Defiance

This week the Roman Catholic bishopsof Czechoslovakia came to open defiance of the Communist government'snew laws to control and suppress the church (TIME, Nov. 14). In a letter to Communist Premier Antonin Zapotocky, the bishops told how they had tried to meet the government at least halfway, had issued "conciliatory directives" telling priests to accept state salaries and take an oath of loyalty to the Red regime. In return, the bishops said, the Communist government had issued new decrees which were "an attack on the organization and life of the church." The bishops' letter concluded: "We cannot render unto Caesar that which is God's ... If, however--and God prevent it--a religious fight should arise from this our proclamation . . . there are enough people in this country of the Holy Martyrs who are willing to sacrifice everything for the right of God and religious freedom."

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