Douglas Daily Dispatch

Vatican Moves on Russia

Of tremendous political significance on the history of Europe is the report that the Vatican has renewed its attempt, begun in the 16th century, to convert the Russian Orthodox church to Roman Catholicism through the aid of the Polish Catholic clergy and the formation of an eastern slav-cult.

It must be remembered that bolshevism is atheism, and that the Russian church has been but a memory for the past 10 years.

The Vatican, which is generally credited with keeping its ears as close to the ground as any chancellory in Europe, must have come to the conclusion that bolshevism is waning, else it would not attempt a seemingly impossible task.

It is announced that the new slav cult, contrary to the Catholic church, will have no hierarchy. Parishes will depend on Roman Catholic bishops.

The disorganization of the Orthodox church in Russia discouraged a number of Orthodox priests who are lonesome for a strong ecclesiastical organization, and therefore they may join the Catholic church.

The Russian intelligensia, living in Poland, is much attached to the Orthodox creed, and those who pass to the Catholic religion are not numerous, and when they do pass they go to the Roman Catholic cult. The peasants in most cases blindly follow their pastors.

While the religious regeneration of Russia has provoked the thought of all Christian creeds, and generally has been thought of as a condition precedent to political regeneration, it begins to appear that the political regeneration of Russia will antedate its religious rebirth.

With bolshevism maintaining its terroristic hold on Russia neither the Vatican nor any other Christian denomination would be given an opportunity to penetrate Russia, nor present its dogmas to the Russian peasants.

Terrorism, history has shown, ordinarily destroys itself through the poisons which it distills.

The Vatican, imbued with the idea that bolshevism is tottering and bulwarked by the strong position of the Catholic church in countries bordering on Russia has decided that now is the time for peaceful religious penetration of Russia.

The success of the German republic, under the guidance of that stern old monarchist of former times, Von Hindenburg, undoubtedly has had a great moral effect on the intelligensia of Russia, and has disturbed the sleep of even Stalin, the mighty.

Without the moral support of the Germans, bolshevism never could have swayed Russia, and the intelligent Russians are doubting the wisdom of their course in view of the action of the Germans in setting up a republic upon the overthrow of the kaiser.

It will be interesting to watch the progress made by the Vatican in its proselyting in Russia, but it would be more interesting to read the reports upon which the decision to proceed with the religious regeneration of Russians were based.

The Vatican ordinarily moves cautiously, and never attempts to cross a chasm until it has been bridged.

Disarmament urgings by the league of nations probably are based upon a more general and better understanding of conditions in Russia than pertain on this side of the Atlantic.