1.
SV Students with flags march through streets.
0.06

2.
SCU Ditto.
0.13

3.
TV Mass of students.
0.21

4.
SV Women in procession.
0.26

5.
REAR V..Ditto.
0.32

6.
CU Women.
0.40

7.
TV Procession.
0.43

8.
REAR V..Ditto.
0.47



Initials TDH/V/MR/AS



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In San Juan, Puerto Rico, October 30, opposition to the recent Roman Catholic Edict on the coming island election took the form of a silent march in front of the churches.

Some five hundred students and professors of the University of Puerto Rico marched mute, while a radio car went before announcing in a soft voice the reasons for the march "not against the church or the government" but against the right to "freedom of expression" denied them by the Bishop's letter.

The Bishop of Ponce spoke out again the same day, telling Catholic voters not to support the re-election of the Popular Democratic Party leader, Governor Munoz-Marin. The island's three Bishops have joined in speaking against Munoz-Marin; though their stand has been attacked by other Catholics and the Jesuit magazine "AMERICA". The Bishop of Ponce, the Right Reverend James McManus, has defended his stand against the ruling Popular Democratic Party.

Bishop McManus is claiming the government of Munoz-Marin has for ten years administered laws contrary to Christian morality. "Theoretically, some of these (political leaders) can be ex-communicated for what they have done" says Bishop McManus, "But no such action .... is contemplated as of today". The Bishop's quarrel is largely a matter of the refusal of the Popular Democratic Party to oppose sterilisation and birth control; of the acceptance of 'common-law' marriages; and of the governments opposition to religious education in schools. Bishop McManus says the crisis developed out of the publication last September of the PDP's official programme which he said, "practically stated that the bases of morality was the popular will".