laid received reports of 20 cases of persecution which he was satisfied were authentic. In these 20 cases 71 persons were sentenced lo be shot and 112 were sentenced to imprisonment for from two to twelve years. Such facts, coming from such a source, are bound to make us pause and consider what ought to be the correct attitude towards a Government that countenances such happenings. The situation is not made in the least degree easier by the constant emanations from Russia that the reports are exaggerated and even deliberately untrue. The whole thing cannot be mere invention. Yet the actual words of the representative of the Soviet who was asked concerning these events were: “These reports have nothing in common' with the true facts. They are all inventions and slanders unworthy of a serious people.’’ As was said a moment ago, such point-blank denials, in face of the accumulation of evidence to the contrary, can do no good whatever, but rather tend to harden tho feeling against the Soviet officials. Tho persecutions, as a matter of fact, have

eomo about as an expression of Communist doctrine. The Communists in Russia to-day hold .that if a man is too greatly inclined to believe in another world wherein all wrongs will be righted, ho is at the same time and infcrentially too little disposed to lend his aid in setting things right hero and now. Hence the best thing .that can be done is to kick away the props of his religious faith in order that he may be forced into contact with the hard world of real and actual fact. A good Christian cannot be a good Communist. Distinct efforts are therefore made to prevent any potential Communist from becoming a Christian. It is certainly difficult to see what should be done by way of any kind of intervention. It is quite possible that by such means the plight of the victims might be made worse instead of better. Those who are interested in the growth and expansion of the spirit of true religion cannot be expected to remain silent, and their protests are not only natural but just. But, how to make these protests effective is just the question. It is acutely pointed out that even if Britain wore willing to send a fleet to the Baltic, the Kcllogg Pact would prevent it. There remains the possibility of withdrawing tho British Ambassador from Moscow. According to the London Daily Chronicle, this would deprive Britain of the power of effective inquiry and protest, but in answer to this it may be said that anything in the nature, of inquiry or protest is already practically impossible in Russia, for tho reason that facts are camouflaged by denials and protests met with cynical rejoinders. .It is true that there have been several conducted tours through Soviet Russia, guided , by Soviet officials, and many members of tho British Parliament have returned with stories of the fine work that the Soviet is doing. But one suspects that the Parliamentarians were led through Russia somewhat after .the manner in which Marie Antoinette was conducted .through the streets of Paris, namely, so that the sordid and displeasing should be hidden from her eyes and only the things of better repute made visible. To sever the negotiations seems to be the only effective protest, and it may yet come to that. It is too much altogether to expect that Britain can stand aside—or that Christendom can, for that matter—and do nothing at all.