Thursday, 27 February 1930

Madrid:  

Demonstrations and riots against King Alfonso sweep parts of the country.  Thousands gather in the streets here and clash with police, who charge them with swords.  The disturbances follow a speech by former Prime Minister Jose Antonio Sanchez Guerra, the “grand old man” of Spanish politics, who, though a monarchist, declares that he is opposed to any further rule by King Alfonso.  “I will never again serve the present king,” he says.  New Prime Minister Damaso Berenguer announces that no further public political speeches will be permitted. 

London:  

Bishop Nickolai (or Nicholas), head of the Russian Orthodox Church in London, releases a letter which accuses the Soviet Union of torture and other atrocities against people of faith.  He claims a seminary leader in Voronezh was beaten with crucifixes and had molten lead poured down his throat.  An archbishop in Perm reportedly had his eyes gouged out and was dragged through the streets and killed, along with 40 other monks and priests.  “I would like this country to protest, and the whole civilized world to express its detestation of Russian persecution of Christianity.  Some of those prominently connected with the protest movement fear lest their religious protest should trespass on political issues.  To such, I say that no protest is likely to intensify trouble in Russia, and that the bolshevists can not do more in the way of atrocious persecution than they are now doing.”

Moscow:  

The chairman of the anti-religious committee of the communist party in Moscow issues an order for closings of churches, synagogues and mosques to speed up.  “Heretofore we have been extremely cautious about taking action on petitions for closing churches from workers and peasants.  But in view of the present agitation all over the world and in the soviets themselves, we can afford to be less timid.”    

Meanwhile, new reports of Jewish leaders arrested: the chief rabbi of Leningrad and another rabbi are reported held on charges of maintaining illegal connections abroad.  And synagogues in Vilna are reportedly being closed by soviet authorities.  

Chicago:  

After breaking up a communist meeting yesterday, authorities announce they have uncovered plans for a worldwide demonstration by communists set for March 6.