RUSSIA’S ANTI-GOD CAMPAIGN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18498, 20 February 1930, Page 9

RUSSIA’S ANTI-GOD CAMPAIGN.

“ Very Successful Week.”

EVIDENCE FROM SOVIET PRESS.

(United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) RIGA, February 18. A very successful week on the antiGod front is .the official Soviet summing up of its activities of the past week, during which a record number of churches had been closed. Sunday’s issue of “Izvestia,” containing a long list of villages in which churches have been closed up and converted into clubs, workshops and grain stores, also contained the Sergius interview, denying religious persecution.

INDIGNATION IN BRITAIN. LABOUR PARTY PERTURBED. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, February 18. It is no secret that the British Government is most concerned over the Russian situation, which has become worse instead of improving since the resumption of relations. The gravest aspect is the fanatical nervousness internally.

It is stated that Russia desperately | fears that the Western world is organising an attack on her and that the British churches’ protests are merely I P ar t of a combination of circumstances lat which the Soviet is grasping in a | great effort to reunite Russia against | the re st of the world. M. Stalin is also I vigorously exploiting the Koutepoff j kidnapping, which he declares is a de- ; liberate frame-up by the Russian ; Whites. He also is using incidents in | which European and American flnani ciers are mentioned. Stalin is filling | the Soviet Press with accusations that the financiers are aiming to ruin Russia, and these charges are enabling | Stalin to win over the recalcitrants in j a & rea t drive to unite the Soviet against everybody and to make Russia self-supporting within five years.

“FLAGRANT VIOLATION.” SOVIET ATTACK ON LABOUR MINISTER. (United Press Association—By Electrlo Tel egraph—Cop yrigh t.) MOSCOW, February 18. The newspaper “Izvestia” regards Mr Arthur Henderson’s House of Commons reply on the question of religious persecutions as an undertaking by the Government to interfere in a question not relating to Anglo-Soviet relations, and remarks:: “It is a flagrant violation of the non-interference clause of the Anglo-Soviet Agreement. The Soviet will regard any representations from the British or any other Government as a hostile act, contradicting the principles of international intercourse, and will offer effective resistance to them.”

PROTEST IN UNITED STATES. PUBLIC GATHERINGS PROPOSED. (United Press Association—By Electric 1 eiegraph—Copyright.) (Received, February 17. 8.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, February 18. A movement of protest’ against the Soviet religious persecution has gained momentum with the appeal to the President by various groups, “Call to Player,” by the Lutheran World Convention, and the appeal by the American Jewish Congress. The appeals disclaimed any desire to interfere in Russian International affairs, but declared that silence no longer is possible in face of the Soviet suppression*of primary human rights. Meanwhile the Soviet followers in New York area, have announced plans to hold a great mass meeting at the same time as the protest gathering, proposed by Bishop Manning. The Communists issued a lengthy statement denying the truth of the persecution reports, which are declared to be propaganda inspired by the fear of the capitalistic world of the Soviet progre.ssiveness. The principal speaker of the Soviet meeting, will be' a former episcopal Bishop, Mr Brown of Arkansas.