The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1911-04-08
CATHOLIC NEWS
FROM GERMANY
The oft-Quoted Speech Of the Prussian
Minister-No Danger Of a Rupture
With the Observation-Disclosures
Not Popular Among Ger
man Catholics.
LETTER FROM OUR SPECIAL COR
RESPONDENT.
London, Mar. "a, 1911.

London, Mar. "a, 1911.
o 1t is curious fact that the arti-
fetal agitation which Germany is pas
sing through as regards the Church,
had it's rise, not in the anti-Modernist
oath, or the Borromaan Encyclical
though they were made use of as
preliminaries, but after the Interna-
tional Council of Freemasons had de-
cided that the next move in their war
against the Church was to isolate the
Vatican by removing the accredited
representatives of the Powers. I'M
mediately after that resolve was taken,
came the false rumours regarding the
speech of the Prussian Ambassador in
Rome delivered on the occasion of a
banquet in honour of the Kaiser's
birthday. At this function the Am
bassador was reported to have said
that the relations between his Govern
ment and the Vatican were strained
to breaking pitch, by recent actions on
the part of the latter, and much more
of a menacing nature. What the
Minister really said was that the En-
peror and the Pope, each in his own
way, were men of strong purpose and
high ideals, each of whom had set his
mark upon the century. Instantly on
this rumour came the Interpolation in
the Prussian Reichstag suggesting
that the Minister be removed from the
Vatican, suggestion which was not
acceded to.
The Prussian Minister'S Speech.
Then followed the second incident,
a wild endeavor to get the Kaiser to
affront the Holy Father by visit to
Rome congratulatory on italian
Unity" as it is called, and this also
failed of it's purpose. Now we have a
very mild speech by Herr Won Beth
man-Hollweg in the Reichstag, in
which he rather explains than other
wise that the two recent Papal &C
tions at which certain persons desire
to carp are not to be regarded as af-
fronts to the Professionalism of Ger
many, but as family matters touching
the Catholic Church alone, a perfectly
proper view of them. And yet this
speech is taken up by the European
press and placarded as a grave warn
ing to the Vatican that it is exasperat
ing Germany and precipitating another
Kulturkampf. It is rather interesting
under the circumstances to hear what
Herr Hollweg really did say. The
Minister began by a careful definition
of the line at which ecclesiastical pro
nouncements commence to concern
the State at all, in which he developed
what l have just said regarding the
Oath and the Encyclical, adding thai
the Government could not claim tt
be consulted regarding such matters
as those just settled on the age o.
children's first Communion, the actor
of priests in public life, etc. He thel
came to deal with the letter Of tht
Holy Father to Cardinal Fischer IL
which the Pontiff expressed his wisE
that every priest could have found ]
convenient to take the anti-Modernis
oath, though he accepted the assur
ances of loyalty of those Professors IL
the State Universities who were no
confessors or preachers. On this Her
Won Bethman-Hollweg said he had in
Vatican to lay before the Secretary o
State statement on the possibilitie
attending the excitement cause,
amongst the non-Catholic portion o
Germany by the recent DEGREES, AM
had received reply that the Curl
had no ulterior motive and did no
expect any dispute to arise, while h
had reason to understand that tn
Holy Fathers letter to Cardinal KopI
in which he spoke of the Professors Q
Breslau who had abstained from tn
oath, as making use of the benign il
depreciation of the law and nc
worthy of blame was written to n
move any misapprehension which hi
former letter to Cardinal Fischer coul
have produced He then went on
deal with the suggestions made b
certain politicians, that the Cathol1
Faculties in the Universities shoul
be dissolved, that the AmbassadC
should be recalled, and that Catholi
teachers who had taken the oat
should be dismissed or prohibited frol
giving secular instruction. To this f
replied that the State had no reaso
to dissolve existing institutions whic
were not in fault and no right to do a
injury to the Catholic population
whose wishes and needs must be r
spected with the utmost impartialit
AS to withdrawing the Ambassado
none of them wanted another Kultu
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