Soviet Russia
On Tuesday, August 12th, a useful White Paper (CM/ 3641, price 2d.) was issued from the Foreign Office, embodying a translation of extracts from the laws in force in respect of religion in the U.S.S.R. Thus, the Govern- ment redeems Lord Parmoor's promise, which was made last April in the course of a debate calling attention to the oppression of religion in that country. The most important provisions are the law disfranchising ministers of religion, as well as " middlemen," and " people employing the labour of others," the prohibition of religious teaching in schools, and the denial of property rights to ieligious Societies. The " crime " of encouraging superstition among the masses of the population receives special consideration. Marriages solemnized in church befOre December, 1917, are graciously declared to be valid. If only ,there were more persons capable of taking the temperate and common-sense view of " This Russian Business," exemplified in an article which we publish this week, by Mr. L. A. Fenn, there might be some not too distant hope of enlisting the co-operation of Soviet Russia
with the League of Nations. . * * *
Previous page
