Communists and the Pope (1939)

From the June 1939 issue of the Socialist Standard

The Canadian Labour Herald in its April issue, quotes the following two news items, both from the New York Times of February 13th, 1939: —

NEW YORK—”The New York State Young Communist League Convention was brought to a close yesterday afternoon with a resolution expressing sympathy to young Catholics on the death of Pope Pius XI.”

MOSCOW—”The Soviet press to-day criticised Pope Pius XI, as a defender of capitalism. The newspaper ‘Bezboznik’ also condemned him for his crusade against Soviet Russia beginning in 1930 and for maintaining good relations with the Spanish insurgents, and the Japanese government.”