"A PRECIOUS REVELATION" Vatican Comment on Barcelona Religious Decree

The Osservatore Romano, Vatican paper, has commented upon the introduction into Barcelona of a " Commissariat-General of Cults " for the ostensible purpose of restoring religion into Government terri tory. Its chief significance, declares the Vatican organ, does not lie in its telling us anything new on the question of the lack of liberty which has characterised the situation hitherto, but in that it affords tie a precious revelation on the part of those who, for a year, have not ceased from proclaiming the entire liberty of worship in Red Spain, even though in Barcelona there was one Mass available in the chapel open only for the use of the Basques.
The original decree consists of five articles:
1. Establishing the Commissariat to "make enquiries, take steps, and consider propositions concerning questions of cults and the practice of religious activities in Spain."
2. The naming of a CommissaryGeneral and s Council.
S. The Ministry of Justice and Home Affairs to be closely connected with the General-Commissariat.
Finance Minister to provide the money.
5. Steps to carry the decree into practice In a preamble, the Barcelona Government makes the behaviour of the high authorities of the Church and the necessities of war responsible for "the abnormal state of affairs in religious questions."