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Show A PLEA FOR HELP. Several months ago trouble between this country and Mexico seemed imminent. Fires of distrust and suspicion, created and fostered fos-tered largely by floods of propaganda, smouldered, and were ap-j parently ready to burst into the flames of war. Certain factions that for many years past have kept the Mexican people in subjugation subjuga-tion and whose hold has only recently been loosened to some extent ex-tent by the Calles Administration eagerly sought intervention by the United States in hopes that they might regain their power. Fortunately, the leaders of both countries were wise and far-seeing far-seeing enough to investigate and smooth out the difficulties; dispell distrust by thoroughly investigating and compromising on the points of contention. The work of Ambassador Morrow and the visits of Lindbergh further cemented the ties of friendship between Mexico and this country. . ' Though realizing the futility of their efforts to bring about intervention in-tervention on the part of the United States, the Catholic Church. has with increased vigor continued in his efforts to overthrow the Calles Administration by constantly urging the people of Mexico to revolt. But their success in that direction has been of little consequence as the evidences of prosperity and progress brought about through the enlightened policy of education and liberality are obvious to and appreciated by the majority of Mexico and this country. An example of the Catholic Church's attitude of intolerance toward the Mexican Government was given recently in California. A group of twenty Mexican educators, under the auspices of the Internationa In-ternationa Council for Educational Progress, visiting that state to study educational methods, were attending a banquet given in their honor in San Francisco- Rev. D. J. Kavanagh, Jesuit Priest of St. Ignatius College, was present. A toast to President Calles was proposed pro-posed by the host, Alfred Holman, San Franccisco representative of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Immediately the gathering stood, all but Rev. Kavanagh who remained seated and pushed his glass awayl Then, he left the room. Rev. C. J. McCoy, S- J., president of Santa Cla.ra University, hearing of the toast, announced an-nounced that the group of educators would not be welcomed at his university and cancelled the luncheon and reception to harve been held in their honor. Such examples of enmity, hatred and intolerance intoler-ance towards an administration doing all in its power to further the progress of a people that have long been kept in ignorance and poverty, will not be looked upon with favor by Americans. Rather, let us heed the words of a Mexican boy orator, who in a speech delivered in Tucson, Arizona, described conditions in his country and plead for American help and sympathy. He said in part: Vv "Four hundred years of church domination in Mexico ' have meant four hundred years of slavery mental, physical and spiritual. Christianity, as introduced into Mexico, has been and is today the greatest example of exploitation ever recorded. It rests upon' the people like a black fog. There is darkness all about. All is mystery. mys-tery. The people know nothing! No, there is no need in Mexico for that kind of religion. The greatest need there now is for schools, more schools, and for the free teaching of the humble, loving, liberating liber-ating doctrines of the Man who gave His life on Calvary for you for you and for me. Fanaticism has been the cause of Mexico's sad retrogression! re-trogression! "The government has carried on a tremendous fight' against ignorance and superstition. There were in Mexico in 1910'Seven thousand schools, while on the other hand there were eleven thousand thous-and churches. Recent reports show that by the end of last year the government had established 15,000 new schools and is planning this year to establish l.O'OO more. . . "The Mexican peon has long looked forward to the day-when he shall possess the rights that are his by gift of God. He longs for the time when he too may enjoy the beauty found in knowledge. His starved mind and his oppressed soul crave the food of wisdom and the blessings of a free-thinking, healthy mind! In his fight for freedom he turns to America, for he knows that she will understand! "I can see him now kneeling in Peon-l&nd, in the land of turmoil, tur-moil, the land where all flowers seem to droop and guitars forever echo sad wailing tunes there, with outstretched arms, he is calling,, ppraying, pleading for America's friendship and help! He does not need her battleships or arms, he has no need fcrr her powerful army and navy, nor for her riches. What he needs in her civilization, her well developed educational system! He pleac'ls for sympathy and moral support! ' "America, will you not answer?" Scottish Rite News Bureau. |